A passing Kestrel on its way west (Graeme Duncan)

Female Wigeon takes a break on Inner Farne pond (Graeme Duncan)

A Song Thrush on Brownsman Jetty (Graeme Duncan)

A visiting Redwing lingers on Inner Farne (Will Scott)

Friday 30th September comments: Our glorious leader and head warden David Steel left the islands today at 11am to visit Fair Isle for two weeks, in the company of several ex Farne wardens (his holiday blog posts to follow!) No sooner had he left than the islands sprung to life with visiting birds (as usual). Easterly-flavoured winds brought several passage thrushes and finches to the islands from Scandinavia.

Inner Farne's good autumn duck records continued, with a male Pintail passing west over the island, and a female Wigeon lingering on the pond, accompanying the resident female mallard and her newly born late brood of ducklings!

The islands also experienced their first real fall of Bramblings this autumn, with 11 of these cracking birds recorded across the islands, calling confidently and showing well to admiring wardens. 10 Redwing were recorded on the Farnes along with 3 Song Thrushes, hopefully a good sign of things to come. It won't be long until the Farnes hopefully experiences another year of busy thrush passage, as thousands of these birds come over the islands to spend the winter in Britain!

Today's Sightings: Pintail 1, Long-tailed Skua 1, Brambling 11, Linnet 14, Redpoll 2, Redwing 10, Song Thrush 3, Whinchat 1, Wheatear 3, Blackcap 2, Garden Warbler 1, Chiffchaff1, Willow Warbler 1, Skylark 3, Black Tern 1, Grey Plover 1, Kestrel 2, Peregrine 2, Sparrowhawk 1.