October is the month par excellence to observe bird migration. A phenomenal event in which sometimes tens of thousands of birds can be counted in one day. This period also offers the chance to see rare birds. This autumn it was a bonanza of vagrants on Texel. Noteworthy were the 10+ Pallas's Leaf Warblers and 7 Dusky Warblers that were seen in this autumn month. On October 26, no less than 5 Pallid Swifts flew around at the same time on the northern head! There were also sightings of Broad-billed Sandpiper, Desert Wheatear, Isabelline Wheatear, Red-flanked Bluetail, Blyth's Reed Warbler, Red-breasted Flycatcher (3), Olive-backed Tree Pipit (3), Rustic Bunting and Black-headed Bunting. Migratory birds prefer to fly over land to their wintering areas. It is therefore very special when a North American songbird reaches the European continent. To do this they have to cross the Atlantic Ocean, a bizarre journey of more than four thousand km. The absolute highlight of this fall was therefore the discovery of a Blackpoll Warbler, a breeding bird of northern North America. On October 25, this species, only 12 cm tall, was discovered in the cemetery of De Cocksdorp. Bird watchers from all over the Netherlands and even from Belgium came to Texel to see this 'first' for the Netherlands. The last known sighting date is October 27.

Zwartkopzanger / Blackpoll Warbler Setophaga striata, De Cocksdorp, Texel, 25-10-2020

 Izabeltapuit / Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina, De Cocksdorp, Texel, 12-10-2020 

Vale Gierzwaluw / Pallid Swift Apus pallidus, De Cocksdorp, Texel, 26-10-2020

Pallas' Boszanger / Pallas's Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus proregulus, De Robbenjager - De Cocksdorp, Texel, 25-10-2020