Temperatures dipping to minus six, deep snow, birds arriving on the feeders, a very late White Stork at Baltoji Voke, the first days of November signalled a notable change in conditions from the tail-end of October.

With birds departing and localities falling quiet, the best of the action in the first weeks was at the feeders, the highlight the return of a White-backed Woodpecker, a nice compliment to the Middle and Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers that had arrived a week earlier.

From mid-month, with a Great Northern Diver snatching the headlines, a mini-influx of seaducks and divers livened proceedings, as did the first Waxwings of the season.

Exodus on the Lithuanian front, geese heading south, passerines departing. Crested Tits and others at the garden feeders. Highlight of the month, however, was a trip to the UK - a double-billing of Brown Shrike and Red-flanked Bluetail, backed up by Spoonbills, Grey Phalarope  and flocks of Snow Buntings.