Saturday 22 April 2017

Glorious sunshine and calm winds made today particularly enjoyable, accompanied with a good cast of birds.

Out to sea a mere two Common Scoters were recorded, but inland was where the action was.

The highlight of the day was a Goshawk which was flushed from the Plantation in the morning which flew south through the Lowlands, before heading back north along the Mountain and finally thermalling at Nant and heading back north to the mainland. This represented only the 32nd record of this species for the island, with the last being recorded in 2014!

Waders again were seen in good number today and included a summer-plumaged Bar-tailed Godwit, but also of interest were five Ringed Plovers, six Dunlins and a Common Sandpiper. The first Common Tern of the season past by out to sea, and the first Swift of the year followed it shortly gliding over the Mountain Ridge. 16 Sand Martins, 80 Swallows and five House Martins made up Hirundine passage, with today being a little slower than before. Some 58 Wheatears were also logged, with a good proportion of them of the Greenland race. Again Warblers made up a large part of totals inland with three Grasshopper Warblers, five Sedge Warblers, four Blackcaps, 22 Chiffchaffs and 31 Willow Warblers logged, again a little lower than previous days, but still evidence of a fair bit moving through. A Blue Tit was trapped in the Withies.

A Hooded Crow was in the North West Fields today, which continues on from the good run we’ve been having. The highlights in finch passage today were a Greenfinch, seven Siskins and four Lesser Redpolls.


Of note on an island scale were two Greylag Geese and a Canada Goose today which were a pleasant surprise.

The first Flame Shoulder of the year, caught in the trap last night

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