2nd May 2009

Well May has certainly got off to a slow start...

Highlights of a beautiful day (weather-wise) were 2 Manxies, 80+ Gannets and over 100 Sandwich Terns on the sea. A Common Sandpiper on the Whaleback in the morning reminded us it was still Spring - although it proved elusive for the photographers.

Very few migrants appeared with just a couple of Willow Warblers trapped (see opposite), a Goldfinch (see below) and perhaps surprisingly for the time of year a single new Robin and Wren.

Other than that a few Whimbrel were noted (6), three Little Egrets fed between the islands (and were later seen in the gutter) and a Peregrine flew overhead.

In fact it felt more like a quiet sunny June day - with the local breeding birds, such as Meadow Pipit (see opposite), still attracting more attention than is normal at this time of year (as yesterday!)

Of interest mammal-wise another pipistrelle bat was sadly found dead near the Obs this morning (see below).

The 'grockles' (tourists) were out in full force in the mid-day sun (see above left) and by early afternoon the Obs mainlanders made a hasty retreat...

(CJ, DCT, PT, NDW, SRW + CD & MJ) [344] Photos by Mike Jones (birds) and SRW (bat and grockles)