Thursday 11 September 2014

11th September 2014

Weather: SSE 3, 0/8 cloud, mist all round estuary, 5 miles vis

Another promising morning weather wise started slowly with a couple of Goldcrests on but very little else until about 8am when a Chiffchaff was observed flying in off.  Two more appeared and it was apparent that the mist was helping to produce a nice trickle of birds.

At 940am a Firecrest appeared in Pallas's Privet and made its way along the top wall and conveniently into the Heli trap (see right).

After release it disappeared for quite some time before reappearing in the Privet and happily fed in the sycamores along the Telegraph House West Side garden all afternoon and evening allowing some photographs and video to be taken and also some visitors to see this stunning little gem of a bird.


Firecrest - spent the afternoon and early evening feeding in the sycamores (SRW)


Meadow Pipits were definitely passing over in numbers today with 150 counted along with 7 Grey Wagtails and 6 Albas and 3 Skylarks were noted on the main island and on Middle.

Things went very quiet around mid to late morning but the wind had died down by lunchtime and the excitement was reignited at around 1410hrs when a male Kestrel found its way into the Obs garden mist net, when extracted it was found to be a control, we look forward to finding out where it was ringed soon.  The stunning bird was photographed by visitors Rob and Terry.

Kestrel (male) - controlled (Terry)
Kestrel (male) - Rob Williams
At around the same time it was apparent that a few more phylloscs had arrived and a Willow Warbler and a further two Chiffchaffs were caught during the afternoon.

Robin - one of many passing through the islands in the last week or so (SRW)
A short video of the Firecrest is posted here http://youtu.be/rUXDvEraRqI

Ringed:  Chiffchaff (5), Willow Warbler (1) Goldcrest (2), Firecrest (1), Wren (1), Linnet (2), Robin (1) + Kestrel (control male)


(DB, CJ, SRW - PSW later + Rob W & Terry) [743-35]

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