Weather : ESE force 4/5
On arrival at the obs early this morning members were greeted by a skulking bird vocalising in the bushes at the bottom of the obs garden. After some puzzlement and a little exited anticipation it was realised it was a Garden Warbler in sub-song, the first here this year and a species we are by no means guaranteed to come across in spring. It sang near the obs on and off for half an hour or so without showing itself, before dissappearing completely. Soon after a female Redstart flew in from the south and perched on a fence, they have been scarce here this year, this particular bird was subsequently only glimpsed before being caught in the SK trap and ringed mid-afternoon.
Two Whitethroats were on the island, one was trapped for ringing, as was a female Blackcap that had been keeping low in the vegetation.
Two Greenland Wheatears stayed most of the day and 2 Whinchats did the same, male and female but they were elusive for long periods and unavailable for ringing.
Notable were 7 Collared Doves passing through today, a group of 3 and 4 singles, one of them wandered into the Newton trap.
A single Tree Pipit called over, also alone was a Willow Warbler flying in past the gardens and there were also a single Pied Wagtail and 2 Goldfinches. Eleven House Martins joined the mainly local Swallows overhead, but only the one Swift was seen in flight over the island. Waders were notable for the number of Ringed Plovers roosting at high tide, about 70, with 12 Sanderling, 18 Turnstone, just 3 Whimbrel and 600 Dunlin.
There have been one or two records of Wall Brown butterfly in the last few days, and today was no exception.
Four Green-veined Whites and a colourful Cinnabar moth were also out in the sunshine.
A juvenile Blackbird became the first of this years young bred on the island to be ringed.
Ringed: 1 Collared Dove, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Redstart, 1 Blackcap, 1 Blackbird, 1 Linnet.
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