28th April 2010

Willow Warblers drifted through in small numbers during the first half of the morning but no larger species were seen until a Blackcap arrived later and then a Grasshopper Warbler towards noon. There were 15 Greenland Wheatears on Middle island all at the same time early morning, these promising numbers however were not repeated on the main island which probably took all morning to reach the same number (below, CJ).

No finches this morning apart from a few Goldfinches and the resident Linnets and again very little visible migration except for a very vocal Tree Pipit, a Reed Bunting, 2 Yellow Wagtails and 8 White Wagtails.

A modest Swallow passage with only a single House Martin and a few Sand Martins to show for the effort of looking skywards, and the hoped for first Swift did not materialise.

The Shelduck gathered as usual on the rangers garden wall (top right, BSB).

Movements of other birds that are hard to explain included 2 Cananda Geese flying west, a single Pink-footed Goose, (right, CJ) travelling north west, and a House Sparrow (left, CJ) that spent some time around the paddocks before dissappearing.

Still present are quite a good number of Dunlin (above left, CJ) and Ringed Plover (above right with Dunlin, BSB) and a flock of Whimbrel (left, BSB) of 26 birds gathering together at high tide with probably more to be found at various points on the rocks.

An Ostercatcher has been seen with a curved bill over the last few days (below, BSB) and was still present today, in fact it was one of very few still remaining.

Very little on the sea, a single Gannet, some Sandwich terns but no Little Gulls today.

Ringed :- 13 Willow Warblers, 1 Greenland Wheatear, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 1 Blackcap, 1 Linnet, 1 Goldfinch.

(BSB,DB,ME,CJ,DCT,PT,NDW,CJW,SRW) [225] photos BSB,CJ