Wednesday 21 April 2021

21st April 2021

 Weather: ENE force 3.    mist

The wind direction did not seem promising so a slightly later start was made to the island. It turned out that this was a miscalculation of the weather conditions and sometimes wind direction is not the complete story to bring migrants here. Half a dozen Willow Warblers were trapped first round of the island, most arrived on the east side and kept low in the Blackthorn. A female Redstart (the 3rd this spring) became the 3rd to be ringed.

The Willow Warblers trickled in most of the day, 28 were ringed out of an estimated 45+ grounded, the first 'fall' of the year. Nine Greenland Wheatears staged down the west side early on but most had soon moved on. Later in the morning a Whinchat was in the SK trap, another first for the island this year.

 Threr was also a small passage of Meadow Pipits through, also 16 Sand Martins, 2 new Swallows, a couple of White Wagtails and 2 Siskin. The finding of 5 Purple Sandpipers was a bit of a surprise as it was thought that maybe they had all departed. Whimbrel are still passing, 7 called from the shore today and 28 Ringed Plover were noted. In addition to the pair of Blackbirds, a single Song Thrush appeared and was ringed.

The goose total today was 12 Brent plus 2 dark-bellied, and the 2 Canada geese. 

 photos KMc, SRW

 

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