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Saturday 13 April 2024

13th April 2024

 Weather: SW force 2

The early morning was without wind of rain and as usual started with the Pink-footed Geese flying out north along the Wirral shore, 40 today. A look at the trapping area saw several phylloscopus warblers about and 4 Willow Warblers and a Chiffchaff were ringed.

 

 It was obviously not a big 'fall' however and the next two hours only produced a few more. One of the Willow Warblers (right in photo) was darker in the hand and probably belonged to one of the northern races.

Late morning a few drops of rain was enough to drop in 3 Chiffchaffs and another Willow Warbler. Totals estimated were 15 Willow Warblers and 6 Chiffchaffs.

 Four Wheatears were on the west side of the island during the day, one was certainly of the Greenland race. 

The hoped for larger warblers and chats did not arrive but we were happy with what we had, especially in a south westerly. Six White Wagtails came through and later in the morning 5 of the 6 Swallows were seen.

Finches visiting the resident Linnets were a Siskin and 4 Goldfinches. A Golden Plover was the pick of the waders, it called mid-morning, others showing up as the tide flooded were some Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Sanderling, Bar-tailed Godwits, Purple Sandpiper etc. also a single Whimbrel and some Turnstones.

Knot meanwhile spent a lot of time this morning at the north end area. Brent (93) arrived on the flood tide. and then a group of 64 Gannets fed close in off the island in spectacular fashion.

 

A single Common Tern, a first for the year, rested with 85 Sandwich Terns on the west hoyle between their feeding sessions.

Earlier 2 Canada Geese flew low over the SK paddock surprising the observers. A single drake Eider was noted as were 30 Common Scoter and 4 Shelduck. Five Little Egrets were in the gutter.

 Ringing: 10 Willow Warblers, 4 Chiffchaffs, 4 Wrens.

 Photos: SRW

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