Monday 18 April 2011

18th April 2011

A south easterly with mist but not quite the day that was hoped for, even the promised sunshine didn't appear until late in the morning and it feet cool walking around the island. The outstanding feature today was the number of Goldfinches passing through, with 200 birds counted, also 25 Redpolls but only 2 Greenfinches and a single Chaffinch. There was no sudden fall of warblers just the odd Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff appeared at random during the morning. A Collared Dove (left) was ringed with 3 others being seen earlier, and a beautiful Grey Wagtail was down for a time on the rocks at the north end (above left). Another surprise at the north end was a Purple Sandpiper on the tide edge (above) as all the wintering birds have left, this was probably travelling from further south on its way to breed in northern parts. Incidentally the remaining 3 Brent Geese were seen to fly off high last Monday, we forgot to mention it. Four Yellow Wagtails and 4 Tree Pipits were over early but only 8 Swallows and 3 Sand Martins were seen despite the apparently ideal weather for their movements, likewise only 5 Wheatears in the late morning sunshine. The sea was quiet, a flock of 20 Gannets flew east close passed the north end and a single Common tern joined the Sandwich Terns feeding. Ringed:- 3 Willow Warblers, 2 Redpolls, 2 Goldfinches,1 Chiffchaff, 1 Linnet, 1 Meadow Pipit 1 Collared Dove (right), 1 Greenland Wheatear. (DB,CJ,BT,CJW,SRW) [ 241-32] photos CJ

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