4th-5th August

The 4th was largely uneventful with just singles of Green Sandpiper and Greenshank remaining from previous days. Another 'Storm Petrel' ringing session overnight resulted in 35 birds trapped and ringed. A Leach's Petrel was also seen and heard while a single Dunlin was also caught. After a lie-in on 5th, birding staff were quickly rushing from their beds (some only partially dressed!!) when a stunning male Black-headed Bunting appeared outside the Observatory. It spent a couple of hours in the company of the local House Sparrows and Linnets, actively feeding in the crop fields before vanishing at lunchtime. This is the eighth record for the Island, but the first since 2003. A juvenile Peregrine was also seen, arriving from the south and there were now 2 Greenshanks and 2 Green Sandpipers on Gretchen, while 5 Swifts also lingered in the same area.

Black-headed Bunting