4th May

A very pleasant, calm morning gave way to a nasty windy and rainy afternoon but the good conditions in the first half of the day allowed the bird of the spring so far to be found in the fields near Sangar - a somewhat unexpected, yet cracking Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll which occasionally gave small snatches song and even attempted a few small display flights as it showed well along the stone dykes (the 9th hornemanni Arctic Redpoll for the island yet the first in spring).    There was little else through the day to match the Redpoll, although migrants did include a Short-eared Owl near Hooking, two Sand Martins, 16 Swallows, a Fieldfare, two Willow Warblers, three Chiffchaffs, 7 Siskins and 6 Lapland Buntings.

Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll

and some Siskins