14th and 15th May
A stunning day with hardly
a cloud in the sky on the 14th and a light SE breeze; there was a
decent spread of migrants across the island without it being jumping highlighted
by 2 Long-eared Owls trapped in Holland at first light, 2 Red-backed Shrikes (females at the Obs and Nether Linney) and a female Bluethroat at Southness.
Other migrants included 5 Woodpigeons, 3 Collared Doves, 57 Swallows, a
White Wagtail, 101 Wheatears, a Song Thrush, 4 Sedge Warbler, 3 Lesser
Whitethroats, 4 Whitethroats, 3 Garden Warbler, 9 Blackcaps, 28 Chiffchaffs, 9
Willow Warblers, the first 4 Spotted Flycatchers of the year, 12 Carrion
Crows, 3 Rook, 2 Common Redpolls, 3 Siskins and a Tree Sparrow.
Also of note were counts of 81 Bar-tailed Godwits and
7 Whimbrel, the Kumlien’s Gull again and an adult female Peregrine along the
west coast.
Another lovely, warm, sunny day on the 15th
until a band of rain moved in late evening causing the wind to dramatically
pick up and switch to the west; there were fewer migrants logged through the
day as counts included a ringtail Hen Harrier, a Kestrel, a Merlin, a Common
Sandpiper, 2 Woodpigeons, 4 Collared Doves, 16 Sand Martins, a Tree Pipit, a
Robin, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 4 Whitethroats, 2 Blackcaps, 15 Chiffchaffs, 4
Willow Warblers, a Goldcrest, 2 Tree Sparrows, 2 Siskins and 3 Common Redpolls.
Three Garganey were seen again along with the Whooper
Swan and Pink-footed Goose still while some increased wader counts included 213
Ringed Plovers, 229 Sanderling, 68 Bar-tailed Godwits and 282 Turnstone. The Kumlien’s Gull was floating around the
Obs again and a new 2cy Glaucous Gull was seen over the
airstrip.
Long-eared Owl Simon Davies
Turnstone Simon Davies
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