18th April
Yet again similar conditions but sunny and warm(ish) with
the wind maybe easing a touch; it was pleasant to be out and about with a
couple of unusual highlights consisting of a male Goshawk which zoomed south, low over
the Lighthouse but couldn’t be relocated (the thirteenth for the island) and a
male Bluethroat near Vincoin which was not a white-spotted
as the time of year would suggest but a red-spotted – a good few weeks earlier
than would be expected and by far the earliest for the island (previous
earliest was 8th May).
An
array of other migrants included 3 Sparrowhawks, a Kestrel, a Merlin, a Grey
Plover, at least 12 Sandwich Terns, 4 Woodpigeons, c200 Skylarks, a notable
influx of hirundines including 29+ Sand Martins and 6+ Swallows, 400+ Meadow
Pipits, 7 Dunnocks, 70 Robins, 2 Black Redstarts, 53+ Wheatears, 5 Song Thrush,
5 Redwing, the overdue first Blackcap of the year, 25
Chiffchaffs, 4 Willow Warblers, 3 Goldcrests, 3 Jackdaws, a Carrion Crow and a
hybrid in amongst a handful of migrant Hooded Crows, 2 Chaffinches, 3
Brambling, an increase to 190+ Linnets, a Common Redpoll and the four Snow
Buntings still.
Bluethroat
Several high flocks of Curlews went north in the fine conditions
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