25th June

With the wind abating the previous evening we thought it might be good to try and get our first Storm Petrel ringing session of the year going. 

The calm weather proved effective for an early session, meaning we caught 2 European Storm Petrels, one new and one re-trap and while doing the session we also heard and saw a Leach's Storm Petrel flying around the nets and singing occasionally, possibly mocking us slightly.  

The first Ghost Moths of the year were out lekking, with 41 around the obs croft just before we headed off to do Petrels. 

A Common Whitethroat sub-singing around the obs was an early highlight on a day that seemed intent on giving us something. The Corncrake was singing in its usual spot near Peckhole, another group of 4 Crossbill went South over the school and the drake Common Scoter was still in Linklet Bay.

The evening session at Holland wasn't really productive apart from a Song Thrush trapped on the last round and an evening wander around the traps produced a Siskin and a Stonechat but the day wasn't over there.

The final act of the day was a quick scoot about to look at Terns, it didn't produce any rare Terns but did produce a stonkingly smart adult summer American Golden Plover between Sjaver and the lighthouse, the 14th record for the island. Not what we'd expected but certainly something we were happy to accept. 

American Golden Plover (top RJB. Bottom GG)

Common Scoter hiding between the swell                         GG