The Firecrest in Millcombe. ©Thomas Weston
A humid morning, foggy afternoon and relatively calm night resulted in a nice little arrival of migrants today with a flock of 6 Cormorants, 4+ Wheatears, 75+ Sand Martins, 2 Swallows, White Wagtail, 8 Chiffchaff and our first Blackcap of the year seen across the island by allcomers.
Other notable records from today included the American Green-winged Teal male still on Pondsbury with a pair of European Teal, the female Merlin was hunting the Old Stone Crusher Site/main helipad site, a pair of Kestrel were seen on the East Coast around the Quarries, 2 Red-throated Divers in the Landing Bay and the Firecrest remains for a second day.
Alongside the divers and the Firecrest, census was busy with 4 Mallard, 5 Woodpigeon, single Oystercatcher, Great Black-backed Gull, 86 Herring Gulls, 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 3 Guillemot, 35 Razorbills, 4 Shag, one of the two Kestrels, a Peregrine, 30 Carrion Crows, 6 Ravens, 18 Skylarks, single Sand Martin, 8 Chiffchaff, 5 Goldcrest, 11 Wren, 76 Starlings, 7 Blackbirds, 2 Song Thrushes, 5 Robins, single male Wheatear, 3 Stonechat, 6 Dunnocks, 21 House Sparrows, Pied Wagtail, 4 ‘alba wagtails’, 40 Meadow Pipits, 3 Chaffinches, 5 Linnets and a single Goldfinch.
Ringing
A couple of hours in Millcombe resulted in a single Chiffchaff caught and a nocturnal session walking around the fields resulted in a few Meadow Pipits and Skylarks. The highlight was a Meadow Pipit originally ringed in September 2021 as a juvenile.