Bird Sightings

North-easterly and overcast at dawn delivered the first Redwing of the season in an otherwise slow-going trundle around Millcombe. Yesterday's Ring Ouzel overnighted on the island and remained faithful to Belle Vue Cottages again this morning. Highlights elsewhere include a Whinchat near Ackland's Pond, Spotted Flycatcher in Millcombe and a Merlin off the Terrace. Single adult Cormorant north, Grey Wagtail south, new-in Sparrowhawk , Goldcrest increase to 25 individuals and arrival of Carrion Crow bolstered the island count to 62 the best of the rest. Swallow passage is always difficult to untangle true passage from milling birds, but a conservative estimate of 232 individuals is roughly half of yesterday's tally. Two Redwing passed overhead calling during a nocturnal survey of South West Field later in the evening.

Short-toed Lark, Pondsbury Area (yesterday) © Neil Barnes

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A vocal first-winter female Ring Ouzel at Belle Vue Cottages brightened up a murky morning census. Once the clag lifted, a productive mist netting session in Millcombe clocked up a respectable 38 Blackcap along with yesterday's female Pied Flycatcher which was trapped and ringed. The valley also featured a Spotted Flycatcher and Grey Wagtail overhead while our penultimate local school education visit of the sailing season enjoyed seeing two Swallow in the hand during a ringing demo while exploring the island. Two female-type Common Redstart were new-in, with singles at Old Light and Millcombe and the long-staying Short-toed Lark was logged around the 'Lost Heinkel' early evening. Two Common Snipe and a Skylark were ringed during a nocturnal survey late evening.

First-winter female Ring Ouzel  © Tom Williams

Damp conditions for morning census. View: Quarterwall Copse south to Landing Bay © Joe Parker

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A small arrival of migrants dropped in overnight once the rainfall subsided in the wee small hours. Song Thrush and Eurasian Reed Warbler both ringed in Millcombe early doors, with an accompanying cast of Common Whitethroat, Pied Flycatcher, three  Firecrest and seven Goldcrest all logged in the valley through the day. The Short-toed Lark continues to favour the track south of Halfway Wall and both Barton Field drake Wigeon were back on show after a day in hiding seeing out yesterday's gale force winds. Elsewhere, two Sedge Warbler were seen at VC Quarry, a vocal Reed Bunting at Belle Vue Cottages, two Cormorant tracked north and an additional two Firecrest occupied St Helen's Copse, plus belated news of a Merlin near Pondsbury yesterday evening. A short seawartch at dawn offered singles of Manx Shearwater and Kittiwake off the east coast. Sedge Warbler ©Tom Williams

Kistvaen Pond wetting up nicely after yesterday's downpour © Joe Parker

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The unrelenting force-10 south-easterlies deteriorated into a post meridiem deluge making for challenging field conditions and limited shelter for grounded migrants. Census scrapped by on two calling Firecrest in Millcombe and a juvenile Kestrel hunkering down behind a drystone wall on Ackland's Moor. 39 Swallow attempted the journey south and a steady south-easterly movement of Herring Gull mid-morning totalled 104 individuals. The Short-toed Lark again showed well along the main track parallel with Pondsbury at 0730, however it would appear the 2 drake Wigeon have cleared out.

Photos in the hand during a nocturnal ringing session last night...

'Greenland' Wheatear in the hand, South West Field - Tom WilliamsCommon Snipe in the hand, South West Field - Tom Williams