A real
stunner of a day with excellent weather matched by a decent arrival of
interesting migrants. The stand-out highlight of the day wasn’t found until the
evening though as a Wryneck was seen
on the Mountainside near the Schoolhouse. Unfortunately it wasn’t prepared to
perform well, and despite a lot of patience and effort, just one person left with
a view of this cryptic species.
An adult
pale phase Pomarine Skua off the
South End was a surprise, causing havoc with the Herring Gulls, but not nearly
as rare in island terms as the flock of three Canada Geese south along the West Coast in the morning.
An adult
male Marsh Harrier bombed northwards
through the island in the late evening in a day of decent raptor passage
including three Sparrowhawks and six
Buzzards.
Warblers
once again fared brilliantly with the first Sedge Warbler of the year found in the wetlands in the evening.
Excellent counts of two Grasshopper
Warblers, 47 Blackcaps, 53 Chiffchaffs, 88 Willow Warblers, and 19 Goldcrests
were recorded. Two Tree Pipits were the best of overhead
movement with 16 Swallows, two House Martins, one Grey Wagtail, one Rook, two Greenfinches,
six Siskins, 20 Goldfinches, 148 Linnets,
and 13 Lesser Redpolls also noted. The Narrows is starting to draw migrant waders
in to rest with today having one Ringed
Plover, one Dunlin, two Whimbrels, one Curlew, four Redshanks, and
19 Turnstones. A flock of 20 White Wagtails was nearby whilst 23 Wheatears
and one Blue Tit were also present in a very enjoyable day.
Marsh Marigolds are flowering in the boggy areas of the lowlands as spring progresses, adding an additional splash of yellow to the patchwork of flowering gorse bushes on the island |
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