Sunday 8 May 2016

A fantastic day in which migration never seemed to stop, including some quality additions to the year list. A stunner of a summer-plumaged Grey Plover was in Solfach in the morning in a wader fest that also included 36 Whimbrels, six Dunlins, three Common Sandpipers, six Sanderlings, andsix Turnstones. By the afternoon this was eclipsed by a serious Bardsey rarity as a Wood Sandpiper flew out from Cafn (only the 16th record for the island).

 Dunlin
 Sanderling, one of six present
 Ringed Plovers
 Common Sandpiper


Passing over the island, parties of hirundines totalled six Sand Martins, 204 Swallows, and 60 House Martins, though with eyes-skyward an Osprey was watched harassed by gulls as it powered northwards.
 Swallows were feeding on insects both flying over...

...and on the beach


An impressive collection of passerines were around too as two Tree Pipits, one Blue-headed Wagtail, two flava Wagtail, one White Wagtail, one Redstart, two Whinchats, 41 Wheatears, 44 Spotted Flycatchers, one Grasshopper Warbler, 12 Sedge Warblers, nine Whitethroats, two Garden Warblers, 34 Blackcaps, nine Chiffchaffs, 16 Willow Warblers, five Goldcrests, and one Firecrest were recorded.

In addition singles of Pomarine Skua, Arctic Skua and Red-throated Diver flew past at sea, with one Kestrel, four Jackdaws, one Rook, nine Siskins, 61 Goldfinches, and seven Lesser Redpolls also seen in an excellent day for avian activity.
another good arrival of Spotted Flycatchers

1 comment:

  1. Wasn't there a Wood sandpiper about on the first Saturday of the Cretzschmar's bunting twitch?.

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