Thrushes again featured heavily with a turnover of new birds
passing through the island, something that is evident through the ringing of
birds as new individuals are captured each day. A pair of Fieldfares resided
in the Wetlands whilst close by a Ring Ouzel moved
around the Lowlands. Redwings, although present, didn't pass
over in large numbers but a respectable 53 were logged, also seen was a
fantastic 40 Blackbirds and ten Song Thrushes.
One of the very dapper Blackbirds around at
the moment
|
Passage of the more common, and probably generally
overlooked, species was evident and by the end of the day an impressive 83 Wrens,
30 Dunnocks and 54 Robins had been noted. Yellow-browed
Warblers totalled three today including a lingering individual
which was trapped in the Withies. A decent number of Goldcrests scattered
around the island amounted to 71, not as numerous as
the previous day but still in good numbers, they were joined by 16 Blackcaps and
21 Chiffchaffs. A Woodlark discovered up at
Nant was one of the highlights on the passerine front although fairly decent
movements of other birds did occur. Skylarks passed overhead,
some detectable on an audible level as they flew high above the island. A
selection of finches were also noted throughout the day, 22 Chaffinches,
two Bramblings, four Greenfinches, eight Siskins,
54 Goldfinches, 30 Linnets and two Lesser Redpolls. Water Rails are extremely secretive
and well know to be hard to monitor due to their sneaky nature, however six
were recorded today, most of them occupying the Withies
periodically squealing as the only clue to their location.
Pairs of Sparrowhawks, Common Buzzards, Merlins, Peregrines and
single Kestrel were all raptors noted, meanwhile five Little Owls called
across the island. A Hooded Crow was picked out
amongst the various corvids present on the island, other numbers amounted to 16 Magpies,
15 Choughs, a Rook, 43 Carrion Crows and
eight Ravens. Numbers of pipits and wagtails have been slowly
decreasing over the past days, Meadow Pipits were
the most numerous with 85 counted, 22 Rock Pipits, a Grey Wagtail,
four Pied Wagtails and one Alba Wagtail made
up the rest of the numbers. Other notables around today were the presence of
three Grey Herons, 11 Stonechats, two Wheatears,
33 Starlings and three Reed Buntings.
Relatively quite around, and off, the coast with small
movements of a variety of species. The clear highlight was the ninth record of Gadwall,
a female on the water out from Solfach. Just off shore one Cormorant and
21 Shags could be seen bobbing in the surf and settled on the
rocks whilst 23 Mallards and four Wigeons resided
along the West Coast. Further out 14 Gannets, 24 Razorbills,
and ten Common Scoters passed by. Small numbers of
gulls were also logged, 15 Black-headed Gulls, two Common
Gulls, 23 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 19 Herring Gulls,
14 Greater Black-backed Gulls and 36 Kittiwakes being
the totals.
Common Snipes, numbering six today, were
concentrated mostly through the centre of the island, favouring the wet
tussocky Wetlands and Lowlands. Around the Narrows 16 Oystercatchers,
32 Curlews, six Redshanks and 13 Turnstones were
the only other waders seen.
Well into the Autumn now as expected numbers of Lepidoptera
slowly decrease as the calmer warmer summer months come to an end, that said a
decent number were still counted. Green-veined Whites clocked
in at 11, four Painted Lady's and three Silver Y's were
also seen but the most abundant over the past few days was again the Red Admiral which
totalled at 44.
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