Tuesday 11 October 2016

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. 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 RedpollsWater 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 SparrowhawksCommon BuzzardsMerlinsPeregrines 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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