Tuesday 9 May 2017

Glorious sunshine enveloped the island from dawn until dusk today, with cloud cover close to 0% all day. The winds were a calm and cool breeze from the north and east which brought a steady number of migrants through the island.

Out to sea a total of 83 Manx Shearwaters, 14 Gannets, a Common Scoter and six Knots (the latter being the first for the year) were recorded. A Black Guillemot on the West Coast today was the first record this year as well! A good diversity of waders were on the Narrows today, two Grey Plovers were the highlight, but a further 15 Purple Sandpipers, five Dunlins, a Bar-tailed Godwit, eight Whimbrels, two Curlews and 16 Turnstones were also seen.

A Short-eared Owl was a pleasant surprise this morning which was finally seen thermaling above the mountain. A good passage overhead was primarily made up of hirundines today, with 19 Sand Martins, 231 Swallows and 14 House Martins logged, two Swifts and a Tree Pipit also made their way north through the island. Three White Wagtails were on Solfach today among the waders as well.


A Whinchat was seen in the Lowlands today as well as the majority of the 14 Stonechats logged. 59 Wheatears were another sign of migration today. Warblers were seen in good diversity, but in small number, one Grasshopper Warbler, 13 Sedge Warblers, four Whitethroats, a Garden Warbler, two Blackcaps, five Chiffchaffs, 13 Willow Warblers and two Goldcrests were logged today. Also of note today were four Spotted Flycatcher, a Hooded Crow and 15 Lesser Redpolls.

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