Tuesday 17 October 2017

As would be expected, most sightings of note today came from the sea, with several interesting sightings, presumably relating to birds relocating after Storm Ophelia. Most notable in Bardsey terms was the years second Great Crested Grebe in the late afternoon, but other high quality sightings featured a single Leach's Petrel, two Grey Phalaropes, two Pomarine and two Arctic Skuas and a single Little Gull. 836 Kittiwakes and 744 Razorbills made them the commonest offshore migrants, with a single Guillemot picked out amongst the auks, and 13 Black-headed, four Common and four Mediterranean Gulls amongst the Kitts. Meanwhile, 158 Gannets were logged, four Manx Shearwaters south were the first seen for several days, two Dunlins headed south and a single Common Scoter went through the North Sound.

On land, few species were in great numbers, but there was decent diversity. 120 Starlings made them the commonest migrant, followed some way behind by 47 Goldcrests. Otherwise very modest finch passage featured 29 Goldfinches, 15 Chaffinches, 11 Siskins and three Lesser Redpolls, with seven Skylarks and two Golden Plovers the only overhead migrants. Grounded migrants were pretty slim pickings, with 13 Blackbirds, six Song Thrushes, three Blackcaps, a Chiffchaff and two Reed Buntings the only evidence of an arrival. A single Water Rail, two Blue Tits and a Great Tit also remained from previous days, with two Sparrowhawks and a Merlin seen around the island.

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