Friday 13 April 2018

Although numbers of birds didn't quite match up to yesterday, it was still a great day to be out in the field. What was presumably the same 2nd calendar year male Pied Flycatcher as yesterday was still around Nant, and a stunning male Common Redstart was ringed at Ty Nessaf. Interestingly, the plethora of arriving spring migrants were joined by a small number of returning winter migrants, namely three Fieldfares and two Brambling.

Other birds included eight pairs of Fulmars back on ledges around the east side, two Teals, 17 Common Scoters, a Sparrowhawk, a Buzzard, a Merlin, 91 Oystercatchers, nine Purple Sandpipers, the first two Black-tailed Godwits of the year, two Whimbrel, a Curlew, a Common Gull, just a single Puffin, a Collared Dove, the Great Spotted Woodpecker, ten Sand Martins, seven Swallows, a House Martin, 22 Wheatears, a Grasshopper Warbler, 40 Blackcaps, 15 Chiffchaffs, 57 Willow Warblers, 17 Goldcrests, 35 Chaffinches, 19 Siskins and 48 Linnets.

In the moth trap there was a Red Chestnut, two Common Quakers and a Dark Sword-grass.

Jacob, one of our younger guests, has been really enjoying moth mornings at the obs. Here he is completely enthralled by a Red Chestnut. They're his favourite species apparently. Fingers crossed he grows up to become a moth aficionado!

Red Chestnut


A dark, cloudy night provided perfect conditions for Ben, Mark, Ephraim and Billy to head out for a Manx Shearwater ringing session.

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