Today was pleasant to start with, though overcast, it was warm and calm, allowing a couple of nets to be opened in the garden at the Obs - the weather did close in later though, with heavy rain in the afternoon and evening.

This morning was pleasant and calm, so a trap was set in the garden at the Obs and a couple of nets were opened too, while George was cracking on with some inside jobs. It was a quiet but valuable session - two juvenile Blackcaps were ringed and a new species for the year's ringing list was added - Magpie (two juveniles found their way into the suet-baited trap).

one of the two Juvenile Blackcaps

a juvenile Magpie

the tail of the Magpie was particularly stunning... amazing colours!!

A second year male Pied Wagtail

a re-trap adult female Moorhen which was ringed earlier in the year, in March.

Rain closed in in the afternoon and the nets were closed, indoor work carried on, getting the Obs ready for the guests that we will soon have! Later on, our first volunteers of the year arrived - Mark Carter and Josie Hewitt, they will now be self-isolating for a week on here, after doing the same for a week before their arrival. It will be good to have some help from them after their isolation, there's lots to be getting on with!!

A walk to the narrows in the afternoon produced pretty much the same as yesterday, just in smaller quantities - four Whimbrels, three Curlews, one Redshank, one Common Sandpiper and 69 Oystercatchers were the pick of the bunch, whereas a flock of 65 Starlings in the Lowlands had appeared since yesterday.

Late this evening saw two juvenile Cuckoos appear on the fence line below the Schoolhouse - suspicion arised when one was seen at the Obs and another at Ty Pellaf, but this confirms it and is excellent news!

Other sightings included: one Peregrine, four Blackcaps, three Willow Warblers, nine Great Tits and four Goldfinches.