Wednesday, 7 May 2025

A drop in the winds and a bit of cloud later on in the night may have raised hopes that some further migration this morning could've occurred. The general prognosis on the early rounds, on the other hand, detailed a clearout of the migrants from yesterday rather than arrival. However, the nature of birding on the island teaches us that surprises are always around the corner. When Ewan broadcasted the news on the intial crackle of the radio, you could sense the excitement in his voice as our sixth Hoopoe of the season had managed to find itself in a mist-net in the Observatory garden, only the fourth to be ringed on Bardsey! 

Hoopoe (C) Steve Stansfield

The Hoopoe was aged as a young bird from the previous year based on plumage detail and subsequently flew strongly north alongside the edge of the mountain on release. A rather unexpected result in the continued northerlies. 

Other bird news was relatively limited with a Spotted Flycatcher around the Observatory along with a smattering of Chiffchaffs and a Willow Warbler, a Common Sandpiper on the North end, a singing Skylark on the South End, a flock of 16 Whimbrels on the Narrows and a Little Egret off the West Coast.

A bit of nest-finding in the afternoon paid off with several Linnet nests found in the Gorse bushes on the island, one of which had a clutch of eggs.

Linnet nest (C) Ewan Turner


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