Thursday 4 September 2014

Well, what a day!! Autumn birding doesn't get much better than it was today, particularly as the weather conditions were stunning. The day got off to a good start when the year's first Wood Warbler was discovered in Ty Capel garden. On the whole, there were very few other migrants noted there in the early hours. Fast forward about an hour and a half, and Nant was alive with migrants: a Marsh Warbler had burst into song, taking particular delight in mimicking a Bee-eater, whilst two Reed Warblers, six Whitethroats, three Garden Warblers, two Blackcaps, a Firecrest, five Pied Flycatchers and seven Spotted Flycatchers were also seen there! What a difference a few hours can make. At about the same time the Marsh Warbler was discovered, a very smart Greenish Warbler dropped into Cristin garden. After a brief disappearance, it appeared in the large Sycamore, and showed on and off for the rest of the day. Things quietened down for a little while, as the heat of the day took temperatures to about 23'C. In the late afternoon, however, the Ortolan Bunting was rediscovered in the oat field near Ty Pellaf, and then seconds later a Wryneck was flushed from some bracken near Ty Pellaf! Just as evening fell over the island, a second Wryneck was found near the Schoolhouse, which showed amazingly well to a gathering crowd. On top of today's autumn scarcities, four Ruff (new for the year) flew north past the west side, a Greenshank flew over the wetlands calling, and eight Whinchats, were seen along the trackside. In terms of common migrants, overhead passage included a single Skylark, two Sand Martins, 125 Swallows, 58 House Martins, 16 Grey Wagtails and 30 White Wagtails..

This Wryneck was seen at dusk near the Schoolhouse


 The Marsh Warbler spent several hours trying to convince the world it was a Bee-eater!! it was mimicking Bee-eater, Great Tit, Subalpine Warbler, something that sounded almost Woodchat like, as well as bits of Robin, and Chiffchaff!!
 You can see the bird had a very short stubby bill...
and very pale almost flesh legs
 The Greenish Warbler spent the day in the Obs. Garden in the Sycamore
 Feeding in the canopy making photographing it hard


 The Wood Warbler was at Nant all day, sometimes along side the Marsh Warbler! 


At least three Sparrowhawks spent the day terrorising the incoming migrants and breeding birds


 Young Stonechats were on fences around the island ...
with at least 6 Whinchats


 Every bush in every garden appeared to have a Robin singing from it


and last night a Hummingbird Hawkmoth was at the obs 

No comments:

Post a Comment