Despite being forecasted as being another flat calm day, this morning started with quite a strong breeze. It was however, another hot day on the island with conditions becoming much calmer throughout the day, leaving the sea looking as if it were a mirror.

Gusty conditions early on meant that nets couldn't be opened at Nant this morning, however the Obs gives a more sheltered alternative and nets were open first thing. The first net round produced the birds of the day, a female Common Redstart. This is a new bird for the year list, and although we have been anticipating the arrival of one, it is, nevertheless, exciting to catch one and to see the first of the season.

the female Common Redstart caught at the Obs, none were caught last year

another summer migrant added to the year list!

There had again been another arrival of birds, there were many more Blackcaps present than in recent days. Over the course of the morning, 21 were ringed at the Obs and at least another 20 were present in the Withies and around 10 at Nant. Willow Warblers were still present in good numbers today, though slightly down on yesterday's total - at lease 80 were recorded. Wheatears were also up, there were eight feeding on the walls between Pen Cristin and the Narrows, their black and white tails are very eye-catching as they whiz around the fields on the island. 

Meadow Pipits are becoming a very common sight throughout the island

Waders were present in reasonable numbers, 112 Oystercatchers were on the Narrows in the high tide roost along with 22 Turnstones and a single Purple Sandpiper - this is the first Purple Sandpiper for a few weeks and is nice to get them back as they have been conspicuous in their absence. A Whimbrel also joined the roost and three Curlews were recorded along the West Coast of the island.

A Purple Sandpiper showed nicely in amongst a group of Turnstones on the Narrows

one Whimbrel was recorded today, more should start arriving soon

A Sedge Warbler was heard singing from Cristin Withy for most of the morning, another addition to the year list. There were some birds moving overhead today, too - 5 Swallows, 11 Goldfinches, 3 alba wagtails and a handful of Linnets were seen heading South over the Lowlands. A Linnet was nest building in the Withies, too, a reminder that the breeding season is fast approaching. 

Linnet collecting nest material in the withies

Tonight, Sam and George headed out to try and ring some Manxies. The dark nights recently have seen some mass arrivals on the island with some walls in the Lowlands holding more than twenty along them. They managed to ring 100 birds and re-trapped 50, exactly. Two of these re-traps were re-ringed as the rings were so old that the numbers were becoming difficult to ring, they had both been ringed in 1996, one was ringed as a pullus (a bird in the nest) and the other as an adult. This makes the bird ringed as a pullus 24 years old and the adult bird at least 28 years old. 

Other birds recorded today were: one Merlin, one Common Snipe, three Common Gulls, 85 Guillemots, 60 Razorbills, one Collared Dove, two Skylarks, nine Swallows, one House Martin, 95 Meadow Pipits, 17 Pied Wagtails, three White Wagtails, 14 Wheatears, 60 Blackcaps, 6 Chiffchaffs, 104 Willow Warblers, 15 Goldcrests, two Great Tits, four Choughs, eight Jackdaws, 24 Carrion Crows, one Hooded Crow, 21 Goldfinches, 64 Linnets and Redwings were heard on three separate occasions while out ringing Manxies.  

Ringing totals today from the Observatory were: Manx Shearwater 100(50), Blackcap 21, Willow Warbler 12, Chiffchaff 2, Goldcrest 1, Redstart 1, Goldfinch 4 and Chaffinch 1. Total 142 new birds and 50 re-traps of 8 species. 

Moth traps were again deployed at Nant and Ty Capel garden - moths caught were: Hebrew Character 16, Common Quaker 24, Double-Striped Pug 5, Spruce Carpet 2, Red Chestnut 1, Early Thorn 3. Total 51 moths of 6 species.