Today started out feeling rather chilly as the brisk north-easterly winds continued and clear skies were over the island. George headed north to Nant, Alex to the lowlands and Steve to the south.

As the morning went on, it was clear that there were a good number of migrants scattered across the island. However, the best bird of the day was had early on when Steve found a Yellow-browed Warbler feeding on insects in the sunflower field at Ty Pellaf. This is the first record for the year and the 2nd earliest record ever for this species, with the first coming just one day earlier in 1988. The bird was elusive but stayed into the afternoon and was briefly joined by a Wood Warbler in the Ty Pellaf garden, just the second record this year of this declining long-distance migrant.

The Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus breeds in the east Palearctic. Its breeding range extends from just west of the Ural Mountains eastwards to eastern Siberia, Mongolia and Northeast China. It is a strongly migratory species and winters mainly in tropical South Asia and South-east Asia, but also in small numbers in western Europe. Many hundreds reach the shores of the U.K. each autumn. It was formerly considered to comprise three subspecies, but P. i. humei and P. i. mandellii are now split as a separate species, Hume's Leaf Warbler P. humei, leaving P. inornatus monotypic. The Yellow-browed Warbler was first described by the English zoologist Edward Blyth in 1842. 

Elsewhere across the island another Wryneck was seen along the mountainside, offering relatively good views for this often rather skulky species. There had also been an arrival of Wheatears as 34 were seen, including 25 individuals of the larger, more orangey Greenland subspecies. A Water Rail and a Reed Bunting were in the Withies and a Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen. It has become evident that there have actually been at least two woodpeckers present on the island as one was seen in the talons of a Peregrine whilst another was seen later in the day!

'Greenland' Wheatear

Wryneck

Flycatchers were also present in decent numbers across the island as 13 Spotted Flycatchers and three Pied Flycatchers were recorded. Five Grey Herons were seen circling over Pen Cristin before heading out to sea, two Hooded Crows were seen again in the Northwest Fields and two Golden Plovers were on the South End.

Spotted Flycatcher

Grey Heron

On the non-avian front, a new Grey Seal pup was seen in Solfach and two Vestals, 28 Silver Y, two Painted Ladies, 49 Large Whites and 25 Red Admirals were the Lepidopteran highlights.

a rather dashing 'Greenland' Wheater

Other sightings include: 11 Dunlins, eight Ringed Plovers, a Snipe, nine Teal, 16 Skylarks, nine Grey Wagtails, 19 White Wagtails, 42 Robins, two Whitethroats, two Blackcaps, 30 Chiffchaffs, one Starling, nine Siskin and 48 Goldfinches.