Today saw Storm Agnes hit with strong winds and driving rain. The morning was slightly calmer and allowed for some census to be completed. Steve heard a brief Sparrow call twice in Plas Garden and on trying to locate the bird Ed saw a BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER fly low along the mountain side south into a gorse bush. The bird then continued into the front garden of the Observatory and was lost to view. Five minutes later the bird was showing on and off still in the front and was seen searching for food as it ran up branches on the trees, rather Nuthatch like; the more showing, active behaviour was suggesting this might be a new bird. The bird then flew into the back garden and was in the bush at the entrance of the Heligoland trap. Ed and volunteer Lola quickly reacted and the bird was caught; this confirmed it was a new unringed bird, this time a young male. 

Black-and-white Warbler © Ed Betteridge 

Black-and-white Warbler © Ed Betteridge 

Elsewhere, the weather meant birds were thin on the ground with a Firecrest in Cristin garden the only real other thing of note.