The wind was a moderate northerly with a hint of east at times. The highlight of the day was a young male Waxwing found in the Sycamore at Cristin. The bird remained in the garden for around a quarter of an hour, calling constantly before heading off high north. Surprisingly, this is only the eighth record for the Island involing 25 individuals. 

Waxwing © Ed Betteridge

Elsewhere, the first Lesser Whitethroat of the year was at Cristin with the first Whinchat at Pen Cristin. A summer plumage Bar-tailed Godwit joined the Whimbrel on the Narrows with a Common Sandpiper in Solfach, a Teal in the Lowlands, a Collared Dove at Cristin then Nant, a Grey Heron went high over the Narrows in the evening followed by two over Solfach at dusk, witha small hirudine passage of 25 Swallows, a Sand Martin and four House Martins. 

The afternoon was spent montiring the Choughs and seabirds around the East Side. The first Razorbill eggs were found at Seal Cave with more Lesser Black-backed Gulls and Herring Gulls on eggs but Shags seem to be late with very few siting birds. The Raven pair at Barcut now has a single large chick that will fledge anyday now, with the first Chough eggs of the year found with seven pairs seemingly breeding this year. 

Other birds today a Buzzard, 46 Whimbrels, a Curlew, a Turnstone, 30 Wheatears, two Sedge Warblers, 13 Blackcaps, two Chiffchaffs, 15 Willow Warblers, three Goldcrests, 20 Goldfinches, a Siskin and four Lesser Redpolls. 

A rather large Raven chick © Ed Betteridge

Colour ringed Shag 'BARY' ringed in 2021 with this being its first sighting © Ed Betteridge

Fulmar © Ed Betteridge