Friday 10 May 2024

Calm south-easterlies with clear skies resulted in a Golden Oriole being seen flying south from Nant direction over the Lowlands; the bird was relatively high and was not seen to land being land seen flying over the Withies. Despite an extensive search the bird was unfortunatly not relocated. Incredibly this is the 61st record for the Island. 

Golden Oriole © Ed Betteridge

Golden Oriole © Ed Betteridge
An early morning corvid movement involved at least four Jackdaws and seven Rooks that toured the Island. Finch passage was strong with 38 Lesser Redpolls, five Siskins and 12 Goldfinches. A Flava Wagtail went over the South End mid-morning with Wheatear numbers still at 17 suggesting little movement. Three Sedge Warblers were recorded, down on recent days, but did include a UK control trapped at Cristin. A Spotted Flycatcher was in the Withies with a Goldcrest at Cristin. Only four Chiffchaffs were logged, all trapped at Cristin with Willow Warblers totally ten. A good passage of Swallows saw 65 logged alongside seven Sand Martins and seven House Martins. A wader fest on Solfach saw eight Sanderlings in a range of plumages alongside 25 Purple Sandpipers, four Dunlins, nine Turnstones, a Common Sandpiper and 27 Whimbrels
Seven of the eight Sanderling with a single Dunlin showing the range of plumages © Ed Betteridge

Sanderling © Ed Betteridge
The rest of the Shag nests were counted during the afternoon with yet more hatching, the total is still needed to be calculated but seems to be a record year for Shag pairs! A single adult Shag was caught with it being a bird ringed as a chick in 2018; the bird was fitted with a colour ring to allow us to conitue to monitor this bird.
Adult male Shag with its new colour ring © Kate Fox
However, despite good numbers of nests and eggs it was sad to see lots containing litter and plastic  © Ed Betteridge
This Razorbill was ringed as a chick in 1999 making it 25 years old © Ed Betteridge

No comments:

Post a Comment