Light south-easterly wind with cloud was perfect for a fall of migrants. Ringing at Cristin produced a rather fine male Eastern Subalpine Warbler, the 22nd Subalpine Warbler to be ringed on the Island along with four Reed Warblers, two Garden Warblers, a Redstart, seven Sedge Warblers, six Blackcaps, three Spotted Flycatchers, three Whitethroats six Chiffchaffs, a Willow Warbler and a Lesser Redpoll; with the first juvenile Robin and Blackbird also trapped. With the Withies catching a further seven Sedge Warblers, a Reed Warbler, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Whitethroat, a Chiffchaff and a Meadow Pipit. A further six Sedge Warblers, five Whitethroats, two Blackcaps, nine Chiffchaffs, six Willow Warblers, 11 Spotted Flycatchers were logged elsewhere.

Eastern Subalpine Warbler © Ed Betteridge

Wader numbers on Solfach were high with 12 Sanderlings, 11 Dunlins, five Ringed Plovers, three Bar-tailed Godwits and ten Turnstones with 11 Whimbrels and three Curlews across the Island. A Sandwich Tern went passed Solfach with a Black-headed Gull off the South End. Two Collared Doves were mobile around the Island with a male Cuckoo calling at Nant. Two Rooks went over the Wetlands with three Goldfinches and seven Lesser Redpolls.

The afternoon was spent counting gull nests around Pen Cristin and monitoring Manx Shearwaters at Barcut.

Many gull eggs are now hatching © Ed Betteridge

Oystercatcher nest with a view © Ed Betteridge