Tuesday 15 April 2014

It was another stunning day of clear skies, low winds and high temperatures; the calm weather encouraged a trickle of migrants to move through the island during the day, although the numbers were not as high as have been experienced on the south coasts of the UK in the last few days (see here).

Warbler numbers had increased since yesterday, with totals standing at: one Grasshopper Warbler, 25 Blackcaps, 17 Chiffchaffs and 31 Willow Warblers. In the late afternoon, the first Whitethroat of the year was discovered in the bramble bushes near the Limekiln, which is two days earlier than the first of 2013. Although still pronounced, hirundine passage was somewhat less than yesterday, with 17 Sand Martins, 39 Swallows and seven House Martins logged during the day. A total of 12 White Wagtails around the Narrows is the highest gathering of the year, and a single Scandinavian Rock Pipit was also seen amongst them late afternoon. Two Common Gulls around the Narrows were the first for some time, which a total of four Whimbrels is the highest count so far this year.

A good number of the island's breeding Wrens have been seen carrying nesting material to their nest sites in recent days, and the usual dawn chorus comprises mostly of their surprisingly loud song. This particular singing male seemed to prefer showing off his dancing abilities, as opposed to his vocalisations...
Some more images of this particularly flexible Wren
 Blackcaps continue to move through in reasonable numbers, and many are also finding their way into the mist nets at the Observatory
There seem to be two pairs of breeding Blue Tits on the island this year- each individual has been fitted with a ring. Two of the individuals, however, were ringed back in 2010 and 2011, and have been present on the island every since

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