Monday 4 September 2017

On a mostly wet and windy day, there were a few signs of migration flickering into life, but precious little different could be found. Strong winds can often be good for seawatching, but the mist that kept coming and going seriously hampered our chances. In spite of this, the third Storm Petrel sighting from a seawatch this year was made on the South End in the afternoon, but other highlights were very limited; 261 Manx Shearwaters, 30 Gannets, three Razorbills, three Sandwich Terns and four unidentified Skua sp., three of which were considered likely to be Pomarine, and one sighting so distant and brief that the observer couldn't even hazard a guess as to species.

87 Linnets and 47 Goldcrests dominated the sightings on land; while phylloscopus Warblers were in reasonable number, with 29 Willow Warblers and 24 Chiffchaffs. Other warblers seen, almost all around Nant, were seven Blackcaps, three Whitethroats and two Sedge Warblers, with other grounded migrants amounting to 16 Robins, seven Wheatears, four Spotted Flycatchers and three White Wagtails. A short burst of overhead passage occurred mid-morning, when eight Grey Wagtails and three Sand Martins passed through, while 46 Swallows were logged throughout the day.

Seven Grey Herons today was the highest total of the year, including a party of four going out to sea over the South End. A few raptors were noted despite the weather; two Sparrowhawks and two Kestrels have probably been lingering for a few days, while singles of Merlin and Buzzard were new in. Meanwhile on the Narrows, Turnstones had increased to 47 and Redshanks to 15. Other waders noted were 16 Curlews, seven Ringed Plovers, five Dunlins, three Whimbrels and five Purple Sandpipers, the latter the first sightings for a couple of weeks.




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