After a bleak day of severe gale force south easterlies yesterday the wind eased today and with a continued light easterly air flow the island found itself dripping with migrants. The highlights were a female marsh harrier (found by visiting Yelkouan shearwater researcher Dilek Sahin), a stunning male black redstart (found by volunteer Kathy) and, argubaly bird of the day...a rook! (found by me....or maybe Lisa, we both saw it at the same time!)
Other totals on an impressive day were 122 chiffchaff, 39 willow warbler, 9 goldcrest, 24 blackcap, 2 common redstart (male and female), a common sandpiper, 2 collared dove, 13 sand martin, 35 swallows, 2 merlin (male and female) - with thanks to volunteers Mike and Kathy for the bulk of those records
Wheatears were everywhere. Good numbers of our breeding birds are back on territory but they were clearly joined by waves of new arrivals today with parties of 20+ seen dropping out of the sky at times to feed on our invertebrate rich acid grassland
One of many willow warblers around the island today....there were even more chiffchaffs!