Today saw the first real spring like day since we've been back. Warm sunshine and the roaring easterly of the past 2 days had dropped to a mere breeze - however the ability to hold my camera steady did little to improve my photography skills!
After feeding the sheep I set off in search of more chough nest building activity. Following the first 2 nest sites being located in recent days, today drew a blank with seemingly every chough on the island enjoying the sunshine and feeding in large flocks in the middle of the island all day. Over 20 birds were moving from field to field spending long hours hoovering up soil invertebrates. It remains to be seen if this is going to be a 'late year' but following the very wet winter we had I wouldn't be surprised. Prolonged waterlogged soils are not conducive to successful insect foraging and it was likely a tough winter for some. From today's showing most of our birds were still in the 'fattening up for the breeding season' stage.
Chough on Ramsey
It was good day for migrants however with wheatears in double figures - 11 altogether including our first 2 females of the year. Males usually arrive back first to reclaim territories and so it was today with energetic 'sing offs' taking place between rival neighbours.
The drystone walls on Ramsey provide ideal nesting habitat for wheatears with between 80-100 pairs breeding most years
Other arrivals today saw more additions to the year list in the form of a fine black redstart (no photo!), a secretive bullfinch (not an annual record here), a robin and a male blackcap. A chiffchaff was singing outside the farmhouse garden too
The first blackcap of 2020
Despite the current situation we still need supplies to keep the reserve running and through a carefully coordinated plan with our boat delivery contractor we took a much needed delivery of sheep feed this afternoon. All lifted out of the boat using our harbour crane keeping a distance of at least 20m between myself and Derek
And he may have been yawning yesterday but it seems today's chough watching efforts were just too much for him........