Offshore
A quick check over the sea early morning produced small numbers of Gannet, Sandwich Tern, Kittiwake and Common Scoter.
Grounded Migrants
A smattering of grounded birds involved 35 Pied Wagtail, 17 Whitethroat, 13 Willow Warbler, 9 Sedge Warbler, 4 Wheatear, 2 Song Thrush, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Blackcap and single Grey Wagtail, Cuckoo, Redstart, Spotted Flycatcher and Stonechat.
Diurnal Migration
A couple of Swift flew through and 180 Swallow and 3 Sand Martin congregated on wires early morning.
Wildfowl and Waders
The Little Stint remains amongst a small flock of Dunlin and other waders included 15 Greenshank and 2 Common Sandpiper.
Miscellaneous
Three Raven and a Peregrine were also logged.
Ringing
Amongst this months birds was the 10,000th Willow Warbler ringed on the island by the observatory once the main staple of annual totals, always appearing at the top of the species list, recent years has seen a dramatic fall in the numbers caught each year and the species often now fails to make the top five.
Another excellent ringing total for the month with 332 of 23 species ringed – this is an especially pleasing total considering that the site is heavily reliant on post-breeding dispersal and early southbound migrants. Although an above average number of adult Willow Warbler were ringed during the month, suggesting a poor breeding season, the monthly total for both Whitethroat and Sedge Warbler exceeded the 2010 annual total for both these species emphasising that at least some of the warblers have had a successful breeding season.Individual species totals involved Greenfinch (53), House Sparrow (44), Goldfinch (40), Sedge Warbler (36), Willow Warbler (33), Starling (26), Whitethroat (23), Swallow (20), Dunnock (9), Blackbird (9), Linnet (8), Great Black-backed Gull (7), Reed Bunting (4), Blue Tit (4), Chaffinch (3), Blackcap (3), Great Tit (3), Garden Warbler (2), Pied Wagtail (1), Woodpigeon (1), Redstart (1), Spotted Flycatcher (1) and Stonechat (1).
Moths
Shaded Broad-bar was new for the year.
Images
Juvenile male Redstart.
