A bumper days birding and ringing on the island today as migrants came flooding through.
On Longis reserve I flushed a Wryneck shortly after first light and 2 Whimbrel made themselves heard as they passed over. There was a single Green Sandpiper beside the pond and a Reed Warbler showing well from the hide. Common Redstarts were reported from near the airport and Mannez reserve. Martin Batt and David Shutte reported 6 Wheatears on Longis common, a Hobby and a 40 strong flock of Yellow Wagtails around The Lighthouse. Further reports from Anne -Isabelle Boulon were of a Whinchat, 2 Yellow Wagtails and 3 Wheatears at Vaindsaire and a Ring Ouzel and female Common Redstart and female Black Redstart near Telegraph. I had a Hobby this afternoon over Essex farm and a splendid male Pied Flycatcher showed well at the edge of Longis beach car park. The Brent Goose was still in Longis bay. Paul Veron had a Grasshopper Warbler singing first thing this morning by the Lighthouse.
Ringing: It was truly hopping with birds on Longis Reserve this morning so much so that opening just three nets kept me busy enough to prevent me opening any more until around mid day at which point I had ringed over 100 birds, closing up at 1500hrs on 121 birds processed. Essex farm and the sewage works also looked very busy so from 3.30pm I switched to this site processing a further 72 birds by 7pm. 193 birds were processed between the two sites today and this included only 7 retraps. Paul Veron managed an early evening ringing session in Mannez Quarry adding a further 18 birds to the day total of 211, 202 new ringed birds covering 19 species between us. Pauls total included a 1st yr male Sparrowhawk, Lesser Whitethroat and Sedge Warbler. At Longis 41 Willow Warblers, 5 Chiffchaffs, 14 Blackcaps 12 Sedge warblers, 5 Lesser Whitethroats, 14 Whitethroat, 1 common Redstart and 2 Meadow Pipits. Essex farm again produced large numbers of Phylloscs with 54 Willow Warblers and 13 Chiffchaffs, other birds here included 1 Sedge Warbler, 2 Whitethroat, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Common Redstart, and 2 firsts for this Spring, a Wood Warbler and a Spotted Flycatcher.