Cool NE winds didn’t provide us with floods of migrants this morning but still two Ring Ouzels were amongst the ringing. A flock of 9 migrating Grey Herons battled north despite the conditions and our visiting ringer/birders from the Midlands recorded our first Common Swift of the year.
Photo: one of this morning’s Ring Ouzels by Matt Scragg.
A fine adult male Golden Oriole ringed this morning.
This is the 3rd ringing record of Golden Orioles in Alderney, all since we launched the Bird Observatory in 2016.
Photo Matt Scragg
Today’s highlights, a pair of Marsh Harriers in off the sea at Mannez headed north, our first Cuckoo of the spring was seen at the Golf course. Just under 100 birds were ringed, they included a fine male Common Redstart and several Willow Warblers’ sub-species acredula.
Photo (JH) one of this mornings ‘Northern Willow Warblers’.
A busier day for migrant passerines with 163 ringed, these were mostly Blackcaps, Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs. A very slow start to the year for moths was brightened up a little this morning by a Blair’s Mocha, not a species we record often,
Photo Matt Scragg.
One of two Yellow Wagtails at our Swallow roost this evening. A good fall of Willow Warblers late afternoon, also today Bar-tailed Godwit and Common Sandpiper.
Photo (JH) one of this evening’s Wagtails.