April Ringing Totals

A grand total of 298 birds ringed in April consisting of 39 species. Slightly down on last years grand total for April but considering the cold, wet and windy weather throughout the latter half of the month, a decent haul overall.

Blackcap	82		Greenfinch	2
Chiffchaff	60		Pied Wagtail	2
Willow Warbler	26		Common Whitethroat	2
Goldcrest	15		Whinchat	2
Linnet	15		Kingfisher	1
Firecrest	14		Magpie	1
Wheatear	13		Sparrowhawk	1
Wren	7		Kestrel	1
Goldfinch	6		Fieldfare	1
Robin	5		Ring Ouzel	1
Great Tit	5		Coal Tit (Continental)	1
Blackbird	5		Black Redstart	1
Woodpigeon	4		Blue Tit	1
Song Thrush	3		Pied Flycatcher	1
Chaffinch	3		Siskin	1
Common Redstart	3		Grasshopper Warbler	1
Lesser Whitethroat	3		Nightingale	1
Collared Dove	2		Long-tailed Tit	1
Redwing	2		Sedge Warbler	1
Dunnock	2

Most notable species being Whinchat, Kingfisher, Ring Ouzel, Continental Coal Tit and Grasshopper Warbler, all of which we catch very few of these select species. Let's hope for a warmer May..?

Saturday 30th April 2016

Overnight clear skies meant that everything from yesterdays fall had made a mass exodus and had headed for their next spot on their migration. A cold start, proving to be a glorious day. Needless to say, very little of note on the migrant front today.

New-in involved c.15 Wheatear, 11 Goldfinch, 6 Yellow Wagtail, 7 Common Whitethroat, 5 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 22 Swallow, 4 Sand Martin, 2 House Martin, 1 Whinchat, 1 Nightingale, 1 Common Redstart and 1 Merlin.

The female Ring Ouzel is still here, showing well at times.

The first Swift of the year passed through briefly late morning.

The warm sunshine seems to bringing out the Grass Snakes on-site, like this beautiful individual.

Ringing: 10 birds ringed this morning including 3 Wheatear, 1 Whinchat, 1 Common Redstart, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap, 1 Goldfinch, 1 Linnet and 1 Woodpigeon.

Friday 29th April 2016

A change in the winds overnight from the South, combined with some spells of rain, brought a small arrival of migrants to the observatory today, proving to be a pretty decent day.

Migrants came in the form of 9 Wheatear (pictured above), 7 Goldfinch, 7 Swallow, 4 Tree Pipit, 2 Yellow Wagtail and 1 Whinchat. An arrival of warblers consisted of 35+ Blackcap, 10 Willow Warbler, 6 Common Whitethroat, 5 Lesser Whitethroat and 4 Chiffchaff.

The Ring Ouzel is still here with us, feeding out on the nature reserve.

Corvids this morning were 2 Jackdaw, 1 Rook and two groups of 22 Carrion Crows seen flying in-of the sea and in West. Potentially they may have come in off a boat..?

Sea watching was a little less productive with 3 Whimbrel, 1 Cormorant and very nice Merlin moving South.

Ringing: 41 birds ringed this morning including 28 Blackcap, 7 Willow Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Blackbird and 1 Linnet.

Thursday 28th April 2016

A gloriously productive day at the observatory today with a sufficient arrival of migrants, mainly warblers. After the overnight rain and misty and cold start, it proved to be a lovely day.

New in were 15 Blackcap, 8 Willow Warbler, 8 Chiffchaff, 5 Common Whitethroat, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Sedge Warbler, 9 Yellow Wagtail, 8 Wheatear, 2 Swallow, 1 Reed Bunting, 1 Meadow Pipit, 16 Goldfinch, 1 Brambling, 1 Nightingale, 1 House Martin and 1 Rook.

Sea watching produced 2 Little Egret and 1 Whimbrel. The Ring Ouzel is also still here with us.

The Nightingale on-site this morning, showing well at times. Can you spot it in the above picture?

Still very quiet in the moth department at the moment and with no moths at all in our three moth traps in three days, it was a nice surprise to find this migrant Swallow Prominent moth this morning.

Ringing: 23 birds ringed this morning including 10 Blackcap, 7 Willow Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, 1 Common Whitethroat, 1 Sedge Warbler and 1 Robin.

Wednesday 27th April 2016

Another cold and windy day, these northerlies are holding up the spring migration, so needless to say not much to report. The best bird was the female Ring Ouzel which is still here from Monday, also on site  4 Wheatear, 4 Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff and a Lesser Whitethroat.

2 birds ringed today; 2 Collared Dove.

Tuesday 26th April 2016

Despite the ridiculously cold north westerly wind, spring is in actual fact making an appearance here at the observatory. A few birds on the move but albeit slim pickings.

A male Chaffinch enjoying some late morning sunshine.

New arrivals came in the form of 4 Wheatear, 4 Goldfinch, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 1 Common Whitethroat and 2 Lesser Whitethroat.

Sea watching produced 69 Cormorant, 6 Whimbrel, 8 Shelduck, 3 Oystercatcher, 2 Dunlin, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Common Gull, 1 Gadwall and 1 Gannet.

Ringing: No birds ringed today due to the weather.

Monday 25th April 2016

Another very cold, blustery and wet day today at the observatory, but despite this a very good selection of migrants on offer, both on land and at sea.

Migrants today came in the form of 8 Wheatear, 6 Common Whitethroat, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler, 3 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Meadow Pipit, 1 Skylark, 10 Goldfinch, as well as a superb singing Nightingale and a Ring Ouzel, (pictured above).

Sea watching produced 21 Cormorant, 11 Oystercatcher, 6 Shelduck, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Common Gull and a very nice Eider sat close offshore.

Ringing: 16 birds ringed this morning including 5 Linnet, 4 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, 2 Willow Warbler, 1 Nightingale and 1 Ring Ouzel.

Sunday 24th April 2016

This is a picture of a relatively tame crow that has been nicknamed Russell by us on site.

In the words of the late Prince song "Sometimes it snows in April". It didnt quite snow but with the north-westerly wind and sleet showers, it was not pleasant. Needless to say, not a lot to report apart from a new immature female Peregrine that put in a brief appearance and a few bits and pieces passing offshore, like 15 Common Tern, 5 Common Scoter, 3 Whimbrel, 1 or 2 Fulmar  and a Bar-tailed Godwit, whilst on site 6 Wheatear still, along with just a few migrant Warblers including a Willow Warbler, 4 Whitethroat, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap and a Lesser Whitethroat.

7 birds ringed; 2 Blackcap, 2 Linnet and 1 each of Wren, Goldfinch and Song Thrush.