A pleasant morning with a diverse selection of species, if not high numbers of individual species. The first water rail for a couple of years paid the observatory a visit, the Dartford warbler (or another) was rediscovered, a yellow-browed warbler called once on site, as they sometimes do, and a short-eared owl delighted the large group of observers present today.
Chaffinch numbers were slightly higher today, with at least 30 dropping into the trees behind the obs late afternoon. Redpoll numbers were less positive with only one bird observed all day, and only 3 goldfinch made any attempt to migrate, though 18 remained on the reserve. Still one firecrest remains behind the observatory kitchen along with a few goldcrest and 3 chiffchaff, all of the latter being 'normal' chiffs. 2 rock pipit and a purple sandpiper were on the jetty and 2 Mediterranean gulls joined the regular species out to sea.
The first Mallow of the year, much like a lot of moth species this year, is late turning up.