Silver Y (Autographa gamma) - about two weeks earlier than most years. A little look into the scientific name: gamma is Greek for the letter Y.
A windy overcast morning with wind blowing from the SE. Very few migrants passing through, with ringing saying it all, with mostly retrap Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs from yesterday. A Redpoll was seen early in the morning in the compound, and a Whimbrel on the beach, 5 Wheatear remain on the peninsula.
An easterly wind can be promising for blowing migrants closer to the shore, however today few were seen, with 7 Black-headed gull, 5 Swallow, 2 Whimbrel and an Oystercatcher flying south. Just 2 Cormorant moving North.
Evening sea watching, whilst keeping an eye on tent traps for Wheatear, produced 6 Black-headed gull, 3 Mediterranean gull and a Curlew all heading south.
Moth trapping: 3 moths, in a total of 3 traps, somewhat not surprising with the strong winds overnight. One of them being our first Silver Y of spring. The Silver Y is probably the most common immigrant moth in the UK, numbers tend to build in autumn, as the breeding population from spring migrants is swelled by further migration.
Bird Ringing: 3 Wheatear, 2 Linnet, 1 Chiffchaff.
