31st March and 1st April


A glorious day on the 31st with a very light easterly breeze and plenty of bright sunshine throughout; there was a great selection of migrants scattered across the island, although nothing too rare the totals were highlighted by the first Chiffchaff of the year caught in a Heligoland trap and 3 Long-eared Owls, caught at Holland in the early morning.

                Other totals comprised 12 Woodcock, 5 Woodpigeons, 65 Skylarks, 30 Meadow Pipits, 37 Rock Pipits (including another littoralis bird at the Lighthouse), 3 Grey Wagtails, 27 Pied Wagtails, 2 White Wagtails, a Dunnock, an excellent 153+ Robins, 2 Black Redstarts, 142 Blackbirds, 99 Fieldfares, 30 Song Thrushes, 110 Redwings, 9 Mistle Thrushes, a Goldcrest, 4 Rook (including one trapped at Holland – only the fourth to be ringed on the island!), 10 Chaffinches, 2 Bramblings, 14 Linnets, 15 Twite, 5 Snow Buntings and 7 Reed Buntings.

                Nine Red-throated Divers were counted offshore along with little bits including a Merlin, 2 Grey Plover, a Ruff, 2 Knot and the Kumlien’s Gull again.

                Another lovely day on the first of the month with light winds (absolutely flat calm for a spell in the afternoon) and plenty of sunshine but the weather did close in slightly early evening; migrants across the island through the day included a Woodpigeon, 77 Skylarks, 40 Meadow Pipits, 22 Pied Wagtails, 3 Grey Wagtails, 3 Dunnocks, 117 Robins, 185 Blackbirds, 90 Fieldfares, 22 Song Thrushes, 2 Mistle Thrushes, 2 Chiffchaffs, a Rook, 3 Chaffinches and 2 Bramblings.

                Three Barnacle Geese were new with the Greylags while the Pink-footed Goose and Whooper Swan remained; 14 Great-northern Divers were off the south end on calm seas and in the fields, there was a slight increase to 160 Golden Plover and three Black-tailed Godwits were on Gretchen.


Long-eared Owl               Simon Davies

Rook                                 Simon Davies

Chiffchaff                                               George Gay   

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