Wednesday 15 August 2012

A ruff day



A fog bound Brownsman early morning (David Steel)

One of two migrant Kestrels in residence (Bex Outram) 

Our first Ruff of the autumn (Bex Outram) 

Pied Flycatcher utilising the solar panels (David Steel) 

Young Pied Wagtails ready to fledge the nest (David Steel) 

Drake Eider starting to moult out of 'eclipse' plumage (David Steel)

Wednesday 15th August comments: It’s been a mixed day on the islands as we started in thick fog, had some blazing sunshine in-between before finishing the day in torrential rain and strong south-easterly winds.

Migrant birds continue to be a feature as more new arrivals were noted including an immature Ruff on Brownsman (the first this year) which showed well on the pond and then the nearby ‘flats’ area of the island. The first Lesser Whitethroats of the autumn also arrived whilst a scattering of Flycatchers kept things ticking along. On the breeding bird front, a family party of Pied Wagtails are ready to fledge whilst Eider numbers start to increase once again, with drakes starting to moult out of 'eclipse' plumage (their summer moult dress). With yet more south-easterly winds (and rain this evening), we suspect we haven’t seen the last new arrival on the islands…

Today’s highlights: Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper, Ruff on pond and then Brownsman ‘flats’, Snipe 1 on pond, 2 Kestrel including one killing a Starling, Swift, Tree Pipit, 3 Whinchat, 3 Wheatear, Grasshopper Warbler, Garden Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 10 Willow Warbler, 4 Pied Flycatcher and Spotted Flycatcher. 

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