Yellow-browed Warbler a small warbler that you see in the Autumn and winter in Great Britain. They are a long distance migrant. These birds arrive here from east of the Ural Mountains. This year already unprecedented numbers have been seen in Finland and it looked like many of these would filter through to UK shores aided by easterly winds.
The day started quietly with migrants today with only 3 Redwing spotted before breakfast. (Yes I actually got up. Not to go birding but to see if the builders need owt from me)
After that birds were hard to come by. A routine walk to Rona only yielded a Grey Plover, A Bramble finch and Redstart.
As I wandered round to the Lowlight to see what the chaps had seen I was met with a man with a bag.
.In the bag was our first Yellow-browed Warbler of the season. It was ringed and released at the Lowlight where it flew around calling.
After lunch and routine e-mail reading I headed out to the building site. I spotted a second Yellow-browed in the nettles near the Bane Trap. I set off to find the ringers. I found them on their way down. They seen another 4 Yellow-broweds. Instead of seeing the bird ringed I hung around at the top of the island.
A bird dropped like a bomb out of the sky vertically and landed in the nettles next to the Beacon. Another Yellow-browed. A walk over to Sheepwell yeilded another 3! Another two were together in the top garden. Amazing. 7 of these cracking Warblers in 15 minutes!
I went back down to tell the others. We chatted and thought we must have at least 11 on the island.
I set off for a walk up to the Priory and yet another was bouncing around on the grass in front of me. I'd seen more YB Warbler then Chiffchaffs today!
Can you spot it?
According to the bird information lines the final count was over 20 for the day. I expect to see more of these little sprites tomorrow.
Still the highlight of the day was two Minke Whales off South Ness as the Barge left. What a great day of wildlife spotting!
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