Migrant birds keep turning up....

Here's the scene from Sunday. All the inhabiatants of the island mooching around a corner of the island. This happens from time to time on the island. The reason is that there is a scarce or rare bird on the island. Birds are now arriving in force because of the easterlie winds wich are hitting the coast.

We've had lots of Yellow-browed Warblers in the last week but very little else. On Sunday birds really started turning up with good numbers of Redwings and Song Thrush. Many of these are turning up from Eastern Europe.

This time however we were looking at a Red-breasted Flycatcher, a less then annual visitor to the island.

 

The flycatcher is feeding in the sun in the South Horn Gully

Little Bunting

This slightly less attractive but eqaully welcome visitor was up near the Sheepwell. Another Scadinavian migrant which was present over the weekend. We were also lucky enough to have an Olive-backed Pipit which is a visitor from Asia on the island on Monday

This Redpoll is from Scandinavia and was really tucking into the dock seeds. We see a few of these every year but they are rarely as tollerant as this. Must be hungrey after the long journey over the North Sea.

We are now spotting a few Redstarts. This bright youngster was enjoying the sunshine near the Lowlight.

Look closely you can spot a woodpecker on the wall. This bird is likely to be a Scandinavian migrant. Other birds of this origin have been trapped and ringed along the coast. This bird is grubbing insects out of the short grass near the Tennis Court.

We'll be out again seaching the island for migrants. You never quite know when the  next 'Biggie' will be found but we will keep you posted.