Just as it was looking as though spring passage was more or less over for common migrants - a morning of mist-netting at the Obs had produced a blank for the first time this month and there was precious little to be found anywhere else at the Bill - so there was a timely reminder that it's now rarity season as 2
Rosy Starlings dropped in at the Bill; sadly, their stay in and around the QinetiQ compound was pretty brief and they were soon watched heading away to the north. The day's commoner migrant tally included 3
Reed Warblers, 3
Chiffchaffs, 2
Spotted Flycatchers and singles of
Grey Wagtail and
Sedge Warbler at the Bill, a
Hobby through at Blacknor and 12
Dunlin, 6
Sanderling, 2
Shelduck and a
Whimbrel at Ferrybridge.
There was hardly a sniff of increased immigrant moth activity following the overnight passing of a series of thunderstorms: 4 each of
Diamond-back Moth and
Silver Y, and 2
Rusty-dot Pearl were the only immigrants trapped at the Obs.
We kicked ourselves for missing out on ace views/photographs of the Rosy Starlings: on responding to Colin Thorne's phonecall we arrived to find the birds with a family party of Starlings right beside the Bill carpark; instead of grossing out on them we stupidly faffed about trying to phone out the news from a spot with a notoriously dodgy reception and on looking up saw the Rosys suddenly get up and fly off into the distance © Martin Cade:
