30th March

To demonstrate the dearth of migrants at the Bill, we celebrated 'breaking our duck' today with the capture of a single Goldfinch in the garden nets. Highlights on the birding front included the return of the Culverwell Moorhen, 8 Purple Sandpipers at the Bill and nine Wheatears across the obs recording area. The sea remained relatively quiet with four Manx Shearwaters, 35 Common Scoters and a Little Egret. Elsewhere on the island, a Yellow Wagtail showed up at Wakeham, a Black Redstart was at Blacknor whilst a trickle of migrants at Reap Lane included White Wagtail, Wheatear and a couple of Chiffchaffs.

It's good to see the Buzzards helping out with the over abundance of rats ©Geoff Orton: