Reap Lane was the place to be this morning for grounded migrants with four Whinchats present, including this stunning (and unusually confiding) male ©Pete Saunders:
26th April
With the weather unchanged, a strange monotony seems to have hit the island with the net rounds becoming predictable in both their numbers and species. A slow start to the morning on the land was compensated for by the days sea passage of just over 350 'Commic' Terns, 143 Manx Shearwaters, three Bonxies and an Arctic Skua. With the clear skies, it brought little surprise that migrants highlights were limited to fly-over birds including singles of Greenshank and Marsh Harrier past Blacknor, a Hobby over Easton and a handful of Swifts, Swallows and both House and Sand Martin up the West Cliffs. Grounded Migrants were scarce but two Redstarts, four Whinchats and a single Sedge Warbler were winkled out amongst the usual Wheatears, Pipits and Wagtails.
