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.
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: