Skokholm Trip 11-14th September

Last weekend I stayed at the Skokholm Bird Observatory with Dave Astins who was leading a migration course there. At Martin's Haven before catching the boat I found a smart immature/female-type Redstart in a small area of willows, a good start. After a quick briefing we were out to explore the island. c15 White Wagtails were on the North Plain along with a few Wheatears. Other birds of note was a Water Rail at the Well, Whimbrel on the North Coast and 2 juvenile Dunlins on North Pond.
An early start on the 12th saw me head down the Well to look for migrants, 3 Willow Warblers, a Chiffchaff and a Blackcap were present but not much else. Heading back to the courtyard a small bird flitted past me into the cottage garden. It was a stunning Firecrest! It stayed the whole day and moved to the courtyard later in the day, it showed very well in the courtyard even down to a few metres at times. The White Wagtails were still on North Plain along with a few Pied Wagtails. A good fall of Wheatears today, we counted 17 around the island including a Greenland-type bird on North Plain, a Whinchat was near the lighthouse in the afternoon. In the evening we went down to the quarry hoping to see some Storm Petrels. On the lighthouse track lots of young Manxies we getting ready to fledge. At quarry the Storm Petrels were there. We used a infra red camera to watch them as the flew around us.
Another look down at the well on the 13th revealed nothing unusual, 2 Willow Warblers and a Chiffchaff. At the courtyard birds were a little better. Yesterday's Firecrest was still in the courtyard as was a Garden Warbler and a male Blackcap was in the courtyard heligoland. 2 Skylarks were near North Pond and a juvenile Ringed Plover and the 2 juvenile Dunlin were on North Pond. A seawatch from the lighthouse revealed 3 Commic Terns flying south, 12 Common Scoter and 14 Gannet. Back along the lighthouse track 2 Whinchats and a Wheatear were at Horsebottom. Large numbers of Rock Pipits were on the Neck, 32 were put up at once giving us a total of 49 for the Island on the 13th.
Half a day on the 14th, but there were more birds on the island. 14 Willow Warblers were around, 4 at the Well, 6 at Spy Rock, 2 in the Courtyard, 2 at Orchid Bog. A Pied Flycatcher was found at soy Rock but when I went there I could only find 2 Spotted Flycatchers, another 2 Spot Flys were at the Well. A Reed Warbler at the Well was a new addition to the trip list as was a Sedge Warbler at Orchid Bog. A Water Rail was a the Well and a bird was here calling near the cottage garden, suggesting there are 2. At South Haven, just before getting on to the boat, a Turnstone appeared on the rocks, a nice end to the trip. Back at Martin's Haven a Grey Wagtail was flying around and 3 male Blackcaps and 2 Spotted Flycatchers were in the Willows.

Ginst and the surroundings

Last Sunday Alex Holland took me around his farmland along the river taf and over towards Ginst Point. Walking through the rush I picked out a raptor quartering the far corner of his land. As if flew along the embankment the white upper tail coverts were obvious, a smart juvenile/female Hen Harrier Other birds of note on the farm were, 4 Teal, 100+ Swallows, 3 House Martins, 6 Sand Martins. On the Taf shore there were 2 Little Egrets, c30 Curlew and a Shelduck, but the heat haze prevented me looking for any other species. At Ginst Point large numbers of Oystercatcher were on the sand, about 200! Elsewhere on the point 45+ Knot, 30 Dunlin and several Ringed Plover. Back on Alex's land a Kestrel gave good views and large numbers of Linnet were feeding in the field. Back towards the car a smart male Wheatear caught my eye, followed by quite allot of Stonechats, 10, and a Whinchat sitting on the barbed wire fence.