Bluethroat at the Bill

The highlight of a terrific trip to Portland Bird Observatory  was this fine young male White-spotted Bluethroat

Caught and ringed on the Saturday of our long weekend of ringing and birding.

This was our 5th Group visit to Portland Bird Obs. We arrived on the Bill via a Hoopoe and quickly got into some afternoon, mainly Phyllosc, ringing.

When the rains came on Friday, we left the Obs and went up the Fleet a few miles for a delightful Pallas's Warbler, rainproofs required but excellent views with patience.

As the rain cleared we returned via Ferrybridge and saw both Little and Sandwich Terns, and a surprise to find a distant Great Northern Diver.

With the weather improved there was a chance to open the nets for a while. A few birds to end the day including one of two Firecrest that we caught 

and a male Redstart.

The weather was much better on Saturday and we ringed 76 birds.

We managed to find time, taking turns for the four of us to catch up with the male Subalpine Warbler in scrub along the cliffs.

Now a summary of the weekends ringing....

Blackcaps were the most numerous species caught with 92 ringed. This one had obviously been recently feeding on Citrus trees on its migration.

Willow Warblers came second with 69 which is more than we ring in most years around the Teifi. Chiffchaffs were the third with 38 ringed. Other species included 7 Redstart, 7 Goldfinch, 7 Linnet, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 1 Whitethroat, the first of the Spring, and 2 Robins.

Two Short-eared Owls  in off the sea......a great finale for our weekend of Spring migration.

Many thanks to Martin Cade and Peter Morgan for the warm welcome as always.
(Richard, Chris, Wendy and Andrew)