More people than birds

Overcast and very windy again but this time there was quite a bit of rain thrown in keeping me scurrying around getting wet several times!   There were however very few birds for me to worry about with 8 new birds trapped which comprised a Redstart, a Garden Warbler, 2 Whitethroats, a Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Willow Warblers and a Spotted Flycatcher.

Spotted Flycatcher

 

The poor weather definitely affected the number of birds caught but it also affected the number of people who came to visit the station for our open house this morning; there was however a steady turnover of folks from mid-morning who I think enjoyed themselves and learnt a bit more about what we do here at the station.   Most people got to see at least one bird in the hand, a Whitethroat on the very final round was a bit of a lifesaver!

 

There were more quality birds from Louis sheltering out on the tip with the highlight being a cracking summer plumaged White-billed Diver which flew west early in the morning (which despite sprinting across the garden, I missed by seconds!).   Other birds included a bold Golden Oriole which flew south taking battling into the wind, 300 Swallows south, 13 Swifts north and 6 south, 780 Barnacle Geese, a Crane, a single Honey Buzzard north over the station and a Kittiwake.

Mystery bird tail - no its not a Bee-eater or an Arctic Skua despite it trying its best!