Friday 16 August 2013

Skokholm Sunshine

Hello

Today's weather on Skokholm was initially grey and windy but then changed to glorious sunshine and blue skies.  A small fall of birds occurred this morning with a notable increase in Willow Warblers plus one or two other passerines including a Spotted Flycatcher.  Waders are thin on the ground but Curlew and Whimbrel continue to pass through and loiter in small numbers and a Turnstone was new this morning. 

After ringing for much of the morning we decided on a walk around the island which was particularly pleasant.  Plenty of insects about included still large numbers of Small Copper butterfies and much smaller numbers of Red Admiral, Painted Lady and Peacock.

Pods of Common Dolphin have been seen off the island for three consecutive days now, the diving Gannets giving away their position to island-based observers.  Sea-watching produced impressive numbers of Gannets and Kittiwakes plus a Mediterranean Gull.

Three pairs of Chough live on the island, any sighting normally preceded by their sneezing but explosive 'Cheow' call as they career past, displaying impossibly bright red bills and legs, glossy feather sheen and fingered round-edged wings.

My thanks to Helen Harding for the below images taken around the island during the last two days...

Neil M



 
Close-up views of the head
and eye of an adult
Lesser Black-backed Gull

 
Wren




 
Various views on Skokholm




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