Radde's Warbler trapped at Porth Hellick

Radde's Warbler trapped and ringed at Porth Hellick this morning

  This morning waiting for a plane to come in when Will Scott let me know that Jim had just trapped a Radde's warbler at Porth hellick. It was some twenty later that I arrived, with others that I picked up along the way, and I made it in time by the skin of my teeth before they were just about to release it. It's been a long time since I've seen a Radde's. What a bird, but would like to see one in the field now.

It was great to see a Radde's up close in the hand.

   Shortly after the Radde's was released, a Red-brested Flycatcher was at watermill, but searching around with others, there was no sign of it. A redpoll flying SW was my first of the year. At Higher Moors I saw a Siberian Chiffchaff in the very place where I found one over a week ago. Other birdres also saw it and told me that it did call just like a SibeMid--after and I made my ways to Newford. In a row of large Elms feeding in the sun were 10+Chiffchaff, 15+Goldcrest, 4 Blackcap, 1 Firecrest, 2 Yellow-browed Warbler and a cracking Northern Willow Warbler. The latter species I saw very briefly yesterday with a Richard's Pipit flying NE overhead. 8 Redwing and 7 skylark also flew over.

  Just before 17.00, news broke of a BLYTH'S PIPIT in fields on the west side of Peninnis. I called Will Scott to let him know about the pipit and said 'It looks like your Blyth's Pipit has been relocated that you had a few days ago at Tremelethen ' He knew nothing about the pipit, but by the time we both got up there, it had flown off north. Twenty minutes later it was refound briefly in the next field, but still there was no sign of it and it was thought to of gone to roost with the 50+Meadow Pipit feeding in the same area. Instead I had to make do with a distant Short-eared Owl perched in a crevice on a off shore rock called 'The Chair' off the west of Penninis. I guess the Blyth's was found because birders looking for the Red-throated Pipit that was in the area earlier on. Will Scott also found the Blyth's Pipit last year on the airfield.

Northen Willow Warblers are cracking birds and I would of liked to seen the grayish individual that was seen yesterday at Upper Broom, Garrison with the Dusky Warbler (morning only) and very briefly the Arctic Warbler.

 

2 Yellow-browed Warbler were very vocal as they chased each other around the Elms

Small flocks of Goldfinch around at the moment

  Also today, new birds included a Common Rosefinch, St Martins, 2 Siberian Chiffchaff and Common Swift, St Agnes. The RED-FLANKED BLUETAIL was still showing off on the latter island and on St Mary's there were only 2 Little Bunting in the Standing Stones field and the Short-toed Lark popped up again on the airfield. More Redwings have arrived with 2 brambling.

Pieta Brown (born 1973) is an American musician and singer-songwriter who has released five albums and three EPs. She has performed with artists such as Mark Knopfler, John Prine, Amos Lee, Justin Vernon and Calexico. In addition to Mark Knopfler, John Prine and Brandi Carlile, Brown has shared stages with late JJ Cale, Emmylou Harris, Richard Thompson, Ani DiFranco, Calexico, Neko Case,Mason Jennings, Shawn Mullins, Carrie Rodriguez and Jim Lauderdale. She has performed at festivals throughout North America including Bonnaroo, Mountain Jam, Edmonton Folk Music Festival and more. Her national radio credits include performances on eTown and Mountain Stage.