9 Siberian Chiffchaff on St Mary's

There was an influx of 5 Siberian Chiffchaff today at Porth hellick including one trapped and ringed by Jim

 For the first time in over two weeks it was still and The Roads were like a mill pond. In the blue skies above, a small flock of 20 Redwing flew NE and it wasn't until 10.00 that I could get out after work. It was obvious that there had been an arrival of birds which included Blackbirds as they flew high in ones and twos. In the next few hours overhead I got 5 Brambling, 1 Lesser Redpoll, 3 Siskin, 1 Golden Plover, 3 Skylark, 60+Chaffinch, 100 Redwing, 40 Fieldfare and 20 Blackbird. Of the latter species they would drop like a stone from a great height to join the 50 odd already present on the deck. Chiffchaff and Goldcrest were in higher numbers with 30+ and 40+respectively. By the road I had 3 Firecrest, 1 Siberian Chiffchaff and I only heard the Yellow-browed Warbler.

This Siberian Chiffchaff has been in the area at Porth Hellick for a long time now 

2 of the 70+Blackbird at Porth Hellick

  I eventually reached the ringing station to find Jim with bags full of birds. It was 11.00 and he had court nothin, except a Firecrest, until a few minutes of me coming around the corner. In the bags he had Goldcrests, single Grey Wagtail and Chaffinch and 26 Chiffchff including a Siberian Chiffchaff. While he was ringing these a male Stonechat flew into the nets. When he released the sibe, I immediately found 2 unringed Siberian Chiffchaff feeding together and a unringed Firecrest. These birds had just come in and half an hour later the Chiffchaffs that Jim had trapped before had moved on and been replaced by a lot of unringed Chiffchaff. All the time birds were also moving above and this time, I watched small flocks of Wood Pigeon flying out east. I also moved on and near to Salkee there were more Chiffchaff and Goldcrest, 4 Firecrest and 2 Siberian Chiffchaff. 

Out of the 32 Chiffchaff trapped, we only ringed a single Siberian Chiffchaff

However, above the nets flycatching in the sun were these 2 Siberian Chiffchaff

Two new species for me in the hand included a male Stonechat and a stunning Grey Wagtail

some 60-70 Chaffinch overhead, but Jim only trapped this male

Up to 7 Firecrest were at Porth Hellick

Including Jims birds, there was at least 80+Chiffchaff at Porth Hellick

  When I arrived at Lower Moors it was getting late and the light was fading. Howeever, I got 4 Siberian Chiffchaff, 4 firecrest, 5 woodcock, and 1 Yellow-browed Warbler. Not many Chiffchaff with only 20+ and 15+Goldcrest. The Sibes were at one time in the same bush together with 2 Chiffchaff for comparison

2 of the 4 Siberian Chiffchaff at Lower Moors. The other 2 were just above these 2 in the same bush!

This Yellow-browed Warbler was nearby

Up to 4 firecrest and 15+Goldcrest were also present. The light was disappearing fast when I took all the pics above 

Black Redstarts finished off another good day with 3 still at Porthcressa, 2 at Porthloo and this 1st winter male at Porth Mellon. Higgo had a stonking male yesterday at Sharks Pit.

  An unusal record for this time of year was a Black-tailed Godwit off samson and the Spoonbill was still on Green Island

Over the years I've played RJ2D before. Only 15 views on this cracking instrumental!! Ramble Jon Krohn (born May 27, 1976), better known by his stage name RJD2, is an American musician based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is owner of record label RJ's Electrical Connections.^[6] He has been member of groups such as Soul Position, MHz Legacy,and Icebird