Visibly migrating

Had a fantastic morning on the end of the peninsula today in beautiful weather - warm, sunny and dry with a variable easterly wind (force2-5 then dropping again).

I reached Mynydd Mawr shortly after dawn and it was immediately obvious that birds were on the move both overhead and at sea while some fresh arrivals had also pitched down on the heath and pasture.

Visible migration was interesting as ever. Although nothing like the phenomenal counts we get here in the autumn there was a good selection of birds between 0732-1135 hrs. The highlights were: 8 alba wagtails, three Coal Tits high over the maritime heath!!! (plus two at home in Rhiw in the afternoon), 5 Jackdaw, 13 Carrion Crow accompanied by a single Hooded Crow - all headed out to sea, 2 House Sparrow, 2 Chaffinch, 2 Greenfinch, 24 Goldfinch, 9 Siskin, 32 Linnet (plus the resident birds), a Reed Bunting and 12 Redpoll sp (presumably Lesser'). It's always interesting to compare these totals with those noted by the crews on Ynys Enlli (aka Bardsey Island) and the Great Orme. 

Three Pied Wagtails were knocking about, there were four singing Stonechats, 5 Wheatear, single Goldcrest and Chiffchaff, 4 Chough, two stonking male Yellowhammers sat out on the gorse singing away plus a female Black Redstart by the lower car park.
  
Seawatching was interesting - most of the following birds were moving south for some reason: several hundred auks (mostly Guillemots), 10 Gannets were logged, a Red-throated Diver, 55 Black-headed Gulls and 5 Common Gulls plus the usual Fulmars and Kittiwakes etc

An hour in Porth Meudwy gave me the usual suspects inc just 3 Goldcrest, 3 more Siskin over, 8 Chiffchaff, a Peacock (butterfly!) and a mighty fine Comma whizzed past. Please note that this was a simple sight record - unlike the rather unconventional trapping methods (and blatant attempts to increase the number of website hits) detailed here by one of the area's naturalists!