The 2 Brent Geese in Longis Bay were present all day today and first thing there was a Bar-tailed Godwit feeding ahead of the incoming tide. 2 Peregrine rifled over the Obs late morning one calling loudly. There were 2 Wheatears on Lonigs common one of which appeared to be of Greenland race but I didn’t get my bins on it. Two Owls (likely short eared) were reported from vallee des trios vaux. Less birds around today but still a good sprinkling of migrants; overnight the winds had  turned coming from the West and they remained so all day.

Ringing was at Essex Farm today and a total of 52 new birds ringed included 2 Garden Warblers, 2 Common Redstart and an adult female Siskin. Blackcap was the commonest species in the nets with 25 individuals. Avian Adventures joined us for a ringing demonstration mid morning enjoying a variety of migrants. Surprise of the day was a first for me being the hybrid finch pictured below. The bird was unringed and did not show any of the tell-tale signs of being a captive bred ‘escape’. The wing length of 83mm ruled Siskin and was also short for Greenfinch. The bird, a male, had the black crown of a male Siskin and the large bill of a Greenfinch, though the grey ear coverts were rather puzzling !  The flight feathers were closer to Siskin and the tail akin to Greenfinch. When the bird was released it made a clear Greenfinch call. Amazingly we caught a Greenfinch and a Siskin the same net round as this individual which was in size half way between the larger Greenfinch and smaller Siskin.

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Hybrid Adult GreenfinchxSiskin