Ramsey Wheatears and Trefiddan raptors

A visit to Ramsey in wonderful sunshine on Saturday demonstrated the incredible numbers of Wheatears now starting to nest on the Island. Especially on the Northern part of the island, with its well-grazed fields and extensive array of walls, densities were frankly amazing compared to anything I have seen on the mainland this year, with paired up birds every 10 yards or so. Migrants included regular Swallows and Sand Martins, with a couple of House Martins. Has anybody else noticed particularly good numbers of Sand Martins this year? I have seen groups of 15-20 birds daily during the past week both on Ramsey and the Marloes peninsular, compared to just twos and threes in previous years. The gorse on the Eastern side of the island had reasonable numbers of Willow Warblers, a singing Chiffchaff, a pair of Blackcaps and two male Whitethroats (the first record for Ramsey this year). On the cliffs, a very obliging Peregrine, as well as Fulmars, Razorbills and Guillemots, although more of these were on the water.

On Trefeiddan common, I saw a large raptor that looked a bit like a harrier while I was hurrying for the boat in the morning, but had no time to check. On the way back in the afternoon we were too early for the Short-Eared Owls but saw an exceptionally pale Buzzard perched on a telegraph pole at the far side: it was almost cream-coloured, speckled with darker brown. When it flew, off after being mobbed by a crow, it had a slightly odd wing shape and flight. I could well have been the bird reported by Derek G at Marloes a day earlier, but I did not get a close enough view to be able to identify it better.