Should have waited

Should have waited until I had been to WOW today to update the blog as there is a whole new post as a result of 4 hours this morning. There was a good selection of birds as it was a high tide and the weather was good.  I managed 36 species and others added another 6 that I missed. Highlights included over 100 common terns, 6 arctic terns, 4 sandwich terns, 15 barwits, 12 knot, 12 dunlin, 2 redshank, 260+ blackwit, 2 common sandpiper, 1 whimbrel,  mediterranean gull, 6 swift, 1 ruff with white head feathers and a melanistic black headed gull. Several of the birds were over at the observation room and gave good views.There was one shoveler, two wigeon and no teal. The 40+ total was the result of lingering winter waders, passage waders, newly arrived migrants and resident breeders. There were at least another 2 or 3 residents not observed by anyone eg blackbird, dunnock and blue tit. I think 50 in a day is possible at this time of year.

Common sandpiper

and again

Melanistic black-headed gull

Dunlin

Colour ringed godwit

The godwit was ringed in February 2015 on the River Axe in Devon and was seen at WOW in April and May 2015. It was seen here in late April and again today. It is possible that this bird has been to Iceland and back  last summer. Has it wintered here, on the Axe or somewhere else ? Wherever it wintered it was missed until April 2016 when it appeared back here. Not just birding, engaged in scientific research and adding to the sum of human knowledge.

WOW patch list:    

74 Common sandpiper
75 Arctic tern
76 Swift
77 House martin
 
West Bangor patch list:

61 Swallow

62 House martin 
63 Swift

2016 list 

135 Arctic tern