Easterlies bring on the migrants.

A few days of light easterly winds in the southern North sea have brought a steady, albeit light passage of passerines. Yesterday I recorded between 50 and 60 individual birds on and around the main deck. Species composition was varied and interesting although no scarcities have turned up- yet! Below is a cross section of snap shots of the more appealing individuals. Fortunately there is also a substantial population of flying insects around and on the vessel, allowing most individuals to refuel before continuing their push south. 

Wheatear

Pied flycatcher

Redstart

Spotted flycatcher

Tree pipit

Whinchat

Migrant mix.

Strange days recently with regard to visible migration. Yesterday and the day before (11-12/04), I didn't see a bird (wind Beaufort 3 NW) other than the resident seabirds with a nice line of 10 cory's shearwaters being the pick of the crop. Today (13/04 - wind Beaufort 5 SW) has been rather frantic, with the following noted:- 1 sardinian warbler, 2 house martins, 3 turtle doves, 1 yellow wagtail, 2 chiffchaffs, 4 willow warblers, 1 orphean warbler, 2 subalpine warblers and a cracking male pied flycatcher- my 39th positively ID'd bird species for this voyage.

I finally managed reasonable shots of turtle dove and subalpine warbler, but unfortunately the juicy pied fly and orphean did not want to play with my camera!

Turtle dove- 1 of 3 today

subalpine warbler 

just a few more days of survey to go then I can think about some proper birding back in the UK!