Eastern Type Lesser Whitethroat?

I joined AJG at the fishing boats for a sea watch, but after a short while of little passing at sea we turned 180 degrees and started watching the impressive vis mig. During the morning we counted c5000 Swallows and several hundreds each of House Martin and Meadow Pipits and 10s of Linnet, Goldfinch and Pied Wagtail. These numbers were undoubtedly the tip of the iceberg. We wandered around the trapping area which was seemingly virtually devoid of avian activity until a call from DW alerted us to a Lesser Whitethroat that was caught in the Heligoland trap. The bird was processed, photographed and released into The Moat, while doing so a few breast feathers came out and were retrieved for DNA. It appears to be of one of the eastern races Halimodendri perhaps? I am sure others will have there own opinions. Hopefully DNA results will be conclusive.

Eastern type Lesser Whitethroat?

                                                                 Eastern type Lesser Whitethroat?

                                                             Eastern type Lesser Whitethroat?

                                                                   Eastern type Lesser Whitethroat?

This afternoon on the reserve highlights were a Spoonbill which was new in, 3 Great White Egrets, 4 Black-necked Grebes, a little Stint, a Ruff, 2 Marsh Harriers  and a Rock Pipit which is probably rarer here than Spoonbills. By the entrance track near Boulderwall Farm a Common Redstart, 2 Stonechats, a Whinchat and a Wheatear and at the farm 10+ Tree Sparrows. At the south end of the ARC another Great White Egret and still good numbers of Sand Martins.

Late afternoon at the fishing boats a Yellow-legged Gull at the fish dump along with numerous other gulls but no Caspian in sight!

                                         Brent Geese past the fishing boats this afternoon.

                                                   Feeding time at the fishing boats for LY8T