Almost perfect autumn ringing weather at Oxwich today: a very light easterly wind and overcast skies. Occasional light rain meant it was not a ten out of ten in terms of conditions, but it was pretty close. We put nets through the reedbed, in marginal scrub and in rushy pasture (the latter being a triangle of net for pipits).

The easterly air flow all week, and the reports of an influx of yellow-browed warblers made us think that catching one amongst a roving flock of tits and chiffchaffs, or in with goldcrests was a possibility.

We were not disappointed. The first yellow-browed warbler was captured within the first half hour. We then caught them regularly over the morning, with a maximum of three birds being extracted during a net round. A number of them were carrying a reasonable amount of fat (up to score of 5 using the British Working Group system). Calling yellow-browed warblers were relatively numerous around the edge of the marsh, and it had the feel of an east coast fall: finding yellow-browed warblers in South Wales in the autumn is usually a reasonable challenge.

Two firecrests late in the morning was a real bonus, as was a little run of stonechats and Cetti’s warblers. A couple of the latter were carrying fat, which may suggest dispersal / immigration to the marsh. A garden warbler was a surprise: no other sub-Saharan migrants were noted.