Enroute Willow warblers (willow/chiffs) were evident in numbers, as too were whitethroats and Wheatears; and I soon came upon my first Redstart along Bonchurch Rd: a not very showy female calling away.
When I got to Luccombe Village, nearer the coast, another Redstart showed briefly and a calling Firecrest was around too in the gardens; then heard my first reeling Grasshopper Warbler of the morning (in someone's garden) with a second heard when I arrived at Haddon's Pits. The odd swallow was going over but not much else...
On the way back I dropped down more into the farm area and chine, and more warbler activity was obvious along the scrub and fence line: again, mostly willow/chiffs/whitethroats; but the highlight was a male Redstart vocal and singing at times (or subsong), which I had never heard before on the island and managed some sort of a sound recording. Otherwise: a Tree Pipit went over, more wheatears at Luccombe Down, as well as a male Whinchat near the Radar Station. (But a surprising 'downs' omission was Ring Ouzel, given the c9 seen at WHD and one at Culver).
29/04: breezy south/sw, milder, sunny:
1 x Reed Warbler (Bonchurch Rd/garden) and 1 x Sedge Warbler (Luccombe Farm fields).
Pair of Swallows interacting over the fields.
30/04: A Hobby over Luccombe Down (A.M).
Then: SCP evening sea watch with George and then Ollie, S/SE winds: a single Pom was seen in the morning but pretty quiet otherwise; the evening didn't fare much better: aside from a bunch of manxies, kittiwakes, a few commics, and whimbrels, the clear highlight was a Black-throated Diver east. Surprisingly not one skua sp let alone a pom...(Portland B.O mentioned the weather conditions possibly blocking passage from the west)...
Local news: Brading marsh area has two Purple Herons now; and a Blue-headed wagtail was seen just off Laundry Lane at the weekend.
The male Redstart popped out briefly - and also heard:
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