9th March 2013

 

Woodcock over pond

 A very cold easterly with drizzle all morning was brightened up for the observers when at about noon a Woodcock appeared from the west cliff area over the north end and continued to tour the island for half a hour or so, unfortunately never going down near the undergrowth of one of the heligoland traps. Earlier a Reed Bunting sat in the pittisporum tree in the obs garden but did not stay for long. A Peregrine sat on the beach as the tide flooded and 3 Wigeon flew about near high tide, while 10 Purple Sandpipers roosted the tide at the north end. Unsurprisingly considering the weather there were no migrants apart from 2 Pied Wagtails, not even a single finch of any species. On the sea , 5 Great Crested Grebes, 26 Common Scoter and 2 Red-breasted Mergansers.

Reed Bunting

(JE,AEH,CJ,SRW)      photos Woodcock SRW, Reed Bunting CJ