Friday 21 February 2014

21st February 2014

 Weather :- WSW force 5, later in the morning 6/7
Robin  (CJ)
Blackbird  (AEH)
A quiet day all round, the main interest was the first 2 birds ringed this year! Ringing is always very slow indeed in the first 2 months of the year, but 21st February is an exceptionally late start for the ringing log sheet. The new Robin and Blackbird on the island had been seen over the last week or so but not trapped. A Chaffinch flew in late morning from the north but was the sole small visitor today. Surely it won't be long before we can look forward to the arrival of the early spring migrants, already the first Daffodils were in flower in the old obs garden and the Lesser Celendine does not seem far behind. A sea watch in the freshening wind was not very productive, just 1 Red-throated diver, 6 Great Crested-Grebes, 1 Guillemot and 1 Razorbill. There were no sightings of the huge Scoter flock, just some smaller parties travelling that totalled about 100. The Brent flock contained the dark-bellied bird and the red and blue ringed individual that is an old friend now. Waders of note were a flock of 30 Grey Plover and Sanderlings flying passed numbering 40 in all.
Brent Geese  (AEH)
Ringed :- 1 Blackbird, 1 Robin  [ 2-2 ]    
(DB,AEH,CJ,KMc+SD)         

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