14th August 2016

Weather: NNW force 3  cloudy, sunny and warm later
A morning visit to do a few repairs to the heligoland traps managed to ring a Willow Warbler, the only warbler on the island, although with the winds forecast from the south east hopefully more will arrive this coming week. Turnstones were counted at 32 (including a bird colour ringed in 2007/2008), with 40 Ringed Plover, 200 Dunlin, 12 Redshank and a Sanderling, all seen at low tide, also a group of 6 Little Egrets standing together on the east hoyle. An unusual sight was a juvenile Kittiwake flying west between the main islands, more normal were 2 Gannets and 5 Great Crested Grebes out to sea and an Arctic Skua just off shore. As the day warmed up 6 Small White butterflies flew.

young Short-tailed Field Vole (CJ)

Short-tailed Field Voles have been very scarce this year so it was most encouraging that an adult and 2 very young animals were seen proving there has been at least one litter on the island recently.

Ringed: 1 Willow Warbler.                           [ 319-27 ]