Weather: SE force 1/2 mostly cloudy
Further passage of thrushes this morning around or before dawn included 3 Brambling with the 61 Redwing and 3 Fieldfares logged. Other winter movements over the island were both Woodpigeon and Stock Dove and a group of 9 Lapwings that were seen to lift off from the ridge south of Middle and move off to the south west. A Black-tailed Godwit landed on the east side between the islands, a species seldom seen here singly, while a flock of 20 Bar-tailed Godwit in flight did not surprise. Seven Starlings in total passed through, There were 6 Blackbirds on the island (1 was ringed), several Meadow Pipits and a Siskin were other visitors, while 2 Goldcrests called from gardens first thing, one of which was caught and ringed.
Only 2 of the Purple Sandpipers showed this morning. Large counts were made of 452 Curlew and 232 Shelduck, mostly between Little Eye and the Tanskies and a comprehensive survey of the Brent reached a really large number of 387 pale and 1 dark-bellied bird. Three Wigeon were here, also 4 Common Scoter, a Guillemot and a Red-throated Diver diving near the north end.
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In the late afternoon a Short-eared owl was seen being harassed by Crows over the wardens garden but appeared to have gone off the island until a commotion by Blackbirds and Wrens drew attention to the SK trap area and the owl flew up from in front of the trap to surprise our observer. It was not seen again.
The fungus mucilago crustacea was found on the island, it is sometimes known as 'dog sick fungus' for obvious reasons.
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