Christmas period 2012

The island has been monitored by the bird observatory even over the Christmas period this year.  One of the obvious features at the moment is the amount of water in the main pond (below), it is at such a level that none can previously recall, almost up to the path, obviously as a result of the persistent rainfall this last 9 months.
 

Song Thrush

27th December :- 2 Red-throated and 1 unidentified diver species, 7 Wigeon, 7 Common Scoter, 20,000 Knot between the east hoyle and the north shore, A Common Seal between the main islands and an appearance by the resident rabbit proving it is surviving the weather. A Redwing was noted over and a new Song Thrush was ringed.

(DB,JE)    [ 1089-32]     photos  JE

26th December :- 19 Red-throated Divers, 40 Great Crested Grebes, 27 Guillemots, 3 Razorbill, 30 Pintail flew north, 340 Turnstones, 18 Purple Sandpipers, 2,300 Dunlin flew north, 30,000 Knot flew south in the tanskeys area on the ebb tide, 1 Rock Pipit.

Common Seal

(DB)

25th December :- a Slavonian Grebe in the east side gutter, 30 Wigeon and 5 Pintail flew south, 4 Teal, 4,500 Oystercatchers, 120 Grey Plover and 15 Bar-tailed Godwits flew south, 80 Shelduck, 5 Linnets and 2 Meadow Pipits on the island.

(DB)

24th December :- 6 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Little Egrets, 1 Kestrel, 5 Common Seals in a separate haul out on the west hoyle bank.

(DB)

21st December :- 211 Brent Geese ( includes a few dark-bellied ), 1 female Scaup, 7 Grey Herons, 90 Redshank, 1 Little Egret, and the regular winter passerines included 6 Wrens, 2 Dunnocks, 4 Robins, 3 Blackbirds, 2 Song Thrushes.

 (DB)