23th January 2020

Weather: light air, bright sunshine, vis 2 miles

A calm spring-like morning spent in the sunshine over the tide turned out to be very productive for a January visit, particularly for birds on the sea. A Slavonian Grebe dived distantly off the west side, the first here for nearly 5 years, while earlier a Great Northern Diver had flown passed the north end travelling east. Other notables present on the water were 19 Red-throated Divers, 32 Great-Crested Grebes, 4 Red-breasted Mergansers, 3 Guillemot and 135 Common Scoter. Duck species were not to be outdone with a male Wigeon and 2 Teal showing, also the drake Eider from Tuesday spending the high tide roosting on Middle with the Oystercatchers and then floating up the east side as the tide ebbed to feed off the north west corner.

Seven Purple Sandpipers settled in the tide gauge at high water and flocks of 2,000 Dunlin and 400 Knot were noted. A Stock Dove flying about the island early on is a scarce visitor at any time but more often in spring, and 9 Meadow Pipits, 20 Linnets and a calling Siskin moving south this morning also brought to mind the coming season. Regular birds still here this winter are 7 Wrens, 3 Robins, 3 Song Thrushes and the Magpie.
photos SRW