4th April 2021

 Weather: light air   sunny and cool start

An early start following the tide out, and in the calm conditions the birds were very much the same as the last 2 days, with a few notable exceptions. The Pinkfeet (about 250) followed the usual pattern in the dawn light.

 Although there were no warblers there were plenty of finches (9 Goldfinch, 2 Chaffinch, 2 Siskin, 1 Greenfinch, and 2 Lesser Redpoll) and 2 White Wagtails, but in addition today a male Wheatear showed up, and a few extra Blackbirds. The usual suspects of the last week or so, 7 Canada Geese and 3 Woodpigeons arrived, and a small party of Jackdaws moved west, but an additional drake Eider joined the regular male.

A female Goldeneye was in the gutter below the obs, presumably the same bird as recorded on Friday, other wildfowl were 282 Brent, 19 Red-breasted Mergansers, 40 Scoter, 8 Shelduck with 2 of them prospecting for a nest sight off the east side. 

 There were 27 Little Gulls on the sea, also 10 Great Crested Grebes and 2 Guillemots, but newly arrived in Liverpool Bay were 12 Sandwich Terns and 60 Gannets.

A Raven came up off the island carring a morsel and was chased away south by a couple of Carrion Crows.

 

At least 20 Redshank are still with us, 

 

 and the Bluebells are now starting to flower at the south end of the island.