31st December 2021

 Weather: SW force 7, decreasing 5/6   very mild for December

On the last day of the year an early start was made in the dark to catch the tide and a Fox was seen at Little Eye making its way from the islands back to the shore.

 As is often the case in winter the Purple Sandpipers are a highlight  and today there were a good total of 20 birds around the pool at the north end of the island.

 

A Peregrine hunted about Little and Middle Eye and also put up the waders at the east side of the main island on the ebb tide. A Shag was off the west side and then sat out on the whaleback,

earlier 650 of its close relatives the Cormorants flew out in the morning. Only 208 Brent could be counted and waders were generally in small numbers although 3,000 each of Oystercatcher and Knot were logged.

Photos AEH, AS