7th January 2023

Weather: SE force 4 with rain, later SSW 3 sunny intervals with showers

 Brent are often at their winter peak at this time and today 335 were counted.

 Also in large numbers were 1,500 Cormorants, while passing through 225 Pink-footed Geese flew by. The regular Eiders (2 immature males and 3 females) are still here. Six hundred Common Scoter were mostly distant, but as often one or two came close to the island.

 

 Lots of waders around the island included 18 Sanderling, 40 Grey Plover, 68 Ringed Plover, 120 Redshank, 4 Bar-tailed Godwit, 118 Turnstone,

 and 13 Purple Sandpiper roosting the tide.

 while the largest flocks were 6,000 Oystercatcher, 4,000 Knot and 1,500 Dunlin

 Wintering land birds included 5 Blackbirds, 2 Song Thrushes, 6 Wrens and 2 Robins, 2 Meadow Pipits and 5 Rock Pipits.

Adding a small splash of colour at this time of year was a clump of Gorse.

Photos CJW