30th November 2024

 Weather: SE force 2/3   S 3/4 by the evening.

The Barn Owl showed well again today and hunted for a good hour.

 

The Kestrel showed up but only stayed briefly, 8 Linnet were in the SK paddock and a Pied Wagtail flew over. On the sea were 11 Red-throated Diver, 50 Common Scoter and a Great Crested Grebe, the Eider had increased to 5, still no adult males though. Three Grey Heron roosted on Middle along with 5,000 Oystercatcher but only a single Little Egret was noted. Purple Sandpiper had also increased with a good count of 20 being much better than recent years, 300 Knot were around the island along with 120 Turnstone. On the East Hoyle after tide were 36 Shelduck, 272 Curlew and 93 Bar-tailed Godwit. The Brent remain steady at 330 birds.

28th November 2024

 Weather: ESE force 3

A trip over early and in the dark ahead of the tide was worth it to discover that the Barn Owl is still on the island, it was hunting around the island before sunrise but was not seen to catch anything. Also before dawn 300 Cormorant flew out of the estuary and later a Shag was on the Whaleback, 4 female type Eider dived for crabs off the North End. A single Dark-bellied Brent Goose was noted along with 335 Pale Bellied Brent spread around the islands. Sixteen Purple Sandpiper had split into 2 groups, one feeding at the North End and the other below the Obs garden. After tide on the East Hoyle Bank were 320 Curlew, 115 Grey Plover and 4,000 Dunlin whilst around the island 160 Turnstone, 62 Redshank and 250 Knot were counted. A rustling in the Blackthorn drew attention to a Fox skulking about in the lanes between hedges.

 

18th November 2024

 Weather: ENE force 1   veering ESE 2 later

 A pre-dawn start provided excellent views of the Barn Owl. Brent numbers remain high although as they were widely scattered throughout the day, no accurate count was possible. The three Eiders remained around the islands while several hundred Common Scoter were noted, some very close inshore. A four hour seawatch over the hide tide produced a good count of Red-throated Divers with 40 noted, together with 18 Great Crested Grebe and nine Guillemot. An impressive 18 Purple Sandpipers were found roosting on the western cliffs. A Raven paid a visit and there were still good numbers of Blackbirds on the island with one Song Thrush and one Redwing present.

13th November 2024

 Weather: NW force 3

 Quiet this morning with the continued change in wind direction. A good count of Brent (330) but despite the big numbers the first juveniles in a family party for some time were noticed among them.

 A Merlin turned up again but was the only raptor, but a Raven turning up can also disturb the peace, normally just as a scavenger.

 

 A Redwing logged was the sole migrant thrush, a Starling was also here. Waders recorded included 90 Curlew, 85 Turnstone, 40 Dunlin, 125 Redshank, a Grey Plover, 2 Ringed Plover, 2 Purple Sandpipers and 35 Sanderling.

 Just a Great Crested Grebe and a Shag on the sea and 2 female Eiders about the islands with 2 Grey Heron and 3 Little Egrets.

Photos  SRW

11th November 2024

 Weather:  WNW force 3

A very quiet morning with the wind in the north west and a short visit recorded over 300 Eider, 25 Shelduck, 85 Curlew, 120 Redshank, 3 Little Egret, 2 Grey Herons and on the island, 4 Blackbirds, 5 Robins and a Song Thrush. 

10th November 2024

 Weather: ESE force 3   SE 1 by noon

Another good day with plenty of variety. Thrushes were prominent again with 18 Redwings, 2 Fieldfare, 5 Song Thrushes and 15 Blackbirds. Other passage included over 40 Meadow Pipits, 2 Pied Wagtails, 5 Skylarks, several Robins and  a good selection of finches featuring 8 Chaffinch, 9 Goldfinch, 20 Linnets and 2 Greenfinch.

 

A Merlin as usual was an early visitor.

 

  Kestrel and this Peregrine and were also here, 

 which sent up some Brents and Oystercatchers.

Three Jackdaws flew by while wildfowl logged were 300 Brent plus a dark-bellied bird, 600 Scoter, 20 Shelduck in scattered records, 2 Wigeon, 3 Teal, a female type Goosander in the gutter below the obs and 4 of our regular Eiders. Sea watching produced 23 Gannets, 6 Red-throated Divers, 6 Great Crested Grebes, 9 Guillemot, 2 Razorbills and a Shag. A Great White Egret flew in from Wales before turning south and missing the island, records of these are now becoming almost a regular occurrance. 

 

 There were still only 3 Purple Sandpipers in view with other waders that included 105 Curlew, 200 Knot, 145 Redshank, 50 Dunlin, 50 Sanderling, 60 Turnstone, 45 Bar-tailed Godwit. Keeping the feeding waders company were 3 Little Egrets and 2 Grey Heron.

Ringed: 1 Song Thrush, 2 Blackbirds

Photos SRW

9th November 2024

 Weather: ESE force 3    misty

 Another great day of migration on the island. As with so many days recently, today started with the Barn Owl at dawn when it showed between the old obs and Telegraph west garden at around 7 am and sat on fog cottage.

 

 

It turned out to be an epic thrush passage day, counts were of 33 Redwings, 

 

 and 11 Fieldfares, 

also 5 Song Thrushes and 43 Blackbirds, most of the Blackbirds were moving through in a southerly direction and 7 were ringed and amongst them was the prize of the group which was a Swedish ringed bird,

 

Obviously the southerly direction was not a local movement!  A Blackcap was caught and ringed.

 

Fifteen Meadow Pipits also passed through and Starlings were another species moving with 36 birds.

 

 Many finches were featured this morning with records of 12 Chaffinches, 4 Siskins and 3 Goldfinches, although the 5 Brambling were a little more unusual. A male Blackcap was caught and ringed. The duck arrivals included 5 Teal, 3 Wigeon, a Pintail 

 

 and 3 Shoveler (which have not been so scarce lately).

Thirty Gannets fed on the sea off the north end as did a Guillemot and 2 Great Crested Grebes, while a Razorbill flew west. Normally a Woodcock (found by Matt Thomas) would stand out on a quiet day but there were so many records there were other distractions than just todays bird. There were no large gatherings of waders as the tide was low all day but a German colour ringed Curlew among 45 present was notable.

 

On the shore were 2 Grey Herons and 2 Little Egrets. Following the 8 dark-bellied Brent yesterday there were just 3 sighted today with 320+ pale-bellied. 

 The Kestrel hunted the island.

 

The Weasel was spotted in the old obs area.

 

Ringed: 7 Blackbirds, 1 Redwing, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Blackcap.

Photos AEH, SRW, Matt Thomas(Curlew)