2009 - January and February Highlights

NEW OBSERVATORY APPEAL

February Highlights: A tundra Bean Goose dallied for a few minutes on 5^th and a Barnacle Goose joined the Greylag flock (230) and the lone Brent Goose on 9^th.

Good numbers of Fieldfares (50) with smaller numbers of Blackbird (18) and Redwing (22) and the odd Song Thrush remained until snow covered the isle from 5^th-8^th causing many to clear out. The two wintering female Chaffinches remained throughout and a lone male was seen on 5^th.

Oystercatchers trickled through reaching a peak of 40 by the end of the month with smaller numbers of Lapwings (peak 35) and Curlews (peak 34). The first Ringed Plover was spotted on 17^th and there were eight a week later. Skylarks started to appear around mid-month, reaching 30 by 27^th. Twite numbers slowly increased from c15 to 43. Gannets were back on Yellow Head from 12^th and a few Guillemots ashore on calm mornings during the final week of the month. Other sightings included occasional Long-tailed Duck, Goldeneye, Grey Heron, Woodcock, Merlin, Black-headed Gull and a few Water Rail, Wigeon and Teal.

January Highlights: At least two each of Glaucous Gull and Iceland Gull (including a Kumliens type) have been seen. One Brent Goose remains from the six that arrived in late autumn and a Waxwing was at Schoolton on 13^th.

Other sightings: The ever-growing wintering Greylag flock has reached a record 160 this year with three Pinkfeet admixed. Other wildfowl included up to 13 Wigeon, five Teal and a Common Scoter. Three Oystercatchers, a Golden Plover and Dunlin (all 18^th) added to the peak counts of 16 Lapwing, 113 Turnstone, five Purple Sandpiper, seven Curlew, 65 Common Snipe and three Jack Snipe. A couple of Merlin and a Peregrine were seen on and off throughout. Passerine highlights included unusual wintering records of Skylark (3) and Meadow Pipit (2) and an unusually high number of Fieldfare (110). Other records included a couple of Chaffinches, a dozen Twite and 35 Snow Buntings.