Bonxie!!

27th January 2014 – overcast SW3/4
Offshore
A check over the sea mid-morning produced an out of season Great Skua along with 11 Common Scoter, 9 Red-breasted Merganser, 5 Red-throated Diver, 6 Teal, 2 Kittiwake and single Guillemot and Razorbill.
Wildfowl and Waders
Three Shoveler were logged.
Miscellaneous
Little Egrets remain along the eastern shore.
Ringing
Details of two colour-ringed Cormorants seen at the end of 2013 have just been received both had been ringed as chicks on Puffin Island, North Wales on 18th June 2011 and 16th July 2013 respectively.

Long-tailed Duck still in residence

25th January 2014 – overcast/showers SW5/6
Wildfowl and Waders
The Long-tailed Duck remains is residence and at least one Greenshank continues to overwinter.
Miscellaneous
Little Egrets continue to show along the eastern shore.

Long-tailed Duck reappears

19th January 2014 – overcast/showers/calm
Offshore
A check over the sea (0900-1000) produced 350 Common Scoter and 12 Red-throated Diver.
Wildfowl and Waders
The Long-tailed Duck reappeared, the drake Scaup remains and the Brent Goose flock held 165 pale-bellied individuals. Waders included 10000 Knot, 5 Jack Snipe, 3 Greenshank and 2 Purple Sandpiper.
Miscellaneous
A Merlin was the best of the rest.

Barnacle Geese and Great Northern Divers

18th January 2014 – overcast/rain at times SE3/4
Offshore
Highlights on the sea over the morning tide involved 8 Shag and 2 Great Northern Diver.
Wildfowl and Waders
Flocks of 84 Barnacle Geese and 50 Pink-footed Geese were logged and a drake Scaup remains. Waders included Jack Snipe and Greenshank.
Miscellaneous
At least 27 Little Egret remain along the eastern shore and the small flock of 35 Twite are still present.

Long-tailed Duck and Scaup

16th January 2014 – bright and sunny SE3
Grounded Migrants
There appears to have been a recent influx in Song Thrush with eight birds logged.
Wildfowl and Waders
The Long-tailed Duck and at least one Scaup remain in residence and the Brent Goose flock held 172 pale-bellied birds.
Miscellaneous
Little Egrets remain prominent along the eastern shore and the small flock of Twite are still present.

Long-tailed Duck and Little Gull remain

12th January 2014 – bright and sunny SE2/3
Offshore
Early morning observations over the sea revealed little other than 20 Red-breasted Merganser and 6 Common Scoter.
Wildfowl and Waders
The Long-tailed Duck and 3 Scaup remain in residence and the Brent Goose flock held 160 pale-bellied birds. Several Greenshank continue to winter.
Images
The first-winter Little Gull.

Long-tailed Duck and Little Gull

11th January 2014 – bright and sunny N2/3
Offshore
A check over the sea on the morning tide revealed 22 Common Scoter, 16 Red-throated Diver, 11 Shag, 6 Guillemot and single Kittiwake and Razorbill.
Diurnal Migration
A skein of 11 Pink-footed Geese headed north.
Wildfowl and Waders
The Long-tailed Duck and at least one Scaup remains in residence. Waders included 2000 Knot and 3 Greenshank
Miscellaneous
The first-winter Little Gull remains and 35 Twite were logged.

Gulls galore!

8th January 2014 – sunny spells SW2/3
Offshore
A check over the sea on the falling tide only produced small numbers of Red-throated Diver, Common Scoter and Kittiwake.
Wildfowl and Waders
The Long-tailed Duck remains in residence.
Miscellaneous
An adult Mediterranean Gull (complete with green colour ring on left leg) and a first-winter Little Gull were amongst 300 Black-headed Gull feeding on the floodwater that continues to linger after the storms.

Storms cause severe flooding

5th January 2014 – overcast/rain soon SE4/5
Offshore
A check over the sea on the rising tide produced 125 Common Scoter, 22 Red-breasted Merganser and 5 Red-throated Diver.
Grounded Migrants
A Fieldfare was newly arrived.
Wildfowl and Waders
The three Scaup and Long-tailed Duck remain and waders included 7500 Oystercatcher, 6300 Knot and 11 Greeenshank.
Miscellaneous
Several Little Egret remain in residence and Merlin, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel were all logged.
Images
The high tides and gales in recent days caused flooding across the island with roads impassable.

Old favourites see in the New Year

1st January 2014 – overcast/rain soon SE4/5
Wildfowl and Waders
The Brent Goose flock held 46 pale-bellied birds and 3 Scaup and a Long-tailed Duck were amongst 32 Goldeneye. Waders included 2 Greenshank, 2 Black-tailed Godwit and a Jack Snipe was amongst 100 Snipe.
Miscellaneous
Small numbers of Twite remain in evidence.