31st January 2016 – rain S2/1
Offshore
The sea proved disappointing revealing little of note in the poor visibility.
Wildfowl and Waders
The two female Scaup remain and other wildfowl included 30 pale-bellied Brent Goose and 2 Barnacle Geese. A group of 6 Greenshank were the pick of the waders.
Miscellaneous
The first-winter Little Gull again fed over the island’s flooded fields.
Garden Birdwatch
The observatory garden provided 30 Goldfinch, 3 Blackbird, 3 Robin, 3 House Sparrow, 2 Dunnock, 2 Wren, 2 Chaffinch, 2 Carrion Crow and single Sparrowhawk, Blue Tit and Song Thrush.
Ringing
As usual ringing got off to a slow start on the island in January with just 66 birds of 5 species. Individual species totals were as follows (retraps in brackets) Goldfinch 7 (50), Dunnock 1, Sparrowhawk 1, Blackbird (4) and Reed Bunting (3).
