15th November
Back to the bright and
sunny conditions we’ve enjoyed of late, it was almost flat calm at first light
but the SSW wind gradually but steadily increased through the day becoming a
strong force 6-7 by the afternoon; some good coverage produced some improved
counts from across the island including 7 Red-throated Divers, 2 Great-northern
Divers, 5 Herons, single Whooper Swan and Pink-footed Goose with 1,055 Greylag
Geese, 420 Wigeon, 5 Gadwall, 129 Teal, 45 Mallard, 11 Pintail, 20 Long-tailed Ducks,
11 Red-breasted Mergansers, 124 Ringed Plover, 261 Golden Plover, 101 Lapwing,
8 Knot, 84 Sanderling, 40 Purple Sandpipers, 68 Dunlin, 92 Snipe, 28 Bar-tailed
Godwits, 66 Curlew, 101 Redshank, 172 Turnstone, a Black-headed Gull, 177
Common Gulls and 155 Great Black-backed Gulls.
It was quieter on the land but birds did include 16
Skylark, 6 Meadow Pipits, 21 Rock Pipits, a White Wagtail on
the beach at Howar (the first alba
Wagtail of any denomination since 29th October), a Robin, 92
Fieldfare, a Song Thrush, 102 Redwing, a Goldcrest, 11 Chaffinches, 82 Twite,
32 Snow Buntings and 8 Reed Buntings.
Twite
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