11th and 12th February

On 11th a third Glaucous Gull arrived with both 2nd winter birds on Gretchen all day and another 2nd winter on the Links. The adult Iceland Gull was also seen again dropping into Gretchen briefly, there was a single Jack Snipe at Hooking and 2 Hen Harriers (male and ringtail) roosted there. Our fourth Glaucous Gull in two days was seen at Gretchen next day, this time a juvenile with the 2 2nd winters also still present there. A juvenile Iceland Gull flew south past Twingness and 23 European White-fronted Geese were near the school. 12 Twite and 3 Linnets returned to the Observatory crops for the first time in a while and a Song Thrush was with 8 Fieldfares and 21 Redwings at Holland House.

3 Humpback Whales were sighted from a Survey vessel east of the Island today, but unfortunately our attempts to see them drew a black and we were only able to catch sight of the ship on the horizon-just!

Reed Bunting