17th to 19th November

With winds originating from either the north or west and the last of the volunteers having moving on, there's definitely a winter feel about the place. After the late fall summarised in our last entry, fewer birds were seen on the 17th with 14 Woodcocks, 5 Robins, 184 Blackbirds, 155 Fieldfares, 11 Song Thrushes and 86 Redwings recorded. By the 18th there was an even greater reduction with no more than 40 of any thrush species but there was a Chiffchaff on that date with 2 further individuals at the Observatory on the 19th. The male Northern Harrier was back on the island and seen daily from 17th to 19th with the drake Green-winged Teal (17th and 18th), Common Scoter (17th-19th) and Smew (17th) all lingering too. An adult Glaucous Gull was at Bewan on 17th with a mobile juvenile around the south end the next day and at least 2 Hen Harriers have been present throughout.

Glaucous Gull