1st-8th February

The wild weather continued with high winds and waves battering the coast, a consequence of the storms being a number of dead seabirds washed up on the beaches. There’s still plenty of live birds about though, with good numbers of wildfowl and waders feeding in the fields across the island. The Northern Harrier was sighted on the 6^th chasing Starlings around the observatory, and several Hen Harriers and a Merlin were also present. A Short-eared Owl was patrolling the gardens of Holland House at dusk on the 8^th. Passerine-wise the first Robin, Snow Bunting and Skylark of the year were recorded and a flock of 35 Redwings were seen at Holland House. The weather conditions were perfect for dazzling, with the highlight being a Whooper Swan, only the 13^th ever ringed on the island and the first since 2002. We also caught 9 species of wader, including a retrap Golden Plover originally ringed in 2008, 5 Greylags, a Great Black-backed Gull and a Moorhen. 

Whooper Swan

Golden Plover

Great Black-backed Gull

Snipe

Greylag Goose

Sanderling