22nd -24th February

The influx of white-wingers faded away as the wind dropped and the weather became very pleasant as Storm Doris largely missed us, passing far to the south; just 2 Glaucous Gulls remained on the 22^nd.   The bird highlights remained the same with the Northern Harrier seen again, this time in the north of the island on the 23^rd, the drake Smew still going back and forth between Bewan and Hooking and the Green-winged Teal still on Gretchen.

                Decent wildfowl counts in this period included 420 Greylag Geese in amongst which was still a single White-fronted Goose, 205 Wigeon, 79 Teal, 27 Long-tailed Ducks and 8 Goldeneye while the glorious, sunny, calm conditions on the 24^th produced some much improved wader counts with 289 Purple Sandpipers, 245 Turnstone and 33 Bar-tailed Godwits standing out.

                Two Hen Harriers on the 23^rd included a ringtail at Brides and a fine adult male which cruised round the Obs several times after appearing to have come in from the south while passerines remained at a premium with the odd Snow Bunting seen at various sites and a couple more wintering Robins sticking their heads up during the fine weather on the 24^th.

Purple Sandpipers - photo Simon Davies