31st March and 1st April
Very thick, very wet fog covered the island through the
morning of the 31st but brightening conditions later in the day,
plus a few showers saw a few bits drop in with 4 Woodpigeons, a Black Redstart,
4 Fieldfares, 11 Redwings, a Mistle Thrush, 8 Goldcrests and 6 Wheatears logged
by the end of the day.
Presumably
the same drake Green-winged Teal reappeared
on Gretchen – not seen since 18th March, after some of his mysterious
island hopping antics where a pair of Sandwich Terns were seen mating in the
afternoon (ambitiously early some might say!).
Waders also saw some notable increases especially 355 Golden Plover, 120
Sanderling (easily the highest count of the year), 304 Turnstone and 2
Black-tailed Godwits.
This distinctive Wren has had his nose in the icing sugar! photo Simon Davies
The
first of the month was, by in large a very pleasant day – with the exception of
heavy drizzle late afternoon with light winds and bright conditions; perhaps
most notable sighting was the reappearance of the infamous Northern Harrier, whose occurrences now
are very sporadic and unpredictable as he spends longer and longer periods off
island in some as yet undiscovered location!
The Black-throated Diver also popped up
again in Nouster along with good counts on calm seas of 31 Great-northern
Divers, 9 Red-throated Divers, 26 Long-tailed Ducks and 11 Red-breasted
Mergansers while on land, there was a bit of an arrival of Thrushes including
54 Blackbirds, 12 Fieldfares and 41 Redwings along with a Woodcock, a big
female Sparrowhawk, 2 Woodpigeons, 38 Pied Wagtails, a Black Redstart, 4
Wheatears, a Chiffchaff and 3 Goldcrests.
Northern Harrier, photo Simon Davies
Pied Wagtail, photo Simon Davies
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