26th January

A different day than yesterday with lightish NE winds, overcast conditions and long periods of drizzly rain becoming angry hail showers later in the day; a walk around the southern end of the island produced 4 Great-northern Divers, 2 Pink-footed Geese with the Greylags, the drake Green-winged Teal again on Gretchen, 7 Shoveler, 7 Long-tailed Ducks, a Merlin and 69 Dunlin.   Other wintering totals included a Water Rail and a Woodcock in Holland, 19 Skylarks, 3 Rock Pipits, 2 Song Thrushes (Holland and Lurand), the 5 Chaffinches, 78+ Twite, 3 Common Redpolls (first overwintering birds since 2010 / 11) and 51 Snow Buntings.

Eiders