Eleanor Grover rounds up the latest bird news from a blustery island...
It was generally a windy week, making for difficult birding and most of the sightings came from the two calmer days.
The Slavonian Grebe was still present on 9th, flying into Miller’s Cake to feed. Neither the Slavonian nor Red-necked Grebe were sighted during the rest of the week. A Lapwing was also present on 9th, loitering around Quarry Cottages.
On 10th, the calmer and sunnier weather allowed for full-island coverage. A flock of ten Oystercatchers roosted at Brazen Ward (sadly no Purple Sandpiper were present). The first records for the year for Guillemot and Razorbill were of birds diving off the North Lighthouse, whilst two Snow Bunting were noisily flitting about the track north of Three-quarter Wall. A small movement of thrushes also occurred, with five Song Thrush, six Redwing and 16 Blackbird along the East Side.
A wintry but calm Landing Bay – home to up to three Great Northern Divers this week ©Eleanor Grover
From 13th to 14th a small flock of Kittiwake was feeding off the East Side, with 74 and 224 counted (on the respective dates). Up to three Great Northern Divers were present in the Landing Bay, with one bullying (or clever?) individual preferring to steal fish from its compatriots rather than catch its own. A completely flat-calm day on 15th started with a vocal Ringed Plover wheeling round above the Lambing Shed, before moving on to repeat its behaviour above Old Light. A Curlew was in Tillage Field, but the prize for 'bird of the day' went to a Pink-footed Goose heard flying past the south end of the island.
Most other birds were few and far between – hunkered down out of the wind no doubt. Small increases in numbers included 11 Mallard on Barton Pond, five Teal at Pondsbury, 19 Wren, 11 Redwing in Millcombe and five Rock Pipit.
Some species, however, already have breeding on their minds. Water Rail are holding territories, and a Raven pair was acting very defensively along the East Coast. Even a Stonechat attempted a few snatches of subsong in Southwest Field. Spring will be upon us before we know it!