Still windy!

A very similar day to yesterday with strong winds only just allowing a morning standardized netting session and also like yesterday the only bird caught was another new Dunnock!   The sea provided more interest during the first few hours of the day with 1,500+ Eiders being most obvious but unlike yesterday c1,100 seemed to be heading in the 'right' direction - high off to the north-west with flocks often high over the station itself as they 'cut-the-corner'.

There were fewer Red-breasted Mergansers and Long-tailed Ducks than yesterday but this was made up by some good variety including 35 Red-necked Grebes, two Slavonian Grebes, a single Great-crested Grebe, 60 Brent Geese, a Shelduck, 4 Pintail, 12 Teal, three Tufted Ducks, 20 Goldeneye and a Sandwich Tern.

There was also more happening over the land through the day with a smart group of 15 Waxwings which landed briefly before continuing north and presumably the same Hawfinch lingering in the garden the highlights.   Other birds included 40 Siskins, 25 Greenfinches, a Goldfinch, a Mistle Thrush, a few Chaffinches, 20 Linnets, 6 Reed Buntings and c25 Skylarks including birds out over the sea.

very spring like (you just can't see the blazing, cold north-west wind!)

 

The afternoon was fairly quiet with the highlight coming during a watch from the point when a lovely Short-eared Owl appeared as if by magic flying over the sea - I'm not entirely sure where it came from!