13th December 2023

 Weather: N force 4/5

 A mostly sunny but windy day, and the highlight came when a member leaving the island after the tide flushed a Short-eared owl at the south end of Middle island. Earlier the wind had been strong enough to discourage passerines from showing but the waders and wildfowl were about. The sea around the island was quite rough but the Eiders and Common Scoters at the north end spent most of the time bobbing up and down with the waves.

The male eider did a similar thing, accompanied by about 50 of the 400 Brent Geese, it rode the waves east of the obs.

Although a dozen Scoter were around the North End, one member on a boat out towards the windfarm estimated there were 2,500 located towards that area, also 2 Red-throated Divers. Only 2 Purple Sandpipers could be found roosting at high tide but on the ebb there were 16 on the east side of the gutter. Three hundred Dunlin, 14 Knot and 8 Sanderling were noted. Over 200 Curlew were south of Little Eye after the tide. A Peregrine spent a short time roosting on the west cliff, while the Kestrel was also present.

 A couple of Rock Pipts showed whilst feeding on top of the island

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 Photos JE, AS