Sunday 11 September 2011

11th September 2011






















The wind increased considerably from the south west during the morning until it was strong enough to encourage observers to spend some time watching the sea. A Bonxie spent a good part of the high tide foraging the area viewed from the north end (above), even trying to steal food from birds as large as Gannets and Cormorants. Arctic Skuas were plentiful, at least 15 seen, but none of the rarer skuas could be identified, nor were there any sightings of petrels etc. Other seabirds logged included 40 Gannets, 25 Common Scoter, 5 Great Crested Grebes, 15 Guillemots, 6 Razorbills, 200 Sandwich Terns, 2 Common Terns and just a single Manx Shearwater. Earlier in the day before attention turned to the sea, a few migrants were found, namely 6 House Martins, 8 Swallows, 4 Chiffchaffs, and a female Blackcap (right), with a Wheatear arriving in the afternoon. A single Whimbrel seems to be the lone individual still around the shore, 15 Bar-tailed Godwits (above) fed on the east side but small waders were extremely scarce around the islands today. Ringed:- 3 Chiffchaffs, 1 Blackcap, 1 Meadow Pipit. (CJ,KMc,DCT,PT,NDW,PSW,SRW) + plus cawos members [777-42] photos PSW,& CJ(Blackcap)

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