Thursday 16 September 2021

It was a warm day with the wind building in the afternoon. The highlights of the day were out to sea with around 4000 Kittiwakes loafing off the West Coast and South End. This also attracted a range of other gulls including 170 Black-headed Gulls, two Mediterranean Gulls and a Common Gull. There was also a Balearic Shearwater that flew south in the morning alongside a Manx Shearwater, 1956 Razorbills, two winter plumaged Black Guillemots, eight Sandwich and four Common Terns also three Great Skuas, two Arctic Skuas and a juvenile Pomarine Skua.

The high tide wader roost was quieter than yesterday with 13 Purple Sandpipers, two Sanderlings, two Ringed Plovers, two Dunlins and a Grey Plover. A Grey Seal pup count was also completed today with a total of 12 across the island. The older pups are getting their grey coats whilst the younger ones are still cute and white.

The moth trap contained the usual autumn suspects - Angle Shades and Lunar Underwing were the best. Meanwhile a Hummingbird Hawkmoth was busy feeding on the Fuschia in the Obs front garden.

Birds today: 63 Gannets, one Balearic Shearwater, three Grey Herons, two Teals, 17 Common Scoters, one Sparrowhawk, one Kestrel, one Merlin, two Ringed Plovers, one Grey Plover, two Sanderlings, 13 Purple sandpipers, two Dunlins, three Snipes, 33 Curlews, seven Redshanks, 68 Turnstones, one Pomarine Skua, two Arctic Skua, three Great Skua, one Mediterranean Gull, 190 Black-headed Gulls, two Common Gulls, eight Sandwich Terns, four Common Terns, 1956 Razorbills, two Black Guillemots, 12 Collared Doves, one Great Spotted Woodpecker, 33 Swallows, six Grey Wagtails, one Whinchat, one Lesser Whitethroat, two Whitethroats, two Blackcaps, 18 Chiffchaffs, two Willow Warblers, one Goldcrest, one Spotted Flycatcher,

Hummingbird Hawkmoth

Grey Plover and Oystercatchers

Black-headed Gulls

Black-headed Gulls

Black-headed and Mediterranean Gulls

Great Spotted Woodpecker and Douglas Hauge's 'castle'

Blackcap

Choughs


Solfach and seal mum & pup

Today's newborn pup on Solfach

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