With a bit of a breeze today coming straight up the island, I think it was safe to say that there wouldn't be thick fog today. It did start off sunny when I arrived at the Obs, but by the time I had finished my walk, it had clouded over somewhat.
Main highlight today was my first Wheatear of Spring, a female which was in the grounds of QinetiQ. Also here was a female Black Redstart.
Other highlights were two parties of Purple Sandpipers, where there was a group of three on a rocky platform alongside three Turnstones and an Oystercatcher, whilst the other party of eight Purple Sandpipers were on what I call the "Rock" a bit further down towards the Red Crane.
Out to sea I had a good numbers of Razorbills and Guillemots, plus 4 Fulmars
Birds Recorded:
4 Fulmar
Cormorant
Shag
1 Oystercatcher
10 Purple Sandpiper
3 Turnstone
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
20+ Razorbill
40+ Guillemot
Stock Dove
Wood Pigeon
Skylark
Meadow Pipit
Rock Pipit
Pied Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
1 Black Redstart
1 Wheatear
Blackbird
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
2 Raven
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch
Fulmars flying..........
............alongside the West Cliffs. There were at least 4 birds.
Just the one Oystercatcher seen today. On the right is one.......
........... of the 3 Turnstones. These were the other two.
Also on the same "platform" as the Turnstones and Oystercatcher were these 3 Purple Sandpipers.
Here one of the 3 takes a leap of faith as a big wave threatened to wash it away.
And a short video of the three again feeding in and around the rock pools.
A very smart looking Herring Gull and........
.............presumably its mate.
A Great Black-backed Gull joins.........
............its mate on the "Rock"
It was a good day to see the Razorbills. Here are 3 pairs "bonding"
On the left are three Razorbills with a Guillemot on the right.
More Razorbills and a Guillemot on the far right. (In slow-motion)
Two more Guillemots.
Another Guillemot in flight and.....
..........one coming into land.
A few Stock Doves in the Top Fields.
A Black Redstart in the grounds of QinetiQ, where.......
........I managed some pretty awful.....
...............photos of my first Wheatear this Spring.
Linnets. Dozens of them in........
............the Crown Estate Fields.
The "Platform" where the Oystercatcher, Purple Sandpipers and Turnstones were feeding.
