Highlights for 18th to 25th Feb – A mixed bag of winter visitors and early migrants

The following observations are from Dean Jones and Martin Thorne:

Red throated Diver – Two birds were off Rat Island on 18th & 19th; three were off South West Point on 20th; and a single bird was feeding near North Light on 21st.
Black-throated Diver – One was off Shutter Point on 24th (Martin Thorne).
Great Northern Diver – A single bird was present in the Landing Bay on 18th, 19th and 22nd.
Gannet – 3 on the 20th off the SW – very scarce this month.
Hen Harrier – Martin Thorne watched a ringtail quartering east and west over Pondsbury on the afternoon of 25th.
Water Rail – Two on 21st: one calling from the rushes in Barton Field in the morning and another in Millcombe.
Oystercatcher – maximum count 17 on 21st.
Snipe – Singles flushed from the Pondsbury area on 20th & 21st.
Common Gull – A lone adult bird was roosting within a small flock of Herring Gulls off North Light on 21st.
A possible Glaucous Gull – Martin Thorne had a brief glimpse of what looked like a first-winter Glaucous Gull preening itself on The Rattles on 20th. Unfortunately the bird flew off east before he managed to get a closer look. Martin had also reported a possible Glaucous Gull the day before but unfortunately it again did not allow for great viewing as it disappearing into the morning fog near the Castle with three Herring Gulls.
Great-black backed Gull – Birds are back on their breeding promontories including the small colony on Great Shutter Rock.
Woodpigeon – A single bird coming in from the sea near Benjamin’s Chair on 21st was the first of the year.
Merlin – Single birds were seen from the Village area on 21st and 22nd.
Jackdaw – A lone bird was found in Barton Field during the late morning of 22nd (see record shot below).
Skylark – 17 birds on 21st included a flock of 10 next to Halfway Wall.
Fieldfare – One was next to the water tanks on 21st.
Redwing – A flock of 17 was seen in Millcombe on 20th; nine on 21st.
Song Thrush – Six on 21st.
Grey Wagtail – A single fly-over bird heard from South West Point on 21st was the first of the year.
Rock Pipit – 17 recorded on 21st, mostly from the south and west coasts. A single bird was displaying from South West Point on the same day.
Chaffinch – A small arrival of birds included 10 on both 20th & 21st.

Jackdaw in Barton Field, 22 Feb 2018 © Dean Jones