After a largely clear night a gloomy dawn with a northeasterly wind that freshened during the day. Heavy cloud cover by late afternoon so it got dark early this evening so it felt a short day. A few early Chiffchaffs and Goldcrests were promising but an initially skulking Acrocephalus in the iris beds proving to be a Reed Warbler was disappointing. The Great Grey Shrike was still present with another larder at the house beyond the church and a Little Bunting showed briefly at the top of the iris beds. Despite more birds having remained on the island than we had expected it soon became hard work as the weather and light all too quickly deteriorated.
Pink-footed Goose 20
Grey Heron 5
Ringed Plover 5
Golden Plover 25
Lapwing 2
Dunlin 1
Jack Snipe 1
Snipe 6
Woodcock 1
Turnstone 10
Wood Pigeon 6
Great Grey Shrike 1
Goldcrest 12
Skylark 12
Swallow 1
Chiffchaff 5
Blackcap 5
Reed Warbler 1
Blackbird 10
Song Thrush 25
Redwing 25
Robin 10
Redstart 1
Whinchat 2
Wheatear 10
Dunnock 2
Grey Wagtail 1
Meadow Pipit 25
Brambling 30
Siskin 2
Little Bunting 1
Reed Bunting 6
A gloomy morning on Out Skerries
Woodcock, Chris and Mike on Out Skerries
Woodcock on Out Skerries
Reed Warbler in the iris beds
First-winter female Common Redstart on Out Skerries
A rather dark sooty Common Redstart with a greyish cast that almost resembled Black Redstart at times. Although its buff fringes to its tertials and secondaries form a distinct pale wing panel there is no sign of any expansion of white at their bases as described for Ehrenberg's Redstart here:
Great Grey Shrike on Out Skerries
