28th to 30th November

With the gales and hailstorms continuing to batter the island it was still fairly quiet with a Shelduck near Kirbest on 28th the most unusual sighting. 2 Pochards have joined the 2 Scaups and up to 26 Tufted Ducks on Ancum Loch and a Common Scoter was seen off the south end on 29th. 8 Tundra Bean Geese, 17 European White-fronted Geese and the lone Barnacle Goose were still with the Greylag flocks. An immature female Peregrine on 30th was new, while at least 2 Merlins and a Hen Harrier remained. A count of 227 Purple Sandpipers around the coast on 28th was one of the highest of the year, and the wintering flock of Dunlins was up to 48 birds. A venture to the north end of the island on 28th found 6 Woodcocks, 2 of which were seen coming in off the sea and also 2 Black Redstarts including the smart male still near the lighthouse. Otherwise the only other passerines of any note during the period were a Chiffchaff at Brigg, 15 Twite and a Chaffinch near the Observatory and a Lapland Bunting near Holland House, all on the 30th.