Laid back birding

Garden stuff over the weekend. A Siskin was noteworthy as they have been absent for a couple of weeks at least. Tree Sparrows were at 4 or maybe even as many as six, the pair still seem interested in the nestbox. Not much else really; 8 Long-tailed Tits, the occasional Fieldfare and Redwing, up to 80 Common Gulls and a nice male Kestrel were all nearby. The field opposite hosted 50 or so Starlings and 60 Rooks.

The rat situation worsened with at least one in the outhouse which managed to steal the bait without setting off the trap .... And two under the kitchen feeder, a huge monster grandpa thing (pictured) and a much smaller adolescent. However, the cats did for the adolescent overnight. I attempted to do for the grandpa by hurling huge bolders at it; geriatric it might be, but it easily dodged my potentially murderous assaults.

Grandpa through kitchen window

The trap will be deployed for this one soon.

A nip down to the town early(ish) this morning, fortunately late enough to avoid the spin off in snow hazard suffered by an earlier traveller. I surveyed the harbour and west beach for little reward. 9 Eider were off the harbour with 80 or so Common Scoter. Over at nearby Saltwick Nab there were Curlew, Redshanks and Oystercatcher a gaggle of larger gulls, a trickle of Gannets, some passing quite close, 16 Common Scoter flying in to join the harbour gang perhaps. 4 auks passed, one was a Guillemot, Fulmar were back in force with 20 or so swirling off nearby Whitestone Point. 2 Red-throated Divers arrived and dropped onto the rather rough sea off the beach. Rock Pipits called and three smart Stonechats were around the car.

Stonechat, one of three