Sunday 4th December 2011

A Peregrine steaming along offshore homed in on a Little Auk but fortunately for the Little Auk it missed ! It never seems to amaze me how raptors pick out the lost waifs and strays - or do they just fancy a change in diet ? Later in the morning a female Marsh Harrier went south offshore. We seem to be getting a run of Marsh Harriers going south lately. Traditionally they all went south for the winter but with milder winters large numbers have not been bothering - has a couple of cold spells over the last two winters forced some of them to change their mind and resort to old ways ? Also offshore Pom Skua loitering, 8 Common Scoter south, Guillemot north plus plenty of Cormorants coming and going. A new female Sparrowhawk trapped in the Helli missed her intended prey but was a well fed chunky beast so she knows how to look after herself.