Gales forecast - will they bring birds?

For the second Saturday running, the boat will not be returning visitors or bringing on new ones tomorrow. However, for the second Friday running, Colin was able to warn visitors and those that had to leave were taken off today (Friday). It will probably be at least Monday, if not Wednesday, before conditions are suitable for boats to sale again.

Birds are few at the moment - but 15,000 Manxies were seen off the island a few days ago together with 4 Arctic Skuas.

Where else would you find that the next door neighbour's children were on holiday from school and yet your parents insisted on schooling continuing in the second week of August? I am referring of course to poor old Connor, Steve and Emma's son. Headmistress Andrea (and two of her children) presumably influenced that decision but now she has left the island I think he should get a few day's holiday with Uncle Bob and his friends next door.

OYEZ

Rough Weather - no boat today

Visitors were warned that today would be too rough for the boat to take them back to the mainland so several left yesterday. Unfortunately, no new visitors arrived today as usual which is a rare occurrence these days with Colin's larger boat and it being based on the island.

When Steve phoned it was raining (but it was everywhere in the UK I believe - my daughter was erecting two tents in the Lake District in the pouring rain) but the island still reported birds - 4 Spotted Flycatchers and 2 Arctic Skuas.

While Steve was on the phone we checked the Weather Forecast and the Atlantic Chart. It looks as if the lines round the Low out there could bring the odd American bird to these islands. I will no doubt get a call from the island when one arrives.

Bevan

Hen Harrier and Gt. Spotted Woodpecker still there

Visitors departed and new ones arrived ok on Saturday last. Steve, his family and the staff now have the company of Alicia and Bob Normand, their daughter Andrea and her three children (look out Connor!). And a welcome visitor is David Wright (our ex Assistant Warden), now working over on the East Coast (see a previous BLOG account).

So plenty of good birders on the island this week so go find those birds boys and girls. And don't forget to do some sea watching.

Steve tells me that the Hen Harrier and Great Spotted Woodpecker are still on the islands and sea watching produced 2 Balearic Shearwaters last Thursday, and a Bal. Shearwater, a Sooty Shearwater and a Black Guillemot on Friday last.

Bevan