The wettest February on record and governed by strong winds, this was bound to be a quiet month with one storm after the other and very strong winds which just didn't seem to end. I tried some sea watching during the first week, a few Auks and Divers on the 5th but on the 6th there were numerous Red Throated Divers on the sea, I counted groups of 30 plus birds as I scanned but then a fast moving boat came along not far off shore where the divers were feeding and it was then I started to see a lot more fly off out of the boats way, I picked a point on the sea and counted as diver after diver flew past and within minutes I had counted 100 red throated divers and there were no doubt a lot more out there, and a pair of Great crested Grebes added to the tally.
On the 9th I watched the full moon of February rise, this was called the Snow Moon by Northern Native Americans, earning the name from the heavy snow that can fall at this time of year.
The windy weather continued, few birds were seen flying around in it, gulls seemed the only ones to brave the rough seas.
Mind you the Kestrels still had to feed and amazingly there they were fighting to hover in one spot over the cliff slopes, every now and again resting up and still having to balance themselves.
One lunchtime I took a look off the cliff during a dry spell, although it was still very windy I managed to pick out a small wader fly along close in between the groynes, it turned out to be a Turnstone, a very welcome sight and hope of things changing, as I followed it onto the groynes I then picked out 3 other Turnstones feeding between the sea defences.
After this we seemed to be bombarded with wet and extremely windy days, there were signs of change ahead though, the Song Thrush had started to call on a few mornings, the Long tailed tits were no longer in their troop but now paired off along with the Blue and Great tits following suit. Down the lanes the Celandines were starting to come out, and a lot of new leaf growth on the bushes. At the end of the month close by there were reports of Stonechat's and Great Skua on the move so I hopefully there will be more to see in March, and also the next full moon on the 9th March is called a "Worm Moon".
