Monthly report December 2015
General: coverage and weather
Average temperature was 6.7 degC, 2.9 degC over the normal. Highest temperature was 10.5 degC (19th), and lowest -0.4 degC (27th). Total precipitation was 141.1 mm. Most precipitation in one day was 26.7 mm (4th). Strongest wind speed was 23.9 m/s (6th). The total number of speices for the month was only 44 compared to the previous years total of 56 species.
Raptors:
As normal for December there were only reports of singles of Sparrowhawk and the local White-tailed Eagle and Pergrine Falcon.
Shorebirds:
As with last years December month there was very little seabird movement generally, and no days with any notable movement. For example there was no large winter conragations of Eiders in December. Maximum was 25 individuals at Jupevikshaugen on the 13th. A single Little Auk was noted on passage the 26th. The two regular Little Grebes were in Nordvikvågen as in previous years for the whole month. Geese and ducks from November wern’t recorded into December. A Moorhen was at a feeding station at Skare from the 10th to 26th, and a Water Rail was in Merkeskogen on the 1st, and therefore the only bird in this category of note.
Passerines:
A Waxwing on the 2nd was the only passerine of note. 150 Mealy Redpoll on the 7th and 75 Fieldfare on the 10th were the only birds in numbers that were pushed by the snow. A female Blackap was in Herberg until the 4th while a male was at Skare until the 13th, and three Tree Sparrow decided to overwinter into 2016.
Ringing:
Only ringing in the month of Decemeber was of nine Blackbirds at a feeding station.
Year ticks:
The were no new year species in the month of December. The total for 2015 Utsira ended on 199 species, which is well below the 214 in 2015 and significantly below the maximum total of 222 in 2013.
Rarities/local rarities:
There are no species seen that fall into this category.