December 2018

Monthly report December 2018

General: coverage and weather
Average temperature was 5.1 degC, 1.2 degC over the normal. Highest temperature was 8.8 degC (7th), and lowest was 0.5 degC (14th). Total precipitation was 64.2mm. Most precipitation in one day was 18.5mm (31st). Strongest wind speed was 23.4 m/s (9th). There were only 44 species registered during the month, significantly less compared to the 50 the previous December. The total for Utsira for 2018 ended on 203.

Raptors:
Only the local White-tailed Eagle and Peregrine Falcons, along with juvenile Sparowhawks were noted during the month. The latter were noted with up to three birds on the 1st.

Shorebirds:
The Mute Swan from October 2017 was still present in Sørevågen throughout. The three Bean Geese and four White-fronted Geese from November were still present, but only on the 1st. A Great Northern Diver was on the sea inside Beiningen on the 8th. A Curlew was present in Sørevågen between the 18th and 23rd and a Great Skua was on passage SW on the 1st. Woodcock and Snipe were noted throughout the period with one to two individuals.

Passerines:
A female Blackcap was at a feeding station at Skare between the 11th an 23rd and a Snow Bunting flew over Herberg on the 1st. Tree Sparrow were present throughout with seven birds.

Ringing:
No ringing activity during the period.

Year ticks:
None

Rarities/local scarcities:
None