Monthly Report February 2017
General: coverage and weather
Average temperature was 3.5 degC, 1.8 degC over the normal. Highest temperature was 7.5 degC (20th), and lowest -4.6 degC (8th). Total precipitation was 103.5 mm. Most rainfall in one day was 20.3 mm (26th). Strongest wind speed was 25.6 m/s (22nd). Total number of species for February ended on 43 versus 54 in the same month in 2016.
Raptors:
The month’s most notable raptor was a Merlin which hunted in Nordvik on the 8th, a new juvenile Goshawk or the bird from January was seen feeding on the 27th. The largest congregation of White-tailed Eagles was four over Koltemyr on the 7th, otherwise one to three were seen daily as well as various reports of the local adult Peregrine Falcons.
Shorebirds:
Two Pinkfeet and five Greylags from January were also seen in the first few days of the month. In the cold period geese numbers increased in the form of 8 Bean Geese between the 6th and 10th and a White-fronted goose from 8th-10th. Two Greylags from the 20th and three from the 26th were present at the months end. Otherwise it was a poor month for seabirds compared to January. Waders consisted only of a few reports of Woodcock and Snipe as well as two Lapwings on the last day of the month in Sørevågen.
Passerines:
Good numbers of Robin, Wren and Blackbird throughout, but otherwise few other species. The highlight was a Little Bunting in Grotlebu on the 14th. A hunting Short-eared Owl was in Nordvik on the 10th and another at Koltemyr on the 17th.
Ringing:
There was no ringing activity during the month.
Year ticks:
February resulted in only eight new species for the year: Black-headed Gull (1st), Skylark (6th), Woodpigeon (7th), Merlin (8th), Short-eared Owl (10th), Little Bunting and Brambling (14th) and Lapwing (28th).
Rarities/local scarcities:
Earliest ‘spring’ occurrence of Merlin (previous 26th February 1978).
First February record of Little Bunting.
Some February captures by Atle Grimsby:
