One word denotes this year's visit - Frustration.
The travel up on Saturday for everyone was fine, the weather was good and traffic light. After that the downhill slope started.
The planned crossing for Sunday was postponed due to high winds and a choppy sea. Meeting up again on Monday a 'lumpy' crossing was possible and we all were safely placed onto the island by midday. That night off 2 x 60ft nets were caught 227 new Stormies, three known retraps and 14 UK controls. We packed up early due to unseasonally low temperatures - we were all freezing.
Tuesday was a wonderful day, blue skies, sunshine and light winds, well, at least until late afternoon. Winds were shifting through NW to NE, they started to pick-up, clouds appeared, and rain was in the air. The rain started in earnest at about 9.30pm and continued virtually continuously with varying severity until 3am. So, a lost night of ringing.
The following day witnessed half of our number depart the island to appointments elsewhere - this was planned for some but opportunity grasped by others due to the unpredictability of the weather (better to go now than much much later than expected). They managed to get off in a moderate swell - and saw a Sooty Shearwater during the crossing in compensation.
Those that were left planned to ring that night but an 11pm cancellation resulted due to fog laced with heavy drizzle, rising winds and falling temperatures. The resulting intermittent inclement weather had everyone confined to tents for most of the day. That night, our last night, we managed to get one 60 foot net up for three hours and caught 44 new, three retraps and one control. We closed at 2am as we were due to depart the island the following morning.
Our final figures for the visit were 271new, six retraps and 15 controls. In addition we recaptured three Bonxies, found one dead and ringed another three. One meadow pipit, a nest record card for one swallow and 22 Fulmar and two complete Birdtrack lists were completed.
This is as good as the weather got. Given we have had so many successful visits of late we were well overdue for some Frustration. Planning for next year is already underway.
