Beached Bird Surveys, March – May 1990 (NSO)

The end of 1989/90’s season did not produce any large scale strandings on our coasts other than described in last issues Recent reports. Counts were conducted nationwide in March, but considerably less data are available for April and May. Early March was the end of the mass stranding of auks on our coast and most of the auks found in March were old corpses, often oiled. There were still Puffins washing up in March. A bird found on 23 Feb (IJmuiden) originated from Isle of May, ringed (and colour-ringed) as nestling in July 1989. Razorbills and Guillemots still predominated on the beach, but not as extreme as in February. Fulmars (22 individuals) and Gannets (22 individuals) were reported quite frequently, while also several Red-throated Divers and Great Crested Grebes were found. Eiders were numerous (unoiled) in the Wadden Sea area. Unusual findings were an adult male Long-tailed Duck near Harlingen and a Bullfinch near Eemshaven.