16th April

A few notable birds were seen, despite passerine numbers remaining low. An early morning Crossbill was a nice find, and a new species for the year. Other small migrants included a White Wagtail, 2 Sand Martins, 4 Dunnocks and 11 Lapland Buntings. A Black-throated Diver in Linklet Bay during the afternoon just about trumped the Crossbill in the bird of the day stakes: it is a very uncommon species here, and this individual lingered for a while at comparatively close range. A flock of 13 Pink-footed Geese was new; an influx of Redshanks, which had been present only in low numbers for some time, brought their total to 167; a Whimbrel and an Arctic Skua arrived; and 2 of the Black-tailed Godwits remained at Ancum.

Black-throated Diver