11th May

The first Cuckoo of 2011 made a good start to the day, and a good list of species was recorded during the rest of the morning. Particularly surprising was the reappearance of the female Eastern Subalpine Warbler at Holland, having somehow contrived to evade detection amongst the dense thickets for six days. A Long-eared Owl was also still roosting at Holland, and 4 Garganeys were present on the island.

The (or a different) Lesser Redpoll was in the surgery garden, along with a Common Redpoll. Counts of small summer migrants came to 4 Sand Martins, 3 House Martins, 1 Tree Pipit, 1 White Wagtail, 2 Whinchats, 52 Wheatears, 8 Sedge Warblers, 10 Lesser Whitethroats, 1 Common Whitethroat, 2 Garden Warblers, 5 Blackcaps, 5 Chiffchaffs and 11 Willow Warblers.

Other sightings included a Fieldfare, a Siskin, 2 Woodpigeons, 3 Collared Doves, 2 Sparrowhawks, 14 Whimbrels and 2 Common Sandpipers. A bit of corvid movement was evident, comprising 7 southbound Ravens, 1 Rook, 5 Carrion Crows and 3 biracial Hooded x Carrion Crow hybrids.

The continuing spring growth of the island's copious aquatic vegetation is making it increasingly difficult to find waterbirds, such as these Garganeys, on the lochs and ponds.