22nd-24th March

The most notable bird of the past few days was a Woodlark, the 6th island record, seen briefly by Bride’s Loch on the 23rd. A Glaucous Gull flew past the obs on the 23rd and a Stonechat was at Kirbest on the 24th. The Smew has been present again on both Hooking and Bewan and appears to be a 1st winter male. The first Kestrel of the year was sighted on the 23rd and the first Lesser Black-backed Gull on the 24th. We’ve had the highest counts so far this year of Meadow Pipit (38 on the 23rd) and Pied Wagtail (25 on the 24th). Skylark passage has also picked up with 73 on the 23rd. A flock of 45 Long-tailed ducks were seen on 22nd, and over 250 Guillemots passed by the south of the island on the 23rd. Merlin, Hen Harrier, Peregrine and Short-eared Owl were all recorded too. The winds are forecast to change to a southerly direction at the weekend, so hopefully this will bring in some more migrants. 

Smew (photo George Gay)

Stonechat

Bar-tailed Godwit (photo George Gay)

 Rock Pipit (photo George Gay)

 Black-headed Gull

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