1st-15th July

Waders were the main birds of interest in the first half of July, with a Red-necked Phalarope seen on Gretchen on the 3rd alongside the first Curlew Sandpiper of the year. Another 3 phalaropes were on Gretchen on the 10th, which increased to 4 on the 11th and 12th.  Bar-tailed Godwit numbers remain unusually high on Gretchen with 87 counted on the 5th. Other wader numbers are rising with 63 Knot and 62 Dunlin recorded on the 14th, 7 Purple Sandpipers on the 11th and 400 Golden Plover on the 15th.  Stragglers of spring migration included a Chiffchaff and Sand Martin both at Holland on the 2nd. A Short-eared Owl was at Sandar on the 5th. The main effort at the moment continues to be focused on ringing, with 100 Black Guillemot chicks so far and the final Arctic Tern chick total 212 birds. A productive 3 nights of Storm Petrel ringing at Bewan saw 430 birds netted, including a retrap Leach’s Petrel ringed here last year. 

 Red-necked Phalaropes

Curlew Sandpiper 

 Arctic Tern chick

Great Skua chick

(All photos George Gay)


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