6th May

Amid another day of icy hail showers, a White-billed Diver lingering near the seawatching hide was the highlight. This is the fourth one of the year, and the third breeding-plumaged adult. Noteworthy Aythya sightings were 4 Pochards on Gretchen Loch and a group of 7 Scaups on the sea near Westness, the latter being one of the highest counts of the species ever recorded here. Also at sea were the Slavonian Grebe from the previous day, a blue-phase Fulmar and a Manx Shearwater.

A new Lesser Redpoll was the best of a thin landbird selection that also included 5 Snow Buntings and 15 Twites, while progressively swelling numbers of waders saw Turnstones reach a year-high of 735 birds and the arrival of a new Grey Plover.

The local Tufted Ducks have been observed in some curious behaviour of late, as they attempt to escape notice on a puddle near the lighthouse.