16th July

One of the Roseate Terns was still on the rocks at Bewan today with at least 3,000 Arctic Terns and 120 Kittiwakes - an awesome sight as they all wheel around trying to avoid the attention of several Arctic Skuas which have been attracted to the huge flock, its just a shame that they largely represent locally failed breeders; the first Sooty Shearwater of the year passed by the north end along with 13 Manx Shearwaters and 10 Storm Petrels.   Waders also increased with counts including 590 Golden Plover, 310 Lapwings, 60 Redshank, 53 Sanderling, 24 Bar-tailed Godwits and two Black-tailed Godwits while elsewhere there was a Heron and our first two Pochard since late January on Hooking Loch and a House Martin near the lighthouse.