16th-17th June

The Scops Owl was seen for a few minutes at Holland gardens just after midnight on 16th but with no subsequent sign both day and night it's assumed to have moved on. Other sightings that day included 2 Black-tailed Godwits and 2 Little Gulls on Gretchen Loch while the Marsh Warbler continued to sing at the gardens regularly. As our minds turn to other projects and breeding birds, coverage is starting to thin but routine ringing at Holland House is still paying off with the star bird of the 17th being a smart male Western Subalpine Warbler caught and ringed in the morning. A Turtle Dove was also there and the Grey Phalarope spent the day on Gretchen with a single Little Gull also present. A Quail singing near the school was new while 6 Great Northern Divers off the coast were likely to include some new birds and Golden Plovers have started to appear too with 16 near Holland in the evening.