28th to 31st January

More wet and windy weather but it has become distinctly colder now the wind has switched to the north. The 28th was a day indoors, but familiar highlights from the rest of the period were the Green-winged Teal at Bridesness, a Tundra Bean Goose near Hooking (both 29th) and the lingering Glaucous Gull has found a dead Seal at Nouster (30th-31st) with a second juvenile at the Lighthouse (31st). A group of 4 Mute Swans on Garso Loch (31st) were new for the year while the 3 Whooper Swans, 2 Pink-footed and 7 Barnacle Geese all remain. A large flock of 115 Snow Buntings at the south end (30th) was notable, with a few others seen elsewhere, while 16 Fieldfares near Holland (30th) may have included some new birds and the Chaffinch soldiers on at the Observatory.