9th and 10th March
A contrasting couple of days with a blazing westerly
hitting the island throughout the 9th understandably limiting
sightings during a tricky census; the Northern Harrier continues
to appear all over the place along with 2 ringtail Hen Harriers while the drake
Smew was on Hooking.
An Iceland Gull and 2 Glaucous Gulls were noted with notable passerine migrants reduced
to 4 Stonechats, a Mistle Thrush and 4 Snow Buntings.
Glaucous Gull, photo Simon Davies
It
was a complete change the following day as first thing it was almost flat calm
but overcast with an early morning ringing session at Holland producing 2 Snipe
and a Woodpigeon; there wasn’t a big arrival of birds through the day but some
real North Ron quality was unearthed highlighted by a drake Goosander lingering on the sea off the
NE coast and a Stock Dove in East
Loch Park late afternoon – neither of these species are annual on the island,
so it had folks running around the place chasing these common British birds
while simultaneously barely glancing at the Northern Harrier which kept popping
up!
(Presumably
the same) drake Green-winged Teal
reappeared on Gretchen having not been seen since 27th February and
was today displaying to the Common Teal while an immature Pomarine Skua passing the seawatch hide was a good record; the
drake Smew and 2 Glaucous Gulls were still present and
calmer seas produced counts of 15 Red-throated and 13 Great-northern Divers
around the coast.
There
was another good influx of 354 Skylarks
including an excellent flock of 200+ in East Loch Park with other notable
passerines comprising a littoralis
Rock Pipit, 3 Stonechats and 3 Snow Buntings.
Woodpigeon, photo Simon Davies
1st winter (left) and adult (right) Snipe showing distinctive differences in crown flecking, photo Simon Davies
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