19th and 20th April
The 19th was a lovely day, warmish and calmish
with a couple of additions to the year list to mention as there were 2 Whimbrel – singles on the west coast
and at Brides and a single Pale-bellied
Brent Goose also on the coast at Brides; the day’s other highlights
included another Siberian Chiffchaff trapped
at the Obs (a British control bird), the Green-winged
Teal still on Gretchen and the pair of Garganey
still on Ancum.
Wader
passage was prominent with 222 Redshank the most obvious with several, very
noisy migrant flocks passing through along with 3 Black-tailed Godwits and 314
Turnstone; the usual two pairs of Bonxies were back on territory along the west
coast as well as a returning Arctic Skua – a distinctive dark phase bird with
an obvious notch in its wing that has been returning for at least several years
now.
Siberian Chiffchaff, photo Simon Davies
Landbirds
included a Sparrowhawk, an eared-Owl sp. seen briefly at dusk, a Swallow, 236
Meadow Pipits, a White Wagtail, a Robin, 20 Wheatears, 25 Redwings, 2
Chiffchaffs, 2 Willow Warblers, 2 Rook, 2 Bramblings and a good roost count of
260 Linnets at Holland.
The
following day was the exact opposite with a strong westerly wind bringing with
it sheets of low cloud and drizzle which drifted in and out throughout;
migrants predictably took a hit in the damp conditions as landbirds included a
Merlin, 7 Sand Martins, 40 Wheatears, a Fieldfare and 5 Snow Buntings.
Seven
Pink-footed Geese near the Obs and a Grey Plover on The Links were the only
other birds of note through this quiet day while 395 Black-headed Gulls were
counted around the Lochs all settling down to breed – counts will soon become
much more difficult as they are swallowed by the growing Irises.
Returning Arctic Skua, photo Larissa Simulik
First Whimbrel of the year, photo Larissa Simulik
Twite, photo Simon Davies
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