4th and 5th October
The horrendous weather continued to batter the island
throughout the 4th but there were marginally fewer of the nasty
squalls in the afternoon so most folks waited to carry out their census routes;
15 Whooper Swans (including two family parties) were on the lochs along with
262 Pink-footed Geese while other waterbirds and waders comprised 9
Red-throated Divers, a Great-northern Diver, 4 Herons, the Scaup still, 3
Red-breasted Mergansers, a Grey Plover, 3 Jack Snipe and 15 Black-tailed
Godwits.
Some
lingering scarcities were unearthed including 2 Barred Warblers (Obs and Holland), the Red-breasted Flycatcher still in Holland and a Little Bunting re-found in the Nether
Linney stubble field. A Stonechat was
also new at Greenwall while other migrants sheltering across the island
included a Woodpigeon, 12 Swallows, a Tree Pipit, a Grey Wagtail, a Dunnock, 8
Robins, 5 Redstarts, a Whinchat, 28 Wheatears, 20 Song Thrushes, 4 Redwings, a
Lesser Whitethroat, a Garden Warbler, 4 Blackcaps, 2 Yellow-browed Warblers, 8
Chiffchaffs, 3 Willow Warblers, 3 Goldcrests, 19 Chaffinches, 7 Bramblings, a
Siskin, 6 Lapland Buntings and the Yellowhammer still.
Whooper Swans
We
yet again, kept the blazing NW wind and vicious squalls on the 5th
(which is becoming very tiresome in truth!); the numbers of lingering migrants
are slowly decreasing and with no new arrivals detected the time spent in the
field is slowly becoming quieter but todays totals did include the Barred Warbler still around the Obs, a Kestrel, a Woodpigeon, 11 Swallows, 2
Robins, 3 Redstarts, a Fieldfare, 5 Song Thrushes, single Blackcap,
Yellow-browed Warbler, Goldcrest and Spotted Flycatcher, 4 Chiffchaffs, 9
Chaffinches, 6 Brambling, 3 Lapland Buntings and a Snow Bunting.
There
was still a family party of Whooper Swans on Brides while the Scaup was still
on Ancum, 8 Red-throated and 2 Great-northern Divers were offshore and an
excellent count of 246 Cormorants was made.
Wheatear
Kestrel enjoying the wind!
Photos George Gay
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