18th-28th January

January 28, 2018

18th-28th January

After a fantastic start to the year things have slowed down a little towards the latter parts of the month.

The highlights have been spaced out over the last ten or so days, the 18^th didn’t produce much in the way of birds, the 19^th although still quiet, produced 2 Glaucous Gulls at Bewan and on the Links, 3 Snow Buntings at Bridesness and although not massively exciting a 3^rd Little Grebe joined the pair on the loch at Brides.

A spell of poor weather didn’t allow for much birding and nothing of note was really seen until the 22^nd the drake Smew was back on Bewan and was seen consecutively for the next three days andwas joined by 3 Red-breasted Mergansers on the 22^nd, a pair of Robins and 21 Snow Buntings were also present on the same date.

The Green-winged Teal was seen again on the 25^th and has been seen every day since.

The 27^th and 28^th got a little more interesting, one of the three ever present Glaucous Gulls was joined on the grass outside the sea-watch hide by an odd-looking Herring-type Gull that Simon photographed back in December, it perhaps needs further scrutiny and that means re-finding it! I've not included any pictures as Simon's from December are far better!

The 28^th was bright and sunny, stark contrast to night of blasting westerlies that preceded it, 74 Snow Buntings feeding around the cattle feeder in East Loch Park, one of the wintering Hen Harriers was hunting out over the loch at Brides and finally a long-awaited Iceland Gull was found motoring up the tide line behind Trolla.