12th and 13th April

A gorgeous, sunny day on the 12^th but we kept the strong, chilly SE wind; the clear conditions led to some good vis mig action, especially during the morning when we were tied up with punding the sheep along the south coast of the island just prior to lambing.   There was a steady stream of Meadow Pipits heading out to the SW along with a few alba Wagtails and a single Brambling which left with some Pipits but soon came back!   A few flocks of Common and Black-headed Gull also came in from the south as well as 15 Curlews and a Bar-tailed Godwit.

                Grounded migrants were thin on the ground but they did include some nice year ticks with a Common Buzzard flushed out of Holland Gardens, 2 Ring Ouzels on Torness, 2 Blackcaps along the coast and a Willow Warbler at Brides.   Other birds of note comprised single Sparrowhawk and Merlin, a Grey Wagtail, a White Wagtail, a Dunnock, a Black Redstart, 4 Wheatears, a Mistle Thrush, a Chiffchaff, a Goldcrest, single Rook and Jackdaw and a lingering Snow Bunting.

                Overcast on the 13^th with the brisk SE wind still blowing across the island; no new additions for the year today but migrants did include a Merlin, a Woodcock, 4 Woodpigeons, 3 Dunnocks, 60+ Robins (still a good turnover of birds passing through), 4 Ring Ouzels, 94 Fieldfares, 9 Song Thrushes, 3 Mistle Thrushes, 2 Blackcaps, 4 Chiffchaffs, 2 Goldcrest, a Rook, 2 Chaffinches, a Brambling and a Snow Bunting.

                222 Golden Plover were in Loch Park while 4 Black-tailed Godwits and a Knot were on Gretchen.

Blackcap                                                  Simon Davies