22nd and 23rd April
A light SE wind through
the morning of the 22nd naturally led to thick fog by lunchtime but
the wind had switched into the west by the afternoon with the fog clearing
almost instantly; it was a bit disappointing out in the field with the
interesting and changing conditions as highlights were confined to yesterday’s Dotterel relocating to Torness and the first Goldfinch of the year which flew south down the west coast.
Migrants were reduced in numbers and included 2
Merlins, a Woodcock, a Woodpigeon, 2 Collared Doves, 2 Sand Martins, 7
Dunnocks, 12 Robins, 49 Wheatears, a Ring Ouzel, 2 Fieldfares, 2 Redwings, 2
Blackcap, 12 Chiffchaffs, a Goldcrest, 2 Chaffinches and a Common Redpoll. 12 Great-northern Divers were offshore,
waders included 6 Ruff, 8 Black-tailed Godwits and a Whimbrel and the Kumlien’s Gull was still present.
A brisk and increasing SW wind turned the 23rd
into a different kind of day with hardly anything new to mention across the
island as birds of note comprised a Merlin, a Grey Plover, 10 Black-tailed
Godwits, a bit of an increase to 387 Black-headed Gulls with Hooking Loch
becoming noisier and noisier, 3 Sand Martins, 2 Dunnocks, a Ring Ouzel, 5
Chiffchaff, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Goldcrest, a Brambling, a Common Redpoll
and 3 Carrion Crows.
Dotterel Simon Davies
Whooper Swan Simon Davies
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