7th December

A brisk southerly wind through the day but it remained largely dry with some bright sunshine in the afternoon; a walk round the coast from the Obs to Brides and then to The Links produced good numbers of birds which included 270 Wigeon, 115 Teal, 22 Tufted Duck, 20 Long-tailed Ducks, a female Common Scoter off Stromness Point, 2 Goldeneye, good totals of 121 Ringed Plover and 81 Dunlin on The Links, 4 Ruff and 2 Knot with Golden Plover at Cauldhaim, a Woodcock in Holland, 3 Black-headed Gulls (the first ones this month), a good build-up of Gulls including 130 Common Gulls, 460 Herring Gulls and 365 Great Black-backed Gulls.

                Across the land birds of note comprised 9 Skylarks, a Meadow Pipit, 9 Rock Pipits, 7 Fieldfares, 24 Redwing, 3 Common Redpolls still with 71 Twite in Kirbest, at least 93 Snow Buntings spread out along the coast and 3 Reed Buntings.