14th May

An outrageous day, flat calm, wall to wall sunshine and very warm – more akin to July / August than mid-May!   The day’s highlight was a female Marsh Harrier which flew north over Ancum in the morning and was intriguingly joined by a second, similar sized raptor in the distance by the Lighthouse but it couldn’t be pinned down.

                The spread of notable birds across the island today included a drake Garganey, a Sparrowhawk, a Black-tailed Godwit, 70 Bar-tailed Godwits, the Wood Sandpiper still on Ancum, 4 Woodpigeons, a Long-eared Owl at Purtabreck (presumably the Holland bird from two days ago), a Tree Pipit at Ancum, single Whitethroat, Blackcap, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff, 3 Carrion Crows, a Brambling still and one each of Goldfinch and Common Redpoll.

Knot and Turnstone