23rd May

Another miserable, wet day with a NW wind and long periods of rain; there were few new birds with the big flocks of brightly coloured waders the day’s highlight, most notably the first Curlew Sandpiper of thee year on the beach at Westness while other totals included 92 Knot, 250+ Sanderling, 90+ Dunlin, 4 Whimbrel, a Greenshank on Ancum and a Wood Sandpiper at Cauldhame.

                Other birds were few and far between but did include a random, unseasonal Whooper Swan near Senness, single drake Garganey and Pintail, a Woodpigeon and singles of Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Blackcap and Willow Warbler in the dreich conditions.

Curlew Sandpiper