6th April

There were more arrivals hinting at that Spring migration is well underway and reaching the Northern Isles. A few songbirds made their first appearance of the decade including singles of Lapland Bunting and Sand Martin at Brides and 9 Rooks
Birds on the sea of interest included 3 Great-northern Divers, 5 Long-tailed Ducks, a drake Goldeneye and 7 Red-breasted Mergansers; and the drake Green-winged Teal completed the supporting wildfowl. Three ringtail Hen Harriers bombed around and three Lesser Black-backed Gulls were in Nouster accompanying now 2 Sandwich Terns.
Good totals of wading birds were present including a particularly impressive feeding frenzy at Brides on high-tide. Counts compiled: 107 Oystercatchers, 35 Curlews, 87 Lapwings, 27 Redshank, 300 Golden Plovers, 24 Ringed Plovers, a Knot, 106 Purple Sandpipers, 83 Turnstone, two Sanderlings, a Dunlin, a Bar-tailed Godwit and three Black-tailed Godwits.
Passerines included good totals of 80 Skylarks, 100 Meadow Pipits, 6 Rock Pipits, 24 Pied Wagtails, a Robin, 4 Fieldfares, two Song Thrushes, a Redwing, single Chiffchaff, Chaffinch and a male Reed Bunting trapped at the Observatory.
Lapland Bunting (Gavin Woodbridge)


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