10th - 11th April

 The wintry weather has continued over the past couple of days leaving temporary blankets of white laying on the island, hardly ideal for the islands breeding birds! However this afternoon finally descended into a more acceptable afternoon of warmer weather. The highlights although somewhat sparse did include yet another year tick in the shape of 3 White-fronted Geese with Greylags and a Pink-footed Goose at Cauldhaim on 10th. Other day highlights were in fairly short supply but a Wheatear around Sjavier was the pick of the bunch. The 11th saw us wake up to a good (or bad) covering snow across the island, the day boasted more migrants than the previous with 5 Wheatear on the Links, 2 Grey Plover, 2 Rook, 186 Sanderling, 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and of course the 3 White-fronted Geese. The highlight of the day was however non-avain and sadly deceased and it came in the form of 2.1m male Flapper Skate that washed ashore in Nouster Bay, a species that has been in decline in more recent times but now looks to be making a bit of a resurgence, judging by the frequency we're stumbling across egg-cases anyway. Elsewhere away from birding it looks set to be a busy week with punding commencing, plenty of trap work and fencing to finish off and the arrival of two new volunteers for the Spring, both Sorrel Lyall and Lauren Evans join us from Edinburgh Uni and will no doubt be helpful in the coming weeks. 

                                   White-fronted Goose

                                   Another Wheatear photo 

                                   Drumming Common Snipe

                                   Flapper Skate (photo doesn't do it's size justice!!)