3rd-6th April
What can only be described as a mixed bag of weather involving sleet, snow, wind and rain have made the last few days almost unbearably cold at times but over night easterly based winds and rain on 5th did produce a few bits the following day and a few year list additions.
A small number of Brambling have spent the last few days in and around Holland, often visiting the feeders in the farmhouse front garden, they have been joined by at least one of the Hawfinches on a semi-regular basis. Punding has taken up a fair bit of time but staff were mostly free to carry out birding duties. A Grey Plover at the Howar end of Nouster was new for the year, while a group of 69 Black-tailed Godwit used Ancum as a pit-stop before continuing on north, presumably to Iceland. The drake Goosander also remained and was seen up until and including 6th on various bodies of water. Black Redstarts remained at Howar and Tor Ness, although a third bird joined the one at Howar on 6th. The 6th was the main event in all this, a Green Sandpiper was seen flying over the observatory while a Long-eared Owl was flushed from the base of the dyke near Howar and a male Siskin, also new for 2024, was on the farmhouse feeders. Late in the day a Grey Wagtail was seen on the Lurn and the 2nd Summer Mediterranean Gull re-appeared on Gretchen.
The weather isn't letting up much in the coming days so we will have to wait and see what it brings, hopefully some southern goodies for us to get excited about.
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