12th - 21st March

A very long overdue blog update! But a relatively quiet few days with a few short spells of excitement means this quick summary of the past week isn't totally unjustified!

14th March

Seven Whooper Swans flew north over Cruesbreck.

15th March

A couple of corvid year ticks; two Rook were at the Old Mill and a Carrion Crow flew south down the Links.

17th March

The first Chiffchaff of the year was at Lochend. After a short spell of absence the Long-billed Dowitcher returned to Ancum. A Sparrowhawk was seen being mobbed over Garso before it, or another individual, was trapped in the evening at Holland.

Sparrowhawk (Maddy Hine)

18th March

The day started with four Jackdaw flying out south over the Lurn. Later in the day the two Rook were seen again, this time at Upper Linnay, and the Long-billed Dowitcher was once again on Ancum. A Chiffchaff was feeding along the dyke at Westness and the first Twite of the year was trapped in Holland. The biggest excitement of the day came when an islander sent a message about a Snow Goose at Cursitter. A mad dash from the north end and a White-billed Diver hunt abandoned proved there was in fact a white morph Snow Goose feeding in the field with Greylags!

Snow Goose (Maddy Hine)

Twite (Maddy Hine)

19th March

A Goldcrest and a Chiffchaff were in Holland early on. Only the second Lesser Black-backed Gull of the year was on the coast by Howar, as was a Black-throated Diver. After a day of fruitless searching for the Snow Goose, it suddenly reappeared back in the field by Cursitter in the early evening. The Long-billed Dowitcher remained and a Pink-footed Goose was at Antabreck.

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Maddy Hine)

20th March

After another day of thinking the Snow Goose had done a bunk, a cycle tour in the evening turned the bird up in a field at the back of Holland.

21st March

For the first time since its arrival, the Snow Goose was seen during the morning, this time in the field in front of Holland. The Chiffchaff at Lochend was seen again, and a Lesser Black-backed Gull was at Cursitter.

Snow Goose and Greylag (Maddy Hine)

Elsewhere, Linnet, Meadow Pipit, and Pied Wagtail numbers a beginning the pick up. With easterlies forecast for over the weekend, who knows what might happen!

Meadow Pipit (Maddy Hine)

Pied Wagtail (Maddy Hine)