Wed 22nd April

James had been out doing a couple of counts on the reserve at Gruinart earlier on this week. On the floods, the birds of note were as follows, 118 Teal, 12 Shoveler, 7 Pintail, 7 Black tailed Godwits, 1 Gadwall and 39 Wigeon. Out on the loch itself, there were 480 Oystercatcher, 102 Ringed Plover, 138 Dunlin, 37 Bar tailed Godwits, 95 Curlew, 25 Redshank, 10 Turnstone and 8 Sanderling. This morning on the flats, James had 2 groups of 8 - 10 White wagtail, 2 Barnacle geese, 38 Greenland white fronted geese, 1 Whooper Swan and 2 Black tailed Godwits. JRH

All I could count was 15 Goldfinches in and around the feeders along with the Greenfinches and Chaffinches here at home this afternoon. There is still no sign of any House Matins returning to their nests as of yet.