Sunday 18 April 2010

Sun 18th April

Carl was in touch to say that on his way down to Portnahaven that there was an absence of both Barnies, and of Whitefronted geese although James commented that the Barnies were still at Gruinart, possibly gathering there before heading North. James was saying that there not many Whitefronts with him, so possibly many of them have already left. Carl had noticed pairs of Greylags to the fore in many places on the Rhinns and he had a female Hen Harrier at Octofad.
A visiting birder had a 180 Redshank together on a 40 yard stretch of Loch Indaal at Blackrock, and on the stream at Port Charlotte this morning, he had heard a Common Sandpiper.
Michal had a count of 400 Golden Plover at Ballinaby. They were also seen by the same lads who had the Sandwich tern yesterday, but they had a single Dunlin in the midst of the Plovers. On their travels today, they saw a couple of White wagtails and at Gruinart a Greenshank.
This afternoon, James had 39 Black tailed Godwits, 4 pair of Gadwall, the Little Egret, 55 Golden Plover (not usually seen on the floods) with 3 Pale bellied Brent and 15 Whooper Swan on Loch Gruinart. 4 Swallow were seen over the flats and over a hundred Sand Martin flying there too.
Back here at home, and there appear to a large flock of Linnet on one of the game crops next door on Rockside.

1 comment:

James said...

We had a couple of White-fronts leaving the island when we were surveying to the west last wednesday morning.