Wednesday 29th June

Some of the Choughs up on a dune at Ardnave taken by Len Eades last week, please note the blue sky with no clouds! Today Michal had counted 41 Chough up there, there were several flocks of Rock Doves present totalling 100 in all while over on Nave Island Michal counted 208 Greylags. Yesterday, while you are I were in bed, Michal had been carrying out a Cornrake survey and heard 9 calling males in the Gruinart area, including one over on Nave Island, a first in recent years! He also heard a Water Rail at Ardnave Loch, a first there for Michal. Yesterday Peter and Pia had walked the full length of the Big Strand, Peter commented that " basically nothing much appeared to be breeding along large stretches of the beach, most of of it too unprotected with little area above the High water mark, but they did see around 20 pairs of Sand Martins, similar numbers of Arctic Terns, 8 pairs of Ringed Plover. At Knockangle Point, there were 85+ Eider on the rocks and in the sea, mostly moulting males, but there were a few females with at least 8 young present. Also there were 3 pairs of Rock Pipits along with fledged young.