Thursday 3rd May

Another great day out here with the weather, and another early entry for you to read, got another meeting tonight... It was the Wader watch at Gruinart last night and it was well attended by folk. Top of the list was a Corncrake, further on Snipe were drumming, we had some Red Deer down off the hill too, Redshank, Pintail, a Mallard with her brood in line behind, a Whooper Swan, 5 Mutes including 3 juv., 2 Whitefronts, a few Greylags, pr of Shoveler. So not to be outdone, later last night I went with some of the birders from the cottages for our own trip out to hear if any more Corncrakes were around, the target was 5 seeing it was still early days, by the time we got home we were all well pleased with 7 calling males heard. Crystal had been out at Gruinart later on too, and heard 3 Corncrakes, plus a Water Rail on the flats , and also a Spotted Crake up at Coullabus. We all had seen quite a few Wheatears resting up along the roadside in the headlights, and certainly there apeared to be more around, so perhaps there had been a fall of them last night. Yesterday down on the Oa, Dave had a Bonxie fly over the reserve, and today Dave saw 17 Common Sandpipers, a Grasshopper Warbler, a Cuckoo and 3 Mistle Thrush.