Sunday 20th January

The weather here today was the same as yesterday, cold, no snow so no complaints there... Tracey from SNH had e mailed through the figures from the International goose count while I was away and I forgot to put  them on the blog last night! The count carried out on the 15/16th January was as follows, 44,062 Barnies and 5,100 Greenland whitefronts. Thanks to Tracey and the team at SNH. Dave had a Golden Eagle yesterday down on the Oa. While he was out yesterday, up here at the back of Machir Bay he saw a leucistic Lapwing, so I had better go and have a look for it as it is on my doorstep... Round Loch Gorm, Dave had a Hen Harrier and a total count of over 20 Reed Buntings. Today, another first for me, a couple of Buzzards sitting on top of the garden wall, We often have them out from the crag and on fence posts but actually on the garden wall, something else. While we were in Glasgow, in our friends' garden on their feeders was a male Brambling, Great spotted Woodpecker, while on the ground a couple of Woodpigeons were present, as well as the odd Magpie flying past. All birds that we do not have over here on a regular basis!! It will be interesting to compare notes after the Big Garden birdwatch next weekend!