Wednesday 24th April

Yesterday, Carl had a count of around 500 Barnies down at Octofad, at home he has had his first Goldfinches and Siskins of the year on his feeders. Mary yesterday had a Canada Goose over on Nave Island, wonder if it has a mate over there too? Offshore there were 4 GND all in different stages of plumage and several Fulmars in flight around Nave Island itself. Back on Ardnave Point around the dunes, Mary counted a total of 12 Wheatear present and also 4 Sand Martin and a couple of Swallows. Today, Carl had some small groups of Whimbrel down between Craigfad and Octomore on the Rhinns, at An Gleann there were several hundred Barnies and on Loch Indaal, just outside of Bruichladdich Distillery, 9 Eiders were seen. The Rochdale Birders had 11 Whimbrel at Nerabus on the Rhinns, a male and then later a female Sparrowhawk down at Portnahaven, at Bruichladdich a count of 11 Purple Sandpiper. Over a Gruinart, on the reserve there was a Mallard proudly showing off her new brood of 5 young ducklings. They also counted over 300 Barnies on the reserve. Along at Sunderland Farm, late afternoon, we had 52 Greylags in one field alone, earlier on we had seen 4 Buzzards together on a thermal. Coming home, towards Rockside, there was a Raven seeing a Buzzard off... A male Stonechat was along on the fence wire at the side of the road, looked tremendous in the light, but as ever no camera to hand...