Wednesday 19 October 2016

Wednesday 19th October

Doreen and James Main from East Lothian yesterday had seen 2 GND in summer plumage, 9 BTD & 12 RTD all off Bruichladdich. Also out on Loch Indaal, 2 rafts of Scaup, one of 18, the other with 15 Scaup. Up at Gruinart, they saw a ringtail Hen Harrier. Steve Percival yesterday had a Wheatear  at Craigens. His colleague, Keith Langdon had done a spot off seawatching at Frenchman's Rocks yesterday. Keith saw a Southerly passage of 1500 Kittiwakes /hr past, with 7 GND, 200 Gannet and 20 Pale bellied Brent all flying North. Yesterday off Port Charlotte, Richard Scott and Alan Lewin from Chesterfield had seen Guillemot, 3 GND, 2RTD, Scaup, Common Scoter and Tystie. Out of Portnahaven they spotted 2 Golden Eagles, 2 Buzzards and also 2 Ravens. At lunchtime today, James was in touch with an update of arrivals, 30,230 Barnies, 119 Greenland Whitefronts, a Canada goose, parvipes sp, another Canada, hutchinsii sp., 2 Pinkies, 2 Pale bellied Brent and 10 Whoopers as well as 290 Golden Plover. Michal later updated the Golden Plover figure to 550, just before 5 pm... Today Bob, Ivan (Bob's son), Lesley and myself carried out our WeBS count as the weather was a lot better for the job.. our birds were 2 Heron, 16 Shag, 1 Cormorant, 900 Barnies , 40 Greylag, 21 Green Whitefronts, 2 Whoopers, 53 Mallard, 6 Teal, 2 Wigeon, 4 Eider, 27 RB Merganser, 26 Oystercatcher, 120 Curlew, 64 Barwits, 3 Blackwit, 9 Dunlin, 2 Knot, 5 Redshank, 1 Razorbill, 1 Snipe, 90 Lapwing, 9 Grey Plover, 350 Golden Plover, 12 GBB Gull, 90 H Gull, 3 C Gull and 10 BH Gull. We also had a Swallow at the start in Bowmore, some Rock Pipits along the way and finally 12 Twite close to Gartbreck itself. The Brambling was still present here at home today and Bob had a male Brambling at his house this afternoon.

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