Friday 28th March

Yesterday James had the Green winged Teal out in front of the "new" hide at Gruinart. James also had Greenshank there too with Lapwings on the nest already! Coming back from Gruinart yesterday at lunchtime, a male Hen Harrier flew across the road directly in front of us! The Bolton birders made the most of this good weather, like the rest of us, and on the hills up beyond Mulindry they saw 4 Golden Plover in summer plumage, 2 Curlew and "masses" of Skylarks and Meadow Pipits. Up there, they had a Buzzard on the thermals while down on the ground, a Lizard was basking in the sun. From Bowmore Pier they saw 2 male and 2 female Goldeneye, 2 GND, 1 RTD and a Slavonian Grebe. John and Kenny had a female Kestrel at Finlaggan, seen Gannets at Portnahaven, 20 Chough at Sanaigmore and to cap the day 2 Golden Eagles having a scrap with 2 Ravens. The Lincs birders had seen a Golden Eagle soaring in front of the Paps of Jura, up at Inverlussa, there were 2 Goosanders, with 12 Pale bellied Brent at Craighouse. They also had a distant sighting of a female Hen Harrier having a tussle with a Peregrine.