Tuesday 29th April

A great list through from Portnahaven birder... yesterday he had done a sea watch out at Frenchman's Rock beteween 7am and 8am, his tally was as follows. 340 Gannet flying North, 28 South, 44 Manx Shearwater going North, none South, Guillemots, 48 N, 7 S, Razorbills 10 N, 4 S, there more Auks seen but further out and hard to id. Fulmars 8, Kittiwake 5 N, 5 S, Shag 6, 1 Cormorant (new sighting here to him), 8 Turnstone, 9 Whimbrel, 8 Oystercatcher, Also seen on the way there and back and on Currie's Sands were 3 Pied Wagtails, 2 Eider, 2 Hooded Crows, 2 Stonechats, 12 Mipits, 1 Cuckoo (heard), 4 Skylark, 12 Starling, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Black Guillemot, 3 Wheatear, 16 Herring Gull, 5 Swallow and 1GND. Over on Loch Indaal, close to Bowmore he saw 4 Little Tern, at Gruinart, 14 Blackwits, Lapwings with chicks, a male Hen Harrier round Loch Gorm, a ringtail up towards Sanaigmore and Cuckoo on the wires don towards Wester Ellister. Here at home there were a couple of Collared Doves seen, and extra faces on the bird table were a couple of Redpolls and also a Greenfinch. The Rochdale birders had a count of 4 Yellowhammers over at Bunnahabhain and also a male Hen Harrier there too. Another was seen at Sanaigmore with a male and female seen at Loch Gorm.