Thursday May 7th

Yesterday I saw an Arctic Skua (pale) over Bridgend, and on the sand there were several mixed flocks of dunlin and ringed plover; on the bird feeders at the office there was a tree sparrow and a lesser redpoll among the regulars. On our evening walk we had 4 calling corncrakes between the visitor centre and Mill Cottages. This morning at Ardnave I had 28 whimbrel on the loch, and a short eared owl out on the moorland. Gary was out walking on the reserve yesterday evening; on the flats he noted good numbers of pied wagtails, including 5 white wagtails, a female bullfinch and two great skua's overhead. From the hides and trails there were 7 black tailed godwit and a treecreeper, along with the usual suspects. Andrew had a good day too yesterday; at Ardnave he had merlin, hen harrier, chough, whimbrel, great northern diver, golden plover, ringed plover, dunlin and twite. At Gruinart reserve 4 whooper swan (still there this morning). A cuckoo flew across the road on their drive back to base at Kilchoman. Once home there had 2 whimbrel nearby, a hen harrier in flight, and a corncrake calling outside the cottage.