Thursday 24th February

Another good day for the time of year all be it with a slight edge to the air, still it is only February.... Gary had carried out his WeBS  count yesterday from Port Charlotte round to Blackrock, seeing the following, 4GND, 2 RTD, 4 RB Merganser, 8 Cormorant, 1 Slav Grebe,4 Tysties, 79 Eider, 3 Mallard, 1 Goldeneye, 78 Oystercatcher, 4 Curlew, 55 R. Plover, 51 Dunlin, 13 Turnstone, 16 Purple Sandpiper, 2 Lapwing, 2 GBB Gull, 85 H Gull,  55 C Gull, 46 Barnies and a Kittiwake. Along at "smelly corner" 37 Shelduck and 8 Long tailed Ducks were seen. David and Jenny had spotted the Glaucous Gull down at Machir Bay, later on just past Craigens, a ringtail was present and then a Greenshank was seen. A female Merlin was seen flying along the shoreline, while up  near the end of the road, a 100 Barwits and also a male Hen Harrier. Finally close to Carnduncan, a Sparrowhawk was seen. James yesterday had carried out a count of the geese on the reserve at Gruinart, traditionally always the lowest count for the year, but all the same 4,765 Barnies, 266 Greenland whiefronts and 53 Greylags were there. Visitors from Liverpool had met in with the Rochdale birders yesterday and told our friends that they had seen a Short eared Owl on the reserve at Gruinart. The Rochdale birders themselves had seen 4 male Hen Harriers and 2 ringtails at different locations yesterday, with one of the ringtails on the ground at a road kill. Over close to Cruach, they saw a Golden Eagle. Back at Port Charlotte, they saw an Otter on Loch Indaal with her cub... Pat and Angie had 2 Golden Eagles up at Sanaigmore,and also a flock of Reed Buntings. Over at Machir Bay, they had Twite and close views of  Chough. This morning, here at home, a new garden tick was 2 Blue Tit on the feeders. The vols at Gruinart had carried out a farmland bird survey noting 60 Skylark, 26 Fieldfare, 6 Redwing and 20 Reed Bunting