Thursday 13th April

Today, I saw my first Swallow of the year, unlike some folk that have seen them already, the good thing about this was it was at home...Late afternoon, there was a large flock a large flock of around 300 Barnies flying over towards Coull to roost up for the evening. Armin had a count of 50 Oystercatcher at the mouth of the River Laggan with around 300 Barnies flying NW towards Bowmore. Wonder if Armin and myself had seen the same Geese???  On his way back up towards where his car was parked, a Heron flew past, he had also seen some Pied Wagtail, not that common a sighting down where Armin comes from, close to Reading!! Bob this morning had counted 28 Whitefronts just after Sunderland Farm. While he was up here Bob and myself had seen a male Chaffinch and also a House Sparrow with BTO rings on, could they be some George E. Jackson had rung here previously, another question to ponder on!!!Mike Peacock today carried out the WeBS count from Portnahaven back up to Port Charlotte with his tally coming through at 33 Common Scoter, 28 GND, 3 RTD, 54 Razorbill, 5 Guillemot, 8 Tystie, 8 Shag, 5 Sandwich Tern with 2 Twite spotted at Nerabus. Oliver Woodman this morning had walked round Ardnave Point, seeing plenty of Otter footprints, but  no sign of any Otter themselves! He had more success on the bird front with a Peregrine, 6 GND offshore and also 12 Chough. Along the flats at Gruinart, a male Hen Harrier was present, and then later on while driving over the hill on the "Glen road" another male and also a ringtail Hen Harrier with a distant Golden Eagle spotted over the far hills.