Wednesday 11th November

Mainly overcast, but still dry - it has yet to rain this month - but definitely colder, with the wind going round to the north.

First thing in the morning, Ken White watched a White-tailed Eagle circling offshore at Port Charlotte, perhaps looking for a breakfast fish. At Gruinart around 9.30, Clive McK saw two flocks (8 and 25) of Greenland Whitefronts coming in high from the northwest as well as a Great Northern Diver, clearly taking advantage of the northerly winds providing perfect migration conditions all the way from Iceland. The movement carried on and, by lunchtime, Clive had counted 200+ Whitefronts and 30 Whooper Swans, some dropping in to the reserve, others continuing southwards.  Ed B kindly provided the two maps below showing a tagged Whitefront making it to the Outer Hebrides, while another had second thoughts soon after leaving Iceland.

Elsewhere, visitor Joanna saw an immature White-tailed Eagle at Ardnave which headed towards Gruinart, while Michael Durham reported 2 Golden Eagles at the Mull of Oa.