Tuesday 11 April 2017

Tuesday 11th April

Another bumper edition in store tonight, so here goes...
Visiting birders (returning I think!) birders from Lincolnshire, Oliver and Lynsey Woodman had seen a GND at Sanaigmore on Sunday, and back at their cottage  close  to Loch Gorm they had seen a male Hen Harrier, Raven, a pair of Buzzard, several Wheatears and finally a Peregrine! Tom and Anthony, 2 of the "vols" at Gruinart had seen several Otters as well as 400 Golden Plover, 54 Curlew, 7 GND, 7 RBM, 3 Ringed Plover and 2 Barwits while carrying out  the WeBS count on Loch Gruinart itself on Friday. Mark had a count of 10 Sand Martins over the floods in front of the hides, at the same time. Mary Redman had seen her first Swallow at Tormisdale on Sunday and also some Wheatears on the track up there. On the feeders at Tormisdale, Mary saw House Sparrows, Chaffinches, Goldfinches and Siskins. Back near to Portnahaven, Mary saw a Sparrowhawk and then a ringtail Hen Harrier. Earlier on last week, Mary had seen 10 Whoopers resting up on the lochan beside Claddach. James has returned from his holidays, and on Sunday, he had seen a pair of Gadwall, a pair of Tufted Duck and also the Green winged Teal from the North hide. He had also saw 2 Blackwits, a Dabchick, "lots" of Sand Martins and a ringtail there as well. Lesley had seen a Common Sandpiper at Kilnaughton Bay yesterday and James saw a Corncrake on the flats and heard Willow Warblers along the path through the woods at Gruinart leading to the hides. Today, on the reserve at Gruinart, "vol" Mike had seen 2 Merlins, Mark had 2 Hen Harriers as well as 3 different Treecreepers. Mary had a female Peregrine today down close to Portnahaven. Here at home , we had a Redpoll on the feeders and over 25 Goldfinches present, as well as pair of Greenfinches still here.

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