4th and 5th June


Another gorgeous day on the 4th, warm (almost hot at some stages!), sunny and calm with the highlights being now 2 Red-necked Phalaropes spinning around on Gretchen and an extremely late and unseasonal Jack Snipe at Westness, flushed while we were ringing Redshank and Lapwing chicks!   Other waders are still present in good numbers although now its slightly unclear whether they are still northbound (seems rather late), going to over-summer (seems likely now) or are actually already failed breeders (seems rather early) with 53 Knot, 92 Sanderling, a Little Stint on Bewan and an influx of 33 Bar-tailed Godwits.

The kitchen scraps are doing their job in the crow trap!


                Other little bits through the day included 3 Great-northern Divers and a Manx Shearwater offshore, 10 Collared Doves still, 7 Sand Martins, 2 House Martins, a Garden Warbler, 4 Chiffchaffs (two lingering birds at Holland and two new arrivals) and a Redpoll sp.

                A bit more cloud and a couple of spells of light rain the following day but there were still some new birds with an (also unseasonal) female Ring Ouzel trapped at Holland along with a Spotted Flycatcher, a Woodpigeon, 7 Collared Doves, single Sand Martin and House Martin, 4 Chiffchaffs and a new Willow Warbler.

                The turnover of waders continued with now 3 Red-necked Phalaropes on Gretchen, 2 Little Stints on Bewan, a Grey Plover, a late Purple Sandpiper and still 31 Bar-tailed Godwits while 2 Great-northern Divers were still offshore.
An unseasonal Ring Ouzel

Beautiful, ugly Hooded Crows

and some beautiful, beautiful Redshank,  photos Simon Davies

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