Yank bonanza

Despite the cuckoo going missing I still managed a bit of a Yankie do yesterday in glorious autumn weather.

After several searches gave up looking for the Yellow-bill and headed to the plover field where first one and then the other American Golden Plover turned up. Excellent views and a few record shots were obtained.

Underwing

A search of the nearby quarry revealed an Accro which was finally ided as a Reed Warbler, also Chiff and Willow there.

The Ringed Plovers at various Deerness locations were then given serious scrutiny but no webbed footed characters were located.

Over on Tankerness, Mill Sands held a huge gull flock which eventually revealed a first winter Med Gull. Crawling through the brush here to get close to the flock may have caused the loss of the new tally counter :-( which despite searching every pocket has disappeared.

Then a trip down the road, a brisk march, mending hopeless disintegrating tripod head en route, to Weethick Pt where stunning views of three scoter species were obtained (nice record shots of these too). Also there 11 Slav Grebes, and a Black-throated Diver which was also severely scrutinised for cross pond species. The Common Scoter was another bird given a grilling for American cousin status, also sadly unproductively. More Slav Grebes and an awkward distant diver were seen from Essenquoy Sands.

Surfing

Ho, hum what to do .... go and see the crane again I think. Down to South Ron where impatience and very noisy cattle led me to leave too early but stopping off at Murray to look at lots of Pink-feet PH appeared and with a "There it is" the third American species and fifth American bird of the day was bagged. That made 6 of 4 species in 25 hours ... not bad eh?