Skuas

Well it wasn't a total nil result, although compared to RW on Westray for the last two weeks it was in comparison (750 LtSs). Trouble is its a busy time of year with work, and so I'm a bit knackered to be honest, and the folk festival is on. So an attempt Wednesday evening did produce three very nice, close enough Poms from Yesnaby. But the next evening I could ony spare 45 mins or so as we had tickets for the New Rope String Band  in the new Birsay Community Hall. Of course 10 mins after I left five Lon-tails came through, and later on there were a good many more. However, when did I ever laugh so much? Oh yea, the last time I saw NRSB - here's a taster (and do give it a few mins, you don't get the whole joke on YouTube as you don't have the context of the earlier stunts but it's still pretty funny) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yU2-SLYoOfY

Other birds... well there was a whitethroat singing in the garden for about a minute this afternoon, only the second one since we've been here. Various things have chicks, including teal down on The Shunan. Male Hen Harrier around the garden about three times today with a ring-tail as well once. There continue to be Common Redpolll at the niger feeder daily, one of which is ringed, it would be nice to retrap that... The rooks have had branchers for a fortnight now.

SE blowing this evening and will continue the next two days, looks like I might be too late on NRon, where I'm booked in for next weekend, however, quite often the rares turn up a bit later but anyway it'll be two days of full on birding, something I've not done for a while.

Pix to follow, while you're waiting why not try a spot of musical tennis....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FC38nJsW7bQ