Monday, 2 May 2016

Migrants and nesting

April ended with a flurry of migrants, not to get carried away that means two good waders over The Shunan and hirundines being bumped into more frequently.

Siskin have appeared again,  a pair on Saturday morning. In the last hours of the month, either side of a hail shower, a Whimbrel and then a Greenshank went over The Shunan. Blackwits have been present on three occasions with 25 the max.

 The Shunan


 Mute Swans have a nest on The Shunan, the first since we've been here, with nests on Bosquoy (maybe two), Loch of Banks and Loch of Skaill as well. Shoveler and Gadwall are likely breeding around the Shunan as there are single drakes hanging about. Short-eared owl is likely up to something not too far away. Kestrel is hanging around our neighbour's house which may indicate another breeding attempt on the building. The Rooks still have noisy young and there are at least 63 nests.







More pictures from the weekend.

 The Brough with the 25 Mute Swans, an annual build up

55 Harbour Seals (sample)

Ringed Plover, Palace

Stonecrop on the top of Palace beach, in the splash zone

Evening seawatch Skaill, 13 Bonxies and first Arctic Terns for the year

Can't decide if I like this blurry photo or not

I was pleased with this though


4 comments:

Simon Douglas Thompson said...

Love your singing wren!

Alastair said...

They sing differently here, and the ones on North Ron sound different again

Nick Carter said...

Split 'em! Split 'em!

Alastair said...

... so how many new ticks could I have... Mainland Wren, NRon Wren, Papay Wren, Westray Wren, Auskerry Wren, Shapinsay Wren, Copinsay Wren, Sanday Wren, Rousay Wren, Hoy Wren?