10th and 11th December
The wind mercifully died down from mid-morning on the 10th
becoming very pleasant in the afternoon; birds round the coast from Gretchen to
The Links included 10 Great-northern Divers, 6 Red-throated Divers, 3 Herons,
an adult Whooper Swan by Brides, 35 Long-tailed Ducks, a female Common Scoter which flew past Nouster, 5 Red-breasted Mergansers, the
wintering Grey Plover, 65 Ringed Plovers, 64 Sanderling, 84 Dunlin, 255 Purple
Sandpipers and a Black-headed Gull.
Passerines which came out of the woodwork in the calm weather included
69 Snow Buntings, single Song Thrush and Fieldfare, 11 Redwings, 3 Skylarks, 6
Robins, 4 Meadow Pipits, 12 Rock Pipits and the Chaffinch still around Nouster.
A
lovely day on the 11th with light northerly winds and plenty of sunshine
(still cold though!); a productive two hour seawatch first thing comprised a Black-throated Diver with 9 Great-northern Divers and 3 Red-throated Divers, 922
Fulmars (with 11 Blue ones including a very dark, almost black looking
individual!), 45 Kittiwakes, 6 Puffins, a single Little Auk and 3,431 Auk sp. Other birds in the north included 14 Snow
Buntings, 4 Goldeneye and 5 Pintail.
The
Common Redpoll reappeared at The Lurn (presumably it will try and overwinter
now) along with 4 more Snow Buntings, 2 Great-northern Divers and 8 Tysties.
Great Black-backed Gull
Snipe
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