A very enjoyable morning spent birding with Brydon and Mike. The theme for the day was set early with a brief encounter with 3 Mealy Redpolls at Kirkaton. At Valyie we saw a Woodcock, a few Redwings, a Fieldfare, a Robin, a dead Blackcap and obtained tantalising views of a 'white' Redpoll that flew off towards Skaw. We headed for Lamba Ness and whilst driving along the headland found a Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll feeding around the sheep feeders showing down to a few feet. A juvenile Glaucous Gull flew south and near the point there was a flock of c.25 Snow Buntings. We headed for Skaw but saw just a couple of Redwings there. As we drove back through Kirkaton a flock of now 7 Redpolls included a Coues's Arctic Redpoll.
Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll at Lamba Ness
Me watching the Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll (Mike Pennington)
Coues's Arctic Redpoll with Mealy Redpolls at Kirkaton
