The overnight westerly gale and heavy rain had subsided to light rain but with a fresh SW5 wind at dawn. Although the rain cleared during the morning the wind remained strong until late afternoon when the conditions suddenly felt ideal for the last couple of hours of daylight but failed to deliver. A couple of Redwing and a Chaffinch in our garden pointed at the possibility of a small arrival and hopes were maintained by a light overhead passage of Skylarks. A handful of Song Thrushes were on the summit of the East Isle hill where a Lapland Bunting was found accompanying the flock of Golden Plover. It then became hard work with the West Isle producing nothing that was obviously new. After a couple of hours in Locustella mode late afternoon a flock of 17 Herons were seen in flight. Spent an enjoyable evening with Edwin and Marina and reading the Skerries logs back to the 1960's.
Teal 4
Heron 17+
Water Rail h
Ringed Plover 6
Golden Plover 20
Snipe 3
Whimbrel 1
Turnstone 5
Black-headed Gull 5
Skylark 10
Blackcap 3
Song Thrush 8
Redwing 2
Whinchat 1
Wheatear 15
Meadow Pipit 30
Chaffinch 1
Brambling 25
Lapland Bunting 1
Reed Bunting 8
Trawler beyond the Grunay old lighthouse keepers' cottages
Brambling amongst what is left of the roses after the overnight gale
Brambling amongst House Sparrows
It looked a bumpy ride on the Faeroes to Denmark ferry passing Out Skerries
As near as we got to a ruby close to our day!
