The first true Arctic blast delivered an enjoyable morning seawatch from 8.30am to 11.30am, so much so, I returned this afternoon from 1.00pm to 2.30pm. Totals moving north unless otherwise stated were a Great Northern Diver, 21 blue Fulmars, several thousand Fulmars, c.200 Gannets, 1 Scoter that flew south, 5 Long-tailed Duck, 2 Goldeneye, 9 Black-headed Gulls, 20 Kittiwakes, a Glaucous Gull, 3 Black Guillemots and 70 Guillemots. I also saw another Glaucous Gull among a flock of Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls, a few Redwings and 2 Snow Buntings on Lamba Ness, the Whinchat was still present at Braeview and I checked Valyie late this afternoon that unsurprisingly proved very quiet although I did see a single Long-eared Owl.
Great Northern Diver passing Lamba Ness
blue Fulmar passing Lamba Ness
Goldeneye passing Lamba Ness
Long-tailed Ducks passing Lamba Ness
Black-headed Gulls passing Lamba Ness
Kittiwake passing Lamba Ness
some mean-looking argentatus Herring Gulls passing
Glaucous Gull passing Lamba Ness
Appropriately named shipping passing Lamba Ness
Second-winter Glaucous Gull at Loch of Lamba Ness
