NORTH RONALDSAY - 16th February

A nice, bright day with a moderate but cold SW wind; chasing sheep again for most of the morning but I did catch up with the juvenile Kumlien’s Gull which flew past The Lurn, the drake Smew on Bewan and 2 Glaucous Gulls at the north end (both juveniles).   I walked back from the north end, down The Links and past Hooking where totals included 10 Pintail, 8 Goldeneye, 170 Wigeon, 165 Teal, 365 Golden Plover, 79 Dunlin and 49 Ringed Plover along with an interesting looking, new young male Peregrine at Hooking, a Whooper Swan on Garso, a Hen Harrier, the Black Redstart in Nouster, the drake Green-winged Teal over on Gretchen, 8 Twite at Neven, 9 Meadow Pipits at Holland and the c100 Snow Buntings floating round Loch Park / East Loch Park.

Peregrine