make it into a Siberian ( maura ) but not to be.
A late afternoon Soil Hill Snow Bunt hunt failed to provide the target bird but rewarded me with my first pair of Stonechat at this location for a long time where once they were an every visit sighting.
This pair were reported by JL over a week ago at the NW end of the west summit but not been re located since.
As I trudged through snow over the boot tops in places on the east summit, hoping that some of the now thawed patches would bring a Snow Bunt down, a small bird flicked across the mounds and landed in some exposed grass, male Stonechat. It then flew across the track towards the west summit closely followed by the female.
After finishing my Snow Bunt check I circled around the west summit to try re located the Stonechats although daylight was now against me but as I was ready for giving up and heading for the track a small bird appeared in the distance on the stone circle, male Stonechat, followed by the female.
The pair kept flitting down inside the circle then back up onto the stones giving me chance to snatch a few record shots before they moved off towards the old mistle.
Otherwise quiet up there in the conditions along with quiet skies but luckily , as most times, something turns up to save the day.
BS