Another very wet and windy start to the morning with heavy horizontal drizzle on a W>5 gusting 6 at a cold 7 degrees. By 0830 hrs the rain had moved over leaving cloudy sunshine.
The protective pair of Oystercatchers had, at last, got their 2 chicks on show briefly before moving them on to another area. The Ringed Plover was again on the island but keeping distant whilst Curlew, Common Sandpiper and Redshank were mobile in the strong wind. No sign of Dunlin but too windy to scan the north shore accurately due to the westerly blow.
Swifts were piling through >W throughout the watch along with a few Swallows. A Short Eared Owl
flew over the west bank before disappearing into the distance over the northern moors.
The pair of Tufted duck were still on the water along with 8 LBB gulls whilst 4 Herring headed >SW.
A few more gulls returning now, complicating the job when next month they all move up a calendar year when the new juvs become 1CY and the now 1CY move up to 2CY and so on, but it will be nice to get the return of the gulls. July is usually the highlight month in this area for Yellow Legged Herring.
Just for a change tomorrow it shows yet another moderate sou'westerly with heavy rain in the morning turning to showers p.m. Temp starting at 9 degrees.
BS