Saturday 18 October 2008

Saturday Struggle . . . 
The strong gales and heavy downpours continued today. I photographed the male Long-tailed Duck which was still present in North Haven during a brief sunny spell as well as a confiding Redwing. 2 female Long-tailed Duck & the 2 Grey Phalaropes were also still present. I headed north & birded the cliffs round to Easter & Wester Lother before lunch but it was a virtually birdless venture, my only bird of note being a Tree Pipit  - shown in the photographs below (a trip tick for me).  Other birds I noted today include 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Northern Wheatear, 1 Purple Sandpiper, 2 Kittiwake, 4 Common Gull. Phil had 3 Great Northern Diver & 1 Red-throated Diver during a South Light Seawatch.