Inspired by the presence of a Green-winged Teal and an American Wigeon in the south mainland in recent days, I went out at lunchtime today to check out some freshwater and find my own North American duck. Loch of Tingwall should have been an easy starter for ten, but no sign of the expected Ring-necked Duck (not reported for ages, but having been seen there before not strictly speaking a new bird, of course). Never mind, there was always Trondra and Burra.
God knows where all the Eider had gone, but it certainly wasn’t in the voes around Burra and Trondra, so no joy with a speculative King Eider or Surf Scoter. The freshwater bits of Burra were utterly Wigeon-less, and a grand total of 5 Teal didn’t include a Green-winged. Maximum excitement came in the form of a spectacular roost of 63 Ringed Plovers at Bridge End. Checked ‘em all too… One of these days this’ll pay off!
Later. Back home this evening in (yawn) yet another ESE gale. Will these damned easterlies never end? On the basis of the past 3 weeks, more easterly flavoured gales are nothing to get excited about, but still… better this than south-westerlies. All of which means that this weekend will really have to be the final assault on finding something more decent on the isle this autumn. I have the whole of Saturday and Sunday clear. The weather will be (marginally) less shitty in 24 hours time. I have the island to myself. The odds are as good as they can get this late in the day. Am holding out for a Desert Wheatear, but frankly, would take a late Pallas’s Warbler at a pinch.
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So JD, you have no exuses not to find a monster this weekend becuase remember….Whalsay has “plenty of migrant-hunting potential…on (this) ornithologically unexplored island”
I hear you… and with just 4 resident birders on our 5 by 3 mile island, it’s a miracle we find anything between us.