Monday 17/08/2020

06.00-07.30 from the fishing boats the numbers were kindly supplied by AJG:

Gannet: 191W

Dunlin: 2W

Arctic Skua: 1W

Kittiwake: 11 down

Common Tern: 81W

Sandwich Tern: 8W

Little Tern: 2W

Sand Martin c30S

While AJG was having an uninspiring sea watch at the fishing boats, I had an equally uninspiring wander down to The Patch and Converter Station. Apart from 6 Wheatears and a couple of Hummingbird Hawkmoths around the perimeter wall, the only other highlight was Belgian Lesser Black-backed Gull K.TOH on roofs behind the hide.

Belgian Herring Gull K.TOH on the portacabin roof behind The Patch hide

Common Redstarts in The Desert

A walk around The Desert found 2 Common Redstarts, a Pied Flycatcher and good numbers of Stonechats, also numerous Common Whitethroats and a few Lesser Whitethroats.

Glossy Ibis on the Tern raft seen from the car in a quick stop on the causeway late morning

Juvenile Caspian Gull moulting to 1w

Mid afternoon at the fishing boats a Juvenile Caspian gull that is moulting into 1w plumage put in a brief appearance. Also there a juvenile Herring Gull that had swallowed hooks and line left on the beach by careless anglers, consigning it to a lingering painful death. c12 Harbour Porpoises were off shore.

Juvenile Caspian Gull moulting to 1w

Juvenile Caspian Gull moulting to 1w

Juvenile Caspian Gull moulting to 1w

Harbour Porpoises from the fishing boats this afternoon

Juvenile Herring Gull that has swallowed hooks and line discarded or accidentally left by anglers

Whinchat at Galloways this evening was the highlight of my walk around there this evening.

 The ranges opening times this week show that Galloways and The Midrips are open all week