Collieston's November...Late Whinchat

Things have turned very quiet over the last weeks. A run of Westerly winds have finished off the Autumn  bringing any late migration more or less to a halt. The only exceptions to this have been a single Waxwing on 10.11.12 at Feu farm, and on 18.11.12 a surprise Whinchat at Meikle Loch, this is the fourth latest record ever for Scotland. At the same time a Lapland Bunting was frequenting the meadow there with a mixed flock of Rock and Meadow Pipits. These birds seem to appear in advance of a front of poor weather.
Latterly a Long-Tailed Duck has been on Meikle as well.

Whinchat

A number of small, mixed flocks of Reed Buntings, Yellow Hammer, finches and usually some Tree Sparrow are dotted around the field edges and the village.