Mid-April Miscellany

The first Wheatear of 2015 (that we've seen anyway) was present on the cliffs just north of Collieston this afternoon. Other notable bits and pieces seen during the walk were a pair of Ravens, a mix of returning seabirds including a handful of  Puffins, a single summer-plumaged Golden Plover moving north, and three Corn Buntings near the farm at Mains of Slains.

Cracking male Wheatear - welcome back!

The past week has seen some interest on the Reserve, with a ('the'?) King Eider reported on the estuary on Monday and Tuesday, and an Iceland Gull also there on Monday. A second-year Med Gull was at the ternery on Thursday with swelling numbers of Sandwich Terns, and best of all, a fine male Goshawk passed north on Friday (the latter a patch tick for me, and my first since the Brown Shrike back in 2013!).

Otherwise spring seems to have been slow springing on the patch, with just a handful of Goldcrests passing through the High Town so far. Bring on the warblers and hirundines!