Further late news...

Just to follow that, the easterlies on Tuesday brought this cracking Snow Bunting and a less bright Lesser Whitethroat. The latter was particularly brown in plumage overall and a rather absent black mask, explained no doubt by it being a first year bird.

Summer Male Snow Bunting

1st Summer Lesser Whitethroat

Yet Another Shr... you get the picture!

Very grateful to Collieston Birder for finding this gorgeous male Red-backed Shrike at Kirkton on Tuesday night. It's been an excellent spring for this species, with three males and a female through the patch so far. Nevertheless, it's not a bird that one tires of quickly!

Orca!...Collieston 25th May

At least 8 Killer Whales swam past Collieston slowly today and were also seen well from Whinnyfold. They were moving very slowly north and often stopping their progress, and were first seen at about 2km out, moving gradually further from shore. Spending some time apparently feeding and some full breaches were seen.  First spotted just after 13.00 from the high road when some blows and then the distinctive very tall fins were sighted- telephone messages, shouting and Facebook around the village meant that many residents and visitors were able to enjoy the sight. There were claims later in the afternoon from some observers in Whinnyfold  that there were at least 15 whales, but I would be a little cautious of this count without good documentation, given how hard it can be to count cetaceans at range.

Some of the  Killer Whales that swam past Collieston today...

Killer Whales, Collieston 25th May

 

Long-tailed Skua's

Some entertaining sea-watching over today: An early morning watch resulted in 1 adult Long-tailed Skua, another very distant but probable of that species, a Black Guillimot and reasonable numbers of Great and Arctic Skua.
Following this Cotehill's very own birder decided to take the dog for a walk and had another adult Long-tailed fly over his head.
This evening 3 hours of seawatching has resulted in 20 plus of Great and Arctic Skua and another 2 adult Long-tailed Skua's, all of which were going north. The skua's were nearly all close in, or in some cases over head.
The sheer numbers of other seabirds speeding past was impressive, with frequent small flocks of Red-throated Diver, flocks of Gannet, a constant stream of Fulmar and thousands of Auks and Kittiwake.

May gales

The migrants seem to have diminished somewhat in the face of gale force Northerly winds, so little else this week so far.
Swift numbers earlier in the week were steadily rising at Meikle Loch, though tonight unsurprisngly seemed low again.
Seawatching may be worthwhile after all this however and easterlies predicted for the weekend...

Female Red-backed Shrike, Forvie Centre

Whitethroat

Spotted Flycatcher

Pictures show a few of the migrants around, before the wind came. Final image of a Corn Bunting, still breed in small numbers near the village, but due to agricutural practice in the main, have been on a steady decline for the last decade or so. Quite likely at the current rate to be gone in 5 years , in this area at least.

Yet Another Shrike...

...this time a cracking male on Forvie this afternoon, in the willow scrub above Hackley Bay, with an accompanying gang of mobbing Meadow Pipits. Made up for me missing the one at Kirkton last weekend! Went back this evening with Rosie to see if we could get photos, but disappointingly no sign of the bird despite an extensive search.

King Eider seen on the estuary again today at high tide, with a Great White Egret also reported by at least two local observers. Lots happening!

Another Shrike

A female Red-backed Shrike was also frequenting the area around the Forvie Centre this afternoon.
A few other migrants scattered about including Spotted Flycatcher and Lesser Whitethroat. A significant arrival of Red-backed Shrikes on the Aberdeenshire coast today with at least 5 other birds reported.