A good week here at Starnafin with the Short-eared Owl making appearances again, once perching on a wall in the yard in the manner of many plastic owls. (Picture: Greig Warburton.)
The first Brent Geese of the year arrived on Wednesday with 6 pale-bellied birds mixing in with resident geese and the Iceland Gull of last weekend hung around for a few days afterwards.
There are some lingering Barnacle Geese though with 42 counted today by Ed.
This morning just before the cleaning of the Visitor Centre and toilets got underway I had a brief glimpse of a Little Grebe which soon vanished into the low reeds.
The ringtail Hen Harrier has also been making appearances during the week, though not seen everyday.
The WeBS count this morning produced a count of 17,388 Pink-footed Geese, 206 White-fronted Geese, 675 Greylag Geese, 2 Brent Geese and solitary Barnacle Goose.
The Bearded Tits have also arrived and 12 were present this morning.
There were also reports of a Green-winged Teal outside Bay Hide yesterday (thanks to Joseph Nichols for that!).
In a rare Rattray Head update there were an impressive number of what were thought to be Red-throated Divers close to the shore this morning. There definately more than 50 but a definite count was tricky!
Also nice down there was a Grey Plover and 3 Ringed Plover.
Here are list of other residents: Whooper Swan, Mute Swan, Water Rail, Lapwing, Tree Sparrow, Wigeon, Teal, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Pintail, Goldeneye and many more! You'll have to come here and see them for yourself!
ETA- Just hijacking Tom's post to add that Richard had two very early Garganey from Fen Hide this morning as well as the flock of Bearded Tits, and Lesley had a red-headed (female or juvenile) Smew from Bay Hide this afternoon- Diana