So far in May

On the 1st, a late afternoon stop off at Echna Bay had 15 Oystercatchers, 1 Redshank and 2 Mute Swans. The swans had Yellow Darvic rings 245 and 251. Subsequent enquiries showed that they were both ringed on the Loch of Harray on the 28 Jul 08 as adult females.

A White-billed Diver was reported in various locations within Water Sound on the 3rd, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th.

A late afternoon stop at Echna Bay, on the 5th, produced 2 Oystercatchers, 3 Common Gull, 4 Red-breasted Mergansers, 28 Long-tailed Ducks and 1 Arctic Tern.

In the garden at Millfield a Blackbird nest with 5 eggs was found on the 6th. By the 17th the eggs had hatched and there were now 5 chicks which were ringed.

A walk from Millfield up to the trig point, on the 6th, produced 2 Blackbird, 6 Common Gull, 5 Lapwing, 4 Oystercatcher, 2 Curlew, 2 Skylark and 1 Snipe. In addition Eiders, Long-tailed Duck and Greylag Geese were heard.

There were reports on the 8th of 2 Red-throated Divers at Barrier No 4. At Echna Bay there were 1 Great Northern Diver, 1 Shelduck, 3 Oystercatchers, 1 Rock Pipit, 2 Mute Swans and 1 Swallow. On the other side of the road on Echna Loch there were 5 Mute Swans, 15 Tufted Duck, 2 Common Gulls, 3 Mallard, 3 Long-tailed Ducks and 1 Greylag.