Dodge misses out!

I felt dismay and a touch of disbelief when Jack texted early this morning to say that the Blackpoll Warbler was not in the Plantation! I was sure it would stay. Ex-Warden Roger Riddington was coming in for it on the plane and I was hoping to just meet him and take him the 200 yards to the Plantation and share his joy at seeing the bird. I was sure it would not have left but could we find it in time for Roger's plane at 11.15? If there was no sign, he wasn't coming! There wasn't! He didn't come and at 2pm the bird resurfaced....at Skerryholm. It showed incredibly well to the small crowd that gathered before relocating to the beach, where it remained on and off until late afternoon at least, feasting on the myriad of insects there. Hopefully that should keep it going for a while longer!

The Blackpoll Warbler was the undoubted main prize today, but there were a whole list of goodies to be seen with lingering Rustic Bunting at Lower Stoneybrek, Little Bunting at Pund, Short-toed Lark on Meoness, Bluethroat at Neder Taft and late on a probable Desert Lesser Whitethroat at Burkle, where a Yellow-browed Warbler appeared at the same time, but barely got a glance at! The DLW suddenly took off and flew up the road toward Quoy but we failed to relocate it in the rapidly disappearing daylight. That'll have to be tomorrows mission!

Aside from birds......ponies were out again, with Fyntan, Raven, Ythan & Pat (Hol's mum) all on board Storm at various times!