Tommy's Early Bird!

The weekend started with a brisk mild SW'ly and ended with a cold gale force NNE'ly!
A Grey Wagtail was the only new species found on Saturday, with a couple of Wheatears and a few Chiffchaffs the best of the rest. A struggle around the north this morning with Lubo bounding ahead turned up very little - singles of Stonechat and Black Redstart, with a Bonxie my highlight.
The AWs meanwhile canvassed the south but other than a few more Stonechats and a couple of Wheatears and Black Redstarts it too was quiet. So, it was left to our friendly American at Auld Haa to score the highlights......Tommy phoned late afternoon to tell me there was a Brambling in his garden and then less than a minute later, he called to say there was now a Blackcap too!!! This is, by a week, our earliest spring record!

If wind drops, myself and Hollie are going out to Lerwick tomorrow for a couple of days to buy some last bits of furniture and equipment for the new Obs. Lachlan will be back to look after the animals. The younger kids are now in Norway! Ski-ing starts tomorrow!!!