The weather, as is often the case, has turned from warm bright sunshine, to mist and drizzle! Although this has hampered visibility, the feeling is that there has not been much in the way of new arrivals - apart from that is of waders and Dunlin in particular. A very good count of 39 yesterday became a record island count of 172 today, scattered around the Skadan! A total of 39 Ringed Plover were in with them, but unfortunately nothing else. A couple of Wood Sandpipers and a Green Sandpiper were on the scrape and a Greenshank flew over.
Highlights of the past few days have been thin on the ground but the first Swift floated around in the mist on 21st and a Rosefinch graced Vaila's Trees the following day - a touching tribute!
A reeling Grasshopper Warbler at Schoolton was nice and a handful of other common warblers were dotted about but it was Hirundines, totalling over 100 (mainly Swallows) that dominated migrant passerine counts.
Our friends Phil (Harris) and Becca (Nason) have arrived for a week with us at Burkle - as the Obs is NOT READY! Its really nice to see them, but its a shame for them that the birding has quietened down again. They are on a mission to (try and) relieve us of the stress over the Obs building work. Much needed after this latest setback......
Earlier this week, the builders informed us that the Obs is not going to be ready for the (next) target date of 26th May. I had already had to postpone opening on 1st May and cancelled a whole load of bookings and was told that 26th May would be "No problem!" Apparently, building control have some issues with some of the door frames and they must be replaced. I have thus had the unenviable task yet again of having to contact a second suite of bookings and give them the bad news. Most people have been very understanding of our plight but I am fretting because there are three people on my list that I have not managed to contact! I have cancelled all bookings up to 12th June so far and will have to wait and see how long this work will take to complete to see if they can make this next deadline. I'll keep you posted....
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