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Birdie Group - March 2017
by Margaret Rinder - 15:41 on 15 March 2017
8 intrepid folk met at Echnaloch to brave the cold, strong, westerly winds, but with blue skies and sun. We looked at Echnaloch and bay, then walked the 4th barrier beach and dunes,noting the flowering coltsfoot. We looked over the Scapa side of Watersound. With wind and tide conditions as they were, we abandoned a visit to Oyce of Quindry and went instead to Eastside, where the peedie loch there provided much of interest.
Altogether we saw 33 species. Highlights were mainly at Eastside where we saw over 20 jackdaws, 30 lapwings , 100 curlew, 6 male shovellers and 2 females, 2 shelduck, 6 teal and on the beach, one pied wagtail and some meadow pipits. At the 4th barrier we watched 2 ravens doing their acrobatic flights, and one snipe repeatedly sped past. At Echnaloch bay we peered through Tim's telescope at 2 slavonian grebes, a great northern diver and a razorbill.So, complete with our sand and wind exfoliated faces, and despite binocular rock, we thought we'd had a good bird outing.
Once home, the wind had suddenly dropped, the sea was calm on the east and the local cattieface swooped around!
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