{"id":1654,"date":"2023-04-24T10:54:59","date_gmt":"2023-04-24T09:54:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/18.171.192.198\/?p=1654"},"modified":"2023-05-19T14:40:09","modified_gmt":"2023-05-19T13:40:09","slug":"april-2023-sightings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wildsmiths.co.uk\/?p=1654","title":{"rendered":"April 2023 &#8211; Sightings"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>30\/04\/2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Basking Shark (from ferry off Glen Gorm on Mull)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>29\/04\/2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Canada Goose (a pair)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Shelduck (x4)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Eider (x4 pairs in Loch Eatharna)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Red-breasted Merganser (x7)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Golden Plover (x10)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Common Sandpiper<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Snipe (drumming at several locations across the island)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Common Tern (x1 &#8211; the first of the year)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Corncrake (just the one rasping male)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Common Dolphin (x8 &#8211; a small pod off the Meall)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Green-veined White (the first of the year) <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>28\/04\/2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Red-throated Diver (x2 overhead barking gently)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Golden Plover (a passage flock of 165 birds)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Black-headed Gull <\/strong>(x3 an uncommong visitor in the summer months)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Corncrake <\/strong>(our first of the year in a surprising woodland setting)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>26\/04\/2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Whooper Swan (the single bird still hanging around&#8230;)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Little Grebe (still x2 pairs on our local loch) <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Golden Plover (a large flock of x40 still around early am but left during the day)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Common Sandpiper (reported on the shores of Loch Eatharna)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hen Harrier (a pair sky-dancing)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>White-tailed Eagle (x2 different individuals)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Corncrakes<\/strong> (notable for their continued scarcity after a couple of single reports earlier in the week)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cuckoo (x3 different individuals)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dunnock (nice to see three different birds in territory around the island today. Not a common bird here)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Marsh Violet in flower<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Spring Quillwort <\/strong>(a rarity in some of our low-nutrient lochs) <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>25\/04\/2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Whooper Swan (an individual bird still hanging around somewhat belatedly. Will surely be off soon?)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Little Grebe (two pairs still looking to breed on our local loch)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Canada Goose (regular sightings of these recent incomers continue with flocks of 7 and 2 (can you have a flock of 2??)) <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Golden Plover (a cracking flock of 40 summer plumage birds on local farm fields) <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hen Harrier (x5 birds seen while helping RSPB with monitoring work. Great to see some sky-dancing action!)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>White-tailed Eagle (x2 birds at opposite ends of the island)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Golden Eagle <\/strong>(at last we have caught up with the bird which has been around for a few weeks)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Great Skua (only our second of the year)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Greenland Wheatears (a nice fall of these chubby and colourful delights today)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Greenfinch (an unusual observation of a singing bird on moorland) <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>24\/04\/2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Great Northern Diver (just the one visible in rough seas)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sanderling (x22)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Whimbrel (x6 from the hotel restaurant window)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Golden Plover (x67 &#8211; a large flock of passage birds)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hen Harrier (a gorgeous male bird at close quarters alarming the Starlings)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Great Skua <\/strong>(at last! Our first of the year&#8230;)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>23\/04\/2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Little Grebe (still two pairs on the local loch)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Canada Goose (a pair over the village) <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Teal (3 pairs on our local loch)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sparrowhawk (a female hunting among the Starlings)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Wheatears (quite a fall of up to 12 birds &#8211; some of the Greenland race among them)  <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Early Tooth-striped moth<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>21\/04\/2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Little Grebe<\/strong> (numbers on our wee loch have increased to four &#8211; lots of calling. Not a common bird here by any means)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Moorhen (also four individuals)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Cuckoo<\/strong> (our first of the year)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>20\/04\/2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Great Northern Diver (x3 + 2)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Canada Goose (x2)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Eider (1 male, 2 females)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ringed Plover (x15)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Whimbrel<\/strong> (x3 first passage birds of the year)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Bar-tailed Godwit<\/strong> (a stunning breeding plumage bird on the beach)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Golden Plover (a flock of 30 in roadside fields) <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hen Harrier (a male hunting over the beach)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Black-headed Gull<\/strong> (a pair)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sand Martins (prospecting in dune fronts)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>White Wagtails<\/strong> (c12 on beach)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Twite (a pair plus a separate singing male) <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Common Seal<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Grey Seal<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>19\/04\/2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Little Grebe<\/strong> (a pair new in on our local loch) <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Whooper Swan (a single bird still on our local loch)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Pink-footed Goose<\/strong> (x3 passage birds in a roadside field &#8211; unusual to see them on the ground here. Reports also of a huge flock of c500 passing over earlier)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Shelduck (a pair)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Eider (a pair) <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Red-breasted Mergansers (x3)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hen Harrier (male)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Kestrel<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sparrowhawk (a female hunting among the Starlings)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sand Martin<\/strong> (first of the year)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Wood Pigeon <\/strong>(an uncommon visitor)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>(<strong>Cuckoo<\/strong> reported &#8211; first of the year) <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Blackcap<\/strong> (singing male)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Twite <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Common Heath moth (an early emergent in the warm sunshine, usually not seen until late May\/June)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>18\/04\/2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(apologies for the gap &#8211; we&#8217;ve been away)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Whooper Swan (a single bird on our local loch)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Puffin (a single bird from the ferry) <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Golden Plover<\/strong> (x2 passage birds in full song over the cottage &#8211; our first of the year. Glorious!) <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>White-tailed Eagle (x2 adults over Morvern from ferry)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Golden Eagle<\/strong> (x2 over Morvern from ferry)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Willow Warbler<\/strong> (first of the year)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>(reports from yesterday of an adult male <strong>Golden Oriole <\/strong>seen in the village!!)  <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>02\/04\/2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Manx Shearwater (a steady passage watched from the Oban ferry)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Red-throated Diver (heading west towards Coll)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lesser Redpoll (singing in the village)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Barrel Jellyfish (several seen from the ferry today)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>30\/04\/2023 29\/04\/2023 28\/04\/2023 26\/04\/2023 25\/04\/2023 24\/04\/2023 23\/04\/2023 21\/04\/2023 20\/04\/2023 19\/04\/2023 18\/04\/2023 (apologies for the gap &#8211; we&#8217;ve been away) 02\/04\/2023<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[69],"tags":[8,9],"class_list":["post-1654","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-recent-sightings-2023","tag-recent","tag-sightings"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildsmiths.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1654","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildsmiths.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildsmiths.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildsmiths.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildsmiths.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1654"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/wildsmiths.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1654\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1686,"href":"https:\/\/wildsmiths.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1654\/revisions\/1686"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildsmiths.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1654"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildsmiths.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1654"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildsmiths.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1654"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}