Not much doing

The continuing S/W winds have brought a rake of Gray Phalaropes to North Ron a couple of days ago have started to drop them around the mainland with one reported over on Lamb Holm beside the pier. There must be more around in sheltered spots. I wonder if we will see wee auks appearing.

None of these were for me this afternoon. Having no waterproofs that don’t leak and heavy passing showers all day I thought I would stay close so i shot down to Brodgar for a look. I had the stones to my self to day which was nice but the view from the salty was pretty exposed to a buffeting S/W wind. Stenness Loch was a wind lashed mess with little to be seen. The pools were brimming full of water with no waders to be seen. A few distant widgeon and tufted duck were on the water but little else. I had a Kestrel in the stones tho and it put on a nice show. Back to the Stenness stones and there is a male and female Scaup with two separate groups of Tufted duck just before the brig with a Slavonian Grebe close in as well. I stop at the old bird carver’s cottage and watch the ducks taking advantage of the lee of the shore. After this I nip in to Barnhouse hide. The loch is getting whipped up by the ever freshening winds. Small groups of Tufted are toughing it out and in distant sheltered spots are a few Widgeon. There is little to be seen and bugger all else comes along to speak of. After amusing my self taking swan photos I shoot off. A dozen small birds pass over at the road and head along the Stenness loch side, Linnets I think. Crap but at least the wind is mild. I dump the clutch and go….