Sealed

 Today was the anniversary of first visiting the house 3 years ago. We fell in  love but knew it was a mammoth task ahead. We weren't wrong and there have been lots of stresses and strains on the way. It's also been a learning curve on trusting people.

However the thing that really sold it was finding a colony of seals in the cove below the house. This is the third year Jill has had the pleasure if watching the young uns. Very lucky to have them so close.

There are 3 at the moment.

Lucky lucky lucky.

There are also several Goldeneye on the loch and lots mire wigeon and mallards than usual.

Jim finished the guttering today so that's another job done.

53 species day

 We decided as the weather was a bit up and down, to have a listing day. We started at Sandness getting Turnstone, Shag, Greylag, Cormorant, Gannet, Long tailed duck, Starling,

 Blackbird, Redwing, Magpie, Wren, Common Gull, Black backed Gull, Kittiwake, Great Northern Diver, Rock Pipit, Raven, Meadow Pipit, Whooper Swan, Wigeon

Mute Swan

Mallard, Hooded Crow, Rock Dove and Lapwing. 

Then we drove East and went on the new road through Kergord where we had  Grey Wagtail, 

Robin, Brambling, Wood Pigeon and Rook. Then it was to Wadbister Voe to see if by any chance, the White winged Scoter was still there. It wasnt, but we saw Mergansers and Eider.

Turning South to town, the harbour got checked and we added Black Guillimot, Twite and Herring Gull. After buying a few bits of lunch we stopped at Sound.

Sound was very busy. Have never seen so many blackbirds. Jill had over 300 in one Cotoneaster!

There was also a big flock of Siskins

Collared Dove

Fieldfare

And a single Redpoll.

 

One of our favourite spots is Leebitton as it is good for waders. We added Redshank and Purple Sandpiper.

Also in the same area we had Chaffinch, Goldcrest and 3 Song Thrushes.

We thought we would have a quick look for yesterday's Buff Bellied Pipit; but didn't find it. Lots of house Sparrows though.

Spiggie gave us Tufted Duck and Goldeneye

Further along the shore was a Little Egret. Not that common here.

Managed to squeeze in Virkie before the light went. Black tailed Godwit, Bar tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Curlew, and a Pale Bellied Brent Goose 

There were lots of Redwing around South Dunrossness too.

Nice drop of Redwings

 Jill made an early dash into town o get the last few drainpipe bits and some bolts. Got there early so watched some Tysties in the harbour.

Collected an item from Harbro for a neighbour. Hadn't asked what size it was so glad it was small. On the way there, had a sudden panic that as it was for the horses it might be huge!

Nice group of Mergansers on the way back.

At home, there was time for a bit more taping in the attic. Most of the ceiling joints are now taped.

The weather brightened a bit so we took a drive to Sandness. There were hundreds of Redwing enroute.. it was amazing.

There was a nice group of Long Tailed Ducks at Norby too.