Week 22

28 May – 3 June 2025

During my big year, I will update my blog most weeks. This is the twenty-second week's recap. Next week (Monday 2nd - Friday 6th), I will be away on a school residential trip to Lochgoilhead therefore, this week's recap will be posted on Sunday evening. Any birds I see at Lochgoilhead will be in next week's update. The number next to the day indicates my year list at the end of that day. Birds written in italics indicate Scottish year ticks.

May 31 - Day 151: 178

Today, due to the rain in the early morning, Girdlnesting was cancelled, but, later in the day, my dad and I went anyway to see what was about, before going shopping. We parked at the seafront car park, where we heard a Sedge Warbler and a Whitethroat. We walked down to Greyhope Bay, seeing a Pied Wagtail in tree. Behind the South Pier was a lovely Razorbill. We walked above the rocks in Greyhope Bay, spotting a flock of terns, including 5 Common Terns and 2 Sandwich Terns. We were walking along the road, adjacent to Walker Park, when I saw one of the Ringed Plover parents in the field, we didn't see any young, so they may have been unsuccessful this year. I did a bit of seawatching at the foghorn before my dad went back to the car while I stayed a bit longer. This turned out to be worth it, since I soon spotted a Puffin flying north, followed by another one, a few minutes later. Scanning the sea, I also saw a Fulmar, Gannets and countless Guillemots. Suddenly, two fulmar-like birds caught my eye. They were dark above and pale below and flew low to the water, flapping occasionally. Manx Shearwaters! This, embarrassingly, was not just a year tick, but a lifer! Despite seawatching from the ferry across the English Channel, I have never seen this species before, having only seen Sooty Shearwater while on the ferry. My dad, who had missed the bird, was quite disappointed.

June 1 - Day 152: 178

Today, we returned to Girdleness for an hour or so, just to see what was about. Highlights were a Painted Lady butterfly, a pale morph Arctic Skua, North, and some fledgling Pied Wagtails. Not to forget some Tunnock's and juice with Raymond and the others!

Day 151: https://ebird.org/checklist/S241853011

Day 152: https://ebird.org/checklist/S245366216