Last Day

 Friday May 23

As martin had offered to help pack the car, Pam spent the morning packing cases, organising the kitchen, packing foodstuffs etc.

One moth in last night's trap, another new one for here, a Grey Dagger. 

Burghead is not far, and a good place to sit and watch for passing seabirds.The birding area is dominated by the oldest Maltings in Scotland. It was here that we saw a first for Britain in November 1990. After school on Friiday, we drove to a Travelodge in Edinburgh, then on to Burghead on the Saturday. My coat had been forgotten, ( a fishtail parka, the trendy birding coat at the time), so we stopped in Aviemore without success. Early afternoon on an overcast November day when it looked like dusk, we set off in front of the Maltings. One birder was walking towards us and uttered the comforting words 'it's still there'. We found the Grey-tailed Tattler quickly, feeding amongst the rocks on the shore. Relief and jubilation - and we were the only people there.

Today, we parked at the other end of the rocky coast where there is a parking area. I scoped for a while seeing Gannets, two Guillemots and a Razorbill. I then read and did a puzzle whilst Pam was more diligent. We finished with two Little Gulls, several Kittiwakes, two Red-throated Divers and - at last - half a dozen summer plumage Sanderling.

A thoroughly enjoyable three weeks when we've had to work hard for our birds in wonderful weather. The first rain is due tomorrow.

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