Christine's walking & birds blog

I couldn't resist going back to Achnahaird on this slightly less windy and eventually drier day - but what I found was more of the same. It didn't matter. I never tire of walking this windswept area and watching the waders - most of which won't stay long, so I might as well enjoy them while I can. There were many more sanderling this time (perhaps 50+), and a similar number of dunlin.


The sanderling came very close and I could hear them "wittering" among themselves. As I walked back towards the sea two knot came flying unhurriedly low down, one each side of me. If I had stretched out my left hand I could have caught one, it was so close. They went down on the wet sand by one of the channels.



I think most of the migrating waders were juveniles.

On the way home I stopped at Ardmair and checked for stonechats. A couple of days ago there were at least seven individuals here on the sheep fields, some of them juvenile birds; today I could see only one adult male on the fence - but by now it was so windy and cold, I didn't linger. Driving away, I spotted a dark brown bird flying alongside the road - and was able to pull into the lay-by of one of the holiday homes. High above the ridge now, the falcon jinked and twisted after a small bird but seemed unsuccessful in catching it.


My first merlin at Ardmair.