Over the bank holiday weekend we decided to stay overnight on Holy Island for the second time this year. At the Lough there were Willow, Garden and Reed Warblers. These were joined on the Monday by a Stonechat and a Spotted Flycatcher, which showed well, sitting on the fence post to the right of the hide. There was also plenty of Swallows, many landing in the trees either side of the hide. On the Lough itself, there was a pair of Mutes Swans, half a dozen Teal and a single Little Grebe.
At Coves Haven we stopped to do a couple of hours seawatching. There was lots of southward passage, which included over 250 Gannets, 1 Artic Skua, 1 Great Skua, 6 Teal, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 55+ Sandwich Terns, 12 Artic Terns and 4 Auks.
Also on the Island there was a Wheatear near the castle both days and a second on St Cutherberts Isle on the Monday. There were also lots of Goosander and R B B Merganser.
Paul & Adriana Buskin