Highland spring?

It has been a fairly poor run of weather this 'spring' in the Highland region- a few days of sun here and there but generally much of April and May has been chilly and damp. Migrants have been slow to arrive and with pink- footed geese and white-winged gulls hanging about, it still seems like late March! I have managed to twitch a couple of good birds further south including a subalpine warbler and collared flycatcher at St. Abbs- unfortunately I did not manage any photos. of those beauties! Redstarts and spotted flycatchers are just back on local territories and hirundines remain scarce. Hopefully things will improve soon!!

pinkies- Achnahaird

Iceland gull with common gull- Achnahaird

twite- Mellon Udrigle

Highland coo- Mellon Udrigle

Bluebells- Loch Broom

Vis mig update

Things have been quiet over the last week with persistent NW Beaufort f4/5 winds. This morning it was all change with a light (f2) easterly, occasionally veering to the south-east. In two hours I had 3 swallows, 2 sand martins, a redstart sp. and a phyllosc. sp. fly past the ship. On the deck were 3 pied wagtails including a splendid 'Moroccan wagtail- subpersonata' (note the damaged feet/missing toes). Flitting about the deck were also at least 4 subalpine warblers. Everything on the deck resumed northward flight after briefly feeding on the numerous flies and moths that had been buzzing about. Later I saw a couple of lark sp. and 4 swifts did a very fast pass!

pied wagtail- ssp. subpersonata

subalpine warbler