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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ClarkWGriswold" data-source="post: 3213866" data-attributes="member: 84817">As mentioned previously, the weather was not great. Fortunately, being from Wales, we were used to this.:-OWhilst no rarities were seen, we were both more than pleased with the number of species that we were able to see though. Thoroughly enjoyed watching all of them.Birds seen on the way to Tongue included: Eider and Red Breasted Merganser at Loch Fleet; Mippits, Skylarks and Wheatears all along the road as well as the odd Common Buzzard; Whooper Swans (a pair on Loch Loyal - late leavers?) and what I'm pretty certain was a Merlin at the same location. Common Sandpipers also became more abundant the further North we travelled. Just outside of Lairg we decided to stretch our legs (a little) and had a walk to Dalchork Bird Hide overlooking Loch Shin. Must say it's a cracking little hide and not what I was expecting at all. Very few birds - Lapwings, Mallards - were seen from the hide as there were a couple of anglers very close by. The short walk however produced numerous Willow Warblers, Stonechats, Tree Pipit, Siskins and a grey/brown Warbler that was too quick for my ID skills. The first cuckoo of the trip was also heard here.</blockquote>