Male Hen Harrier at The Loons

The loch was frozen and it was a bit chilly to sit too long in the hide at RSPB The Loons but still saw about 14 snipe on a frosty islet until a male hen harrier flew over another and a 'ringtail' hen harrier further away. Not much on Marwick Head other than fulmars, though I thought I glimpsed and heard a single snow bunting over. A jack snipe on Birsay links and a grey plover among the other small waders - ringed plover, turnstones, purple sandpipers, redshanks and dunlin.