Conscious of the fact that a lot fewer House Sparrows were using the nest boxes on the cottage this year they have been inspected ready for the 2026 breeding season. Only eight of the boxes have been used this year. In 2024 c.30 pairs nested at the cottage & in the Fort. In 2025 its down to 8 pairs at the cottage & none known in the Fort. Numbers have plummeted & shown some signs of recovery on previous occasions this century but it is doubted that this species vast numbers and there ubiquitous presence around humans, many of us remember from last century, will ever be seen again. What a downer ! 6 Redwing early morning were the first for a while. Otherwise a bit samey. Southbound 37 Red-throated Diver & northbound 3 Red-throats & 2 Brent were as good as it got offshore with a walk around the reserve producing the same birds in the same places.