NORTH RONALDSAY - 13th May

The perfect spring day, misty and murky with drizzle and fog drifting in and out and a brisk easterly wind; it started well with a smart female Bluethroat along the Obs track first thing but then I had to wait around and then take more people up to see the Red-winged Blackbird again at Garso where there was also a Greenshank and 3 House Martins on the loch.

                When I finally got out in the Bridesness census route it was a bit disappointing (although it was on the exposed side of the island) where the highlight was my first Yellow Wagtail of the year on Brides – a female type, probably a flava; other birds included 4 Chiffchaffs, 2 Lesser Whitethroats (at the Obs actually), 2 Great-northern Divers and plenty of waders around the coast most notably 25 Knot.

Bluethroat

Sanderling

Arctic Tern