NORTH RONALDSAY - 21st May

A stunning day, plenty of sunshine with a warm southerly breeze; the nets at Holland first thing were fairly quiet as we managed single Sedge Warbler, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and Woodpigeon with 2 Mealy Redpolls, 2 Blackcaps and 2 Jackdaws which flew south also seen.   I then unsuccessfully chased some Orcas around but I did have a Marsh Harrier which came in off the sea at Brides and turned north.

                I walked the west coast census route in the afternoon with the highlight definitely being a beast of a 1^st year WHITE-TAILED EAGLE which flew in off the sea at Westbeach and like the Harrier, turned north but no one else saw it so presumably it just kept on going north.   Other birds included a 1^st summer Little Gull on Gretchen, 60+ Knot amongst other waders at Lenswick, the Pied Flycatcher still round T1 and 4 House Martins.

                Nets in the evening were quiet as we just caught a female Pied Flycatcher, an angry young female Sparrowhawk and a Linnet; other birds there included 8 House Martins and a Swift.

Record shots of the White-tailed Eagle and Little Gull

Sedge Warbler

Swallow

Pied Flycatcher