NORTH RONALDSAY - 25th September

The persistent, depressing strong westerlies of the past weeks turned into a strong southerly first thing which gradually increased through the day into an extremely strong southerly by the afternoon; an hour’s seawatch in the middle of the northern census route produced 38 Sooty Shearwaters, 5 Manx Shearwaters, 4 Bonxies, 838 Fulmar (including a pale Blue individual), an Arctic Tern and a few small flocks of duck coming in off comprising 9 Teal, 4 Wigeon and 3 Shoveler.   Birds around the rest of the northern census route included a little group of 2 Snow Buntings and a Lapland Bunting at Bewan, 5 Knot, 2 Rock Pipits, a Willow Warbler, a Kestrel and 2 Wheatears.

                Another hour’s seawatch in the afternoon was quieter in the increasing winds but included a probable juvenile Pomarine Skua, an Arctic Skua, 3 Bonxies, 17 Sooty Shearwaters, 5 Manx Shearwaters and another, darker Blue Fulmar.

Lapland Bunting and Snow Bunting

Wheatear

Water Rail