Tuesday 16 October 2018

NORTH RONALDSAY - 15th October


Nice again through the day with light winds and some sunshine; the Brides census route was good with plenty of common migrants but little in the way of new arrivals with the exception of a smart Siberian Lesser Whitethroat near Stennabreck (an eastern race Lesser Whitethroat anyway, probably blythii).   Other migrant totals included a Hen Harrier, a Kestrel, a Short-eared Owl, 30 Skylark, 10 Wheatears, 7 Rock Pipits, 6 Robins, 15 Song Thrush, 122 Redwing, 4 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 17 Chaffinches, 10 Brambling, 23 Twite (Kirbest), 21 Reed Buntings, 9 Snow Buntings and most noteworthy, 4 Yellowhammers in Kirbest.   Other birds in the area included 7 Whooper Swans south, 21 Pink-footed Geese (plus another 35 south), 6 Red-throated Divers offshore, a Long-tailed Duck, 4 Red-breasted Mergansers and 2 Jack Snipe.

                There were another 14 Whooper Swans on Gretchen and 8 Greenfinches flew south (been a much better year for them) before another go at Ancum Willows produced fewer birds than yesterday but a few Bramblings and Chaffinches came in to roost along with another Yellowhammer while the Great Grey Shrike was still around, as was another Hen Harrier and another Short-eared Owl.   A Long-eared Owl was caught in Holland last thing.


Siberian Lesser Whitethroat

Yellowhammers

Twite



Whooper Swans

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