NORTH RONALDSAY - 23rd November

Even lighter easterly winds through the day but there were frequent showers which persisted right through the day; opened the nets first thing where there were 4 Long-eared Owls (I caught two) and 2 Blackcaps.   Other birds around the Obs census route included the Green-winged Teal still, a Merlin, 194 Golden Plover, a Woodcock, 8 Skylark, 2 Meadow Pipits, 3 Robins, 2 Song Thrush, 10 Chaffinches, 4 Common Redpolls and an excellent 119 Twite – they helpfully lined up on a fence for me!

Long-eared Owl

Twite

NORTH RONALDSAY - 22nd November

Lighter winds through the day but they were still very cold and from the ESE bringing the occasional shower in with them; I walked around The Obs, over to Brides and then Hooking with the highlight being a juvenile RED-NECKED GREBE in Nouster off Howar (despite the two last year, only the seventh for the island!).   Other totals included 9 Red-throated Divers, 2 Great-northern Divers, 9 Long-tailed Ducks, 6 Red-breasted Mergansers, a Grey Plover and a good influx of Gulls including 211 Common Gulls, 454 Herring Gulls and 200 Great Black-backed Gulls.

                On the land, birds included an adult female Hen Harrier, a Merlin, a Kestrel, 2 Woodcock, 12 Skylarks, 3 Robins, 4 Song Thrush, 9 Chaffinches, a Brambling, 93 Twite, 4 Common Redpolls, 19 Snow Buntings and 11 Reed Buntings.   A Long-eared Owl was flying around The Obs at dusk.

Red-necked Grebe

Long-tailed Duck

NORTH RONALDSAY - 20th November

More great conditions with a very cold, brisk straight easterly wind but it was very calm first thing so I opened the nets and caught a smart Long-eared Owl at dawn.   The wind picked up quickly so I did a pretty complete middle census route where birds included a juvenile Glaucous Gull on Torness, a little arrival of 11 Robins, 58 Snow Buntings, a Common Redpoll, a flyover Greenfinch, 4 Song Thrush, 6 Rock Pipits, 6 Meadow Pipits, 18 Skylark, 4 Knot also on Torness, an adult female Peregrine, a young male Merlin, a Hen Harrier, 2 Herons and 3 Red-throated Divers.

Glaucous Gull

NORTH RONALDSAY - 19th November

A good feeling day with a brisk SE wind and extensive cloud cover; I walked round the Obs to Kirbest to Holland, Hooking then Brides with the highlight being a female Velvet Scoter with a group of 7 Common Scoter off Brides (the first of the year).   There was a good selection of land birds seen including a Long-eared Owl flushed from in front of T4, 2 Merlin, 6 Woodcock, 12 Skylark, 2 Meadow Pipits, 5 Rock Pipits, 3 Robins, a Song Thrush, 7 Chaffinch, a Brambling, 85 Twite in the Kirbest crop, 7 Common Redpolls (three at Kirbest and four near Brides), 49 Snow Buntings and 10 Reed Buntings.

                Other birds included 7 Red-throated Divers, a Great-northern Diver, 5 Herons, the four Pink-footed Geese, 5 Red-breasted Mergansers, 62 Sanderling, 49 Dunlin, 14 Bar-tailed Godwits and 3 Grey Plover (one on The Links and two in Nouster).

Velvet Scoter and Common Scoters

Common Redpolls

Grey Plover

NORTH RONALDSAY - 18th November

A much brighter day with almost totally clear skies but we kept the strong SSE winds; a few hours spent out in the field up at the north end of the island was quiet with 2 Little Auks on the sea close into the foghorn the highlight.   Other birds included 13 Red-throated Divers, 7 Herons, the 5 Pink-footed Geese still, 8 Gadwall, 10 Pintail, 2 Goldeneye, a Jack Snipe, 3 Robins, 120 Fieldfare, 45 Twite and 35 Snow Buntings.

Hen Harrier

NORTH RONALDSAY - 17th November

A very different day with a strong SE wind, low cloud and general murk (really, where was this earlier in the autumn?); there seemed to be a trickle of birds moving south down the west coast including 232 Fieldfare, 125 Redwing, a Mistle Thrush (only the second of the autumn), 2 Common Redpoll and a few Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls at sea.

                Other totals through the day up the west coast and a little look at the other lochs included 2 Red-throated Divers, a Great-northern Diver, the 5 Pink-footed Geese, the Barnacle Goose, 16 Gadwall, the Green-winged Teal still on Gretchen, 15 Pintail, 9 Shoveler, 13 Tufted Duck, 4 Goldeneye, a Hen Harrier, 3 Merlin, 3 Woodcock, 2 Robins, 75 Blackbird, 4 Song Thrush, a Blackcap, 7 Chaffinches, a Brambling, a Linnet, 35 Twite, and 25 Snow Buntings.

Pink-footed Geese

NORTH RONALDSAY - 16th November

A gorgeous day with very light SSW winds and almost wall to wall sunshine; we were unfortunately back down to a single observer but efforts with the nets at Holland really produced the goods as the island’s second HUME’S WARBLER was heard calling shortly after dawn and caught soon after, it was still present in the evening, calling frequently again just at dusk.

                Other birds through the day around the southern end of the island with a little look around Torness, Lenswick and Westness included 2 Red-throated Divers, 5 Herons, 5 Pink-footed Geese, the Barnacle Goose, the Green-winged Teal still on Gretchen, 2 Goldeneye south past Trinley (very scarce so far this autumn), 2 Hen Harriers, single Merlin and Kestrel, a Woodcock, a Black-headed Gull, 7 Meadow Pipits, 6 Rock Pipits, 4 Robins, a Song Thrush, a Chiffchaff, 5 Chaffinches, a Brambling, 4 Linnets, 26 Twite, a Common Redpoll and 3 Snow Buntings.

Hume's Warbler

Common Redpoll

NORTH RONALDSAY - 15th November

Back to the bright and sunny conditions we’ve enjoyed of late, it was almost flat calm at first light but the SSW wind gradually but steadily increased through the day becoming a strong force 6-7 by the afternoon; some good coverage produced some improved counts from across the island including 7 Red-throated Divers, 2 Great-northern Divers, 5 Herons, single Whooper Swan and Pink-footed Goose with 1,055 Greylag Geese, 420 Wigeon, 5 Gadwall, 129 Teal, 45 Mallard, 11 Pintail, 20 Long-tailed Ducks, 11 Red-breasted Mergansers, 124 Ringed Plover, 261 Golden Plover, 101 Lapwing, 8 Knot, 84 Sanderling, 40 Purple Sandpipers, 68 Dunlin, 92 Snipe, 28 Bar-tailed Godwits, 66 Curlew, 101 Redshank, 172 Turnstone, a Black-headed Gull, 177 Common Gulls and 155 Great Black-backed Gulls.

                It was quieter on the land but birds did include 16 Skylark, 6 Meadow Pipits, 21 Rock Pipits, a White Wagtail on the beach at Howar (the first alba Wagtail of any denomination since 29^th October), a Robin, 92 Fieldfare, a Song Thrush, 102 Redwing, a Goldcrest, 11 Chaffinches, 82 Twite, 32 Snow Buntings and 8 Reed Buntings.

Merlin

NORTH RONALDSAY - 14th November

Limited coverage through the day which was a bit damp and dreary with a moderate SW wind and little spells of drizzle every so often; the day’s highlight consisted of a Black Redstart at the Kirk and a notable increase to 87 Twite.   Other totals through the day included 5 Red-throated Divers, a Great-northern Diver, 2 Heron, the Barnacle Goose, the Green-winged Teal still on Gretchen, 12 Pintail, a Hen Harrier, a Kestrel, 2 Merlin, 6 Skylarks, 7 Rock Pipits, 2 Robins, 2 Song Thrush, a Chiffchaff (one of the summering birds from Holland still here!), 6 Chaffinches, a Linnet and a Snow Bunting.

Wigeon

Twite

NORTH RONALDSAY - 13th November

Fine weather again being almost flat calm at first light so I opened the nets at Holland which produced 4 Blackcaps, 2 Robins and a Woodcock while 2 Greenfinches and a Common Redpoll came out of roost.   A walk round the northern census route was then quiet albeit pleasant in the sunny conditions as birds of note just included the male Hen Harrier, 2 Jack Snipe, 7 Red-throated Divers, 14 Pintail, 10 Gadwall, 140 Wigeon, a Merlin and 10 Twite heading south.

Gadwall

NORTH RONALDSAY - 12th November

Another lovely day with light to moderate southerly winds and lots of bright, unbroken sunshine; it was very pleasant out in the field but there were few new birds with raptors the highlight in the fine weather comprising 3 Hen Harriers (a near-adult male and two first years), a young male Peregrine, a Kestrel and a Merlin all being seen on multiple occasions as they dashed around while the main oddity was a late Sooty Shearwater close in off The Links.

                Other totals through the day with time spent around The Obs, Hooking and Brides census routes included 9 Red-throated Diver, 4 Herons, 6 Whooper Swans (a family party of five south and the lone bird still on Gretchen – which may be unable to fly), the 5 Pink-footed Geese, 275 Wigeon, 12 Gadwall, 6 Pintail, 18 Tufted Ducks, 18 Long-tailed Duck, 5 Red-breasted Mergansers, a single Ruff in fields near Holland, a Woodcock, 18 Bar-tailed Godwits, 14 Skylark, 10 Meadow Pipits, 8 Rock Pipit, a Robin, 4 Chaffinch, a Brambling, a Greenfinch, 4 Linnets, a notably increased 60 Twite (with several flocks seen heading south), 4 Common Redpolls, 2 Snow Bunting and 4 Reed Buntings.

Hen Harrier

Peregrine

NORTH RONALDSAY - 11th November

A lovely day with light SSE winds and plenty of bright sunshine; a walk round the south end of the island first thing produced the usual array of birds including 16 Red-throated Divers, 3 Great-northern Divers, single Whooper Swan, Pink-footed Goose and Barnacle Goose with the Greylags, the Green-winged Teal on Gretchen, 3 Pintail, a Kestrel, 9 Meadow Pipits (including seven out to the south), a Chiffchaff, 9 Chaffinches, a Brambling, 36 Twite and 15 Snow Buntings.   After the Remembrance ceremony at the Memorial birds seen during a walk round Lenswick and Westness comprised 5 Herons, a Hen Harrier, a Jack Snipe, 14 Skylark, 16 Rock Pipits, another Brambling and 4 Reed Buntings.

                It was very calm by the evening so I opened the nets at Holland where a surprising selection of new birds included a Long-eared Owl, a Woodpigeon (a very young one with no neck patch), a Woodcock, 3 Robins, 3 Blackcap and a Greenfinch.

Woodcock

Goldcrest

Blackcap

NORTH RONALDSAY - 10th November

A much better day with far lighter SSE winds and the sun coming out in the afternoon; walked round the north and south ends of the island and managed to open some nets at Holland in the evening, there was a good selection of birds but nothing really new; totals included 7 Red-throated Divers, a Great-northern Diver, 4 Herons, a Whooper Swan, the 5 Pink-footed Geese and the Barnacle Goose with 822 Greylags, 14 Gadwall, the Green-winged Teal on Gretchen, 8 Pintail, a drake Goldeneye at Brides, 2 Hen Harriers, single Sparrowhawk and Kestrel, a Jack Snipe, 5 Woodcock, 2 Black-headed Gulls, 285 Herring Gulls (big flock at the top end again), 6 Skylark, 2 Robins, 86 Blackbird, 187 Fieldfare, 4 Song Thrush, 223 Redwing, a lingering Chiffchaff in Holland where there was also a Goldcrest, 8 Chaffinch, a Brambling, 30 Twite, 2 Common Redpoll and 21 Snow Buntings.

Green-winged Teal

Kestrel

NORTH RONALDSAY - 9th November

A difficult day with a blazing force 8 SSE wind but I walked around Hooking and Brides, concentrating on the coast at high tide (with a little look up at Bewan later as well) and the main feature was a good build-up of Gulls in the stormy weather including a smart 3cy Kumlien’s Gull feeding in the surf at Brides (not an age I’m very familiar with) in amongst totals of 190 Common Gulls, 516 Herring Gulls and 270 Great Black-backed Gulls.

                Other birds included a Red-throated Diver, 2 Great-northern Divers, the Barnacle Goose (which has a white darvic ring – YUB was ringed on Islay in 2013), 14 Long-tailed Ducks, 5 Red-breasted Mergansers, a Hen Harrier, 2 Merlin, increased totals of 138 Ringed Plover and 45 Dunlin with big flocks on The Links, a Jack Snipe, 2 Black-headed Gulls, 11 Rock Pipits, a Robin, 62 Fieldfare, 95 Redwing, a Jackdaw by the lighthouse, a single Common Redpoll at Holland and 7 Snow Buntings.

Kumlien's Gull

Barnacle Goose

NORTH RONALDSAY - 8th November

A much nicer day with lighter SE winds and plenty of bright, unbroken sunshine; unfortunately, due to other commitments (drinking in Kirkwall!) coverage was limited to the afternoon and just around the Obs and Holland but included a Whooper Swan, 5 Pink-footed Geese with the Greylags, the Green-winged Teal still on Gretchen where there was also a drake Goldeneye (only the second of the autumn), single Hen Harrier, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and Merlin, 2 Ruff in fields near Holland – first ones since mid-October and only the fourth November record, 4 Woodcock, a Black-headed Gull, 3 Meadow Pipits, 35 Blackbirds (including a Danish control bird trapped at Holland at dusk), 42 Fieldfare, 2 Song Thrush, 55 Redwing, 2 Blackcaps, a Chiffchaff, 6 Chaffinches, a Brambling, 35 Twite and a Common Redpoll.

Ruff

Goldeneye

NORTH RONALDSAY - 7th November

More promising conditions through the day as we kept the strong SE winds and combined it with low cloud, murk and a few drops of rain (where were these conditions a month ago?!); there was a small selection of new birds across the island including a decent arrival of Thrushes as totals included 2 Hen Harriers, a Kestrel, 2 Merlin (including a new adult male), 5 Woodcock, 5 Meadow Pipits,4 Rock Pipits, 5 Robins, 80 Blackbird, 257 Fieldfare, 4 Song Thrush, 177 Redwing, a Blackcap, 2 Jackdaws, 6 Chaffinches, 3 Linnets, 42 Twite, 19 Common Redpolls and 28 Snow Buntings.

                Other counts of note comprised 2 Red-throated Divers, 2 Great-northern Divers, 5 Herons, 2 Whooper Swans, the Barnacle Goose, 253 Wigeon, 8 Gadwall, 160 Teal, 80 Mallard, 15 Pintail, 9 Shoveler, 16 Tufted Duck and 5 Red-breasted Mergansers.

Woodcock