NORTH RONALDSAY - 29th January

A lovely day, still chilly but light SW winds and plenty of bright sunshine; a walk round the south of the island produced an immature Mute Swan which flew out south, the 2 Pink-footed Geese still, a Shelduck, 9 Shoveler, the Water Rail still in Holland, 273 Golden Plover, 22 Skylark, a Meadow Pipit, 45+ Twite, 2 Common Redpolls and 82 Snow Buntings.   Birds seen during a drive around the lochs in the afternoon then comprised an increase to 6 Black-tailed Godwits on Brides, 26 Bar-tailed Godwits (presumably the wintering flock but they haven’t been seen this year yet), 4 Ruff in fields by Southness, 11 Pintail, 4 Goldeneye, 2 Hen Harriers and another 22 Snow Buntings at Bewan creating a year’s high count of 104.

Snow Buntings