NORTH RONALDSAY - 3rd April

A shocker of a day with a blazing strong northerly wind gradually swinging round into the NE bringing heavy, driving, stinging rain pretty much throughout, the rain became more intermittent from mid-afternoon allowing a few new birds to emerge; there was a scattering of migrants evident by the end of the day including a Long-eared Owl on the coast at The Lurn and Siskin and Dunnock at the Obs – all new for the year, along with a Heron in off, 2 Woodpigeons, 5 Robins, a male Stonechat in Loch Park, 3 Wheatears, 2 Song Thrushes, 6 Redwing, a Chiffchaff and a Chaffinch.

                Other birds of note comprised 7 Great-northern Divers, 3 Pink-footed Geese, the drake Green-winged Teal, 5 Long-tailed Duck, 13 Red-breasted Mergansers, a Hen Harrier and a Snow Bunting still.

Dunnock