NORTH RONALDSAY - 16th April

Yet again bright and breezy but the strong SE wind felt a touch warmer than of late – or maybe that was just wishful thinking however, there was a spread of new migrant arrivals across the island; my highlights were the first Redstart of the year – a male at Westbeach (the earliest ever island record by five days) and my first Black Redstart of the year – a female-type on Torness.   My other totals up the west coast included 2 Bonxies, 4 Sandwich Terns, 2 Dunnocks, 15 Robins, 10 Wheatears, a Redwing, 5 Chiffchaff, a Jackdaw, a Common Redpoll and 4 Snow Buntings – including a couple of stunning looking summer males.

                Also of note were 8 Shelduck, 2 Pintail, 2 Long-tailed Ducks, a drake Goldeneye still on Brides, 7 Red-breasted Mergansers and 9 Bar-tailed Godwits.

Black Redstart

Redstart

Snow Bunting