Friday, 26 April 2019

NORTH RONALDSAY - 22nd April

Wall to wall sunshine and a brisk SE wind; there wasn’t too much around but there were a few year ticks with a Tree Pipit behind T4, an Arctic Skua back on Torness (a pale phase bird, possibly one of the breeding birds), a Short-eared Owl at Nether Linney – long overdue and three Common Scoters past the Lighthouse in the afternoon.   Migrant totals from the Obs and up the west coast included a Sparrowhawk, 6 Sandwich Terns, 3 Woodpigeons, 12+ Swallows, 21 Robins, the female Stonechat still at Trebb, an increased 80+ Wheatears, a Fieldfare, a Song Thrush, 2 Redwing, a Blackcap, 7 Chiffchaff, 3 Willow Warblers, a Rook, 5 Carrion Crows, a Chaffinch, 3 Brambling and a Goldfinch.

                A little drive round in the afternoon produced a brilliant total of 65 Sand Martins (40 on Brides and 25 on Hooking) – only just short of the island record count, a Whimbrel by the Lighthouse and an increased 450+ Black-headed Gulls back on Hooking.



Short-eared Owl

Woodpigeon in off



Arctic Skua

Wheatear

Fulmars

Shags

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