NORTH RONALDSAY - 17th May

Yet another gorgeous day, very calm with just a hint of an easterly breeze and wall to wall sunshine; the random, unexpected highlight of the day came at dinner time, when a cracking male EASTERN SUBALPINE WARBLER flew into the bar through an open door and was easily caught against the window!   There were plenty of other good birds around as well to create an excellent day in the field with an Osprey which circled the Obs before heading south and a great trip of 5 Dotterel in fields behind Burray.

                Other migrant totals included a drake Pintail on Gretchen (the first one for two weeks), 2 Garganey, single Sparrowhawk and Kestrel, 2 Golden Plover, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Whimbrel, a Greenshank, a Collared Dove, a Tree Pipit, a Rock Pipit (the first one since 25^th April), a Whinchat, 10 Sedge Warblers (including seven singing males), 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Whitethroats, 3 Chiffchaff, 4 Willow Warblers and the three Tree Sparrows still at the Obs.

Eastern Subalpine Warbler

Osprey

Bar-tailed Godwits

Black-tailed Godwit