NORTH RONALDSAY - 24th - 26th June

Again, mixed weather but the general airflow was a chilly NW with the odd shower but also a few sunny spells allowing us to get out and do some breeding bird monitoring; it was predictably quiet for migrants although more and more returning waders are starting to appear now and included an influx of 77 Golden Plover along with increased totals of 105 Lapwing and 60 Redshank in their traditional late-summer fields around Hooking.   Other birds included a Red-throated Diver, 2 Great-northern Divers, the two Barnacle Geese still, the first flock of returning Wigeon with seven drakes at Hooking on the 26th, 5 Black-tailed Godwits, two Red-necked Phalaropes which appeared on Gretchen on the 26th, further increases in non-breeding Arctic Terns with 175 1st summer birds counted on the 26th and 2 Chiffchaffs, a Robin and a Blackcap in Holland also on the 26th.

Red-necked Phalaropes

Arctic Terns seeing off a Great Black-back

1st summer Arctic Tern

NORTH RONALDSAY - 21st - 23rd June

Mixed weather over these few days but some good extended spells of bright, warm sunshine allowed us to get out and about into some tern colonies to get some accurate counts of nests with massive variability in the success of different sites within the island.   The Gretchen and Sangar colonies seem to be spiralling into failure (the Sangar colony was the most successful last year) – a spell of bad weather hit right when they were hatching but the Foghorn, North Links and Gue Park colonies, perhaps slightly behind, are doing well and maybe attracting some second attempts, adding to the protection of the colony.   Migrants of note included a Great-northern Diver, a Heron, the Whooper Swan still, two new Barnacle Geese at the north end, c50 Knot still around Trolla / Bewan, up to 9 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Whimbrel, non / post-breeding flocks of Arctic Terns and Kittiwakes starting to build-up on the rocks at Bewan which included an adult Common Tern on the 22nd – the first of the year, up to 3 Woodpigeons and 2 Collared Doves at Holland and a Common Redpoll at the Obs on the 23rd.

Hooded Crow seeing off a Bonxie

Ringed Plover nest

Arctic Tern chick

NORTH RONALDSAY - 20th June

Sunny, cloudy, breezy and showery through the day complicating efforts in breeding bird monitoring; there were actually a few new migrants scattered around the island highlighted by a tired looking Turtle Dove, sheltering under a dyke on the coast at Brides – the first one since 2016.   Other birds included a Great-northern Diver, 3 Herons (including two new juveniles from somewhere), the Whooper Swan, 3 Common Scoter past the Lighthouse, 3 Red-breasted Mergansers, 75 Lapwings (post-breeding flocks starting to build-up), 2 Black-tailed Godwits, a Cuckoo by Parkhouse – only the second of the year, 3 House Martins and a Spotted Flycatcher.

Turtle Dove

Arctic Tern chick

Black-headed Gull chick

NORTH RONALDSAY - 19th June

A nice, bright day with plenty of sunshine and a variable but light breeze dropping off to virtually nothing by the evening; the day’s bird highlights were 2 Quail, one flushed from underneath the bar window at the Obs and another which randomly flew along the beach at Brides as we had just finished tracking down the Great Black-backed Gull chicks around the loch – we were getting worried that we wouldn’t get it on our year list!  

                Other birds included the Whooper Swan still, the Corncrake still, a Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Whimbrel, a Woodpigeon, 2 Collared Doves, 2 singing Lesser Whitethroats – at Ancum Willows and Sangar and a Common Redpoll at Holland.

Swallow

Wren

Black Guillemot

NORTH RONALDSAY - 18th June

The odd little shower in the morning and a brisk southerly wind but largely it was a pleasant day with some bright sunshine in the afternoon; bits and pieces through the day included single Great-northern and Red-throated Divers, the Heron, a Sparrowhawk south over the Obs (scarce in June!), 32 Golden Plover (the first little influx of returning birds), 3 Sandwich Terns milling around Hooking but not showing any signs of breeding activity, a Little Tern in Nouster still, a Collared Dove and a House Martin.

Eiders

NORTH RONALDSAY - 17th June

A showery morning followed by a nice sunny afternoon with a light SW breeze; the North Ronaldsay Island Conference took up a large part of the day but as always there was time enough to get out in the field with the recent spell of south-easterlies resulting in a handful of new migrants.   Birds of note included 2 Great-northern Divers, an influx of 21 Black-tailed Godwits, the 2 Little Terns still in Nouster, 2 Woodpigeons, 2 Collared Doves, a House Martin and 2 Spotted Flycatchers (at Holland and Upper Linney).   The Butterfly influx continued as well with minimum counts comprising 40 Red Admirals and 75 Painted Ladies.

Bouncing Twite

Wheatear

Sheep not respecting the terns

NORTH RONALDSAY - 16th June

A day of mixed weather, starting off bright and sunny with a light easterly breeze, followed by a band of light drizzle before reverting back to bright and sunny with the wind switching into the SW with yet another band of rain early evening but settling down into another picture postcard evening.    As befits the time of year our focus is on the breeding birds but as events 49 Km to the NE prove anything is possible but try as we might we couldn’t produce many migrants.

Birds of note did include the Heron, a female Garganey on Garso, a returning flock of 13 Black-tailed Godwits, a Whimbrel and a Collared Dove.   A further influx of 60+ Painted Ladies and 25+ Red Admirals with a steady southbound movement was the best migration spectacle on offer.

                

Ringed Plover

Pied Wagtail