NORTH RONALDSAY - 9th July

Another good day in the field; it started out calm and sunny but the easterly breeze picked up through the day and it clouded over by lunchtime with light rain by the evening.   It felt promising with the easterly winds (almost like autumn!) and there were some good highlights comprising a skulky Marsh Warbler found at the Obs, a female Common Crossbill at Ancum Willows in the evening (not the Loxia we were looking for but a nice year tick none-the-less) and the 4 Red-necked Phalaropes still on Bewan.   Other birds of note included 8 Manx Shearwaters off the Lighthouse, a Heron, a further increase to 228 Golden Plover, 13 Sanderling, 6 Purple Sandpipers, 117 Turnstone and single Woodpigeon and Collared Dove.   Also seen were a Hummingbird Hawkmoth at Holland House and a medium sized Basking Shark off the Lighthouse in the evening to round off a great day.

Crossbill

Juvenile Wheatear

Arctic Skua

Linnet

Clouded Bordered Brindle