NORTH RONALDSAY - 1st October

A tough day in the field with a brisk, cold NNW wind bringing a few sharp little showers sweeping across the island; there were still a couple of lingering highlights, most notably the Hornemann’s Arctic Redpoll which was re-found late in the afternoon feeding at the back of Nouster Bay with a Red-backed Shrike still around Holland.   Other birds of note seen through the day comprised 5 Red-throated Divers, 8 Sooty Shearwaters and 7 Manx Shearwaters past the Lighthouse, 4 Herons, a Pintail and 8 Shoveler new in, single Hen Harrier and Kestrel, a Black-tailed Godwit, a late Arctic Tern past the Lighthouse, a Woodpigeon, 3 Redstart, 4 Blackcaps, a Chiffchaff, a Goldcrest, a Chaffinch and 27 Snow Buntings.

Goldcrest