NORTH RONALDSAY - 11th May

Super calm and wall to wall sunshine again although a couple of short, sharp showers overnight and in the morning probably helped drop a few migrants into the island; the obvious stand-out highlight was a brilliant SAVI’S WARBLER plucked out of a mist-net at Holland House in the morning – a first island and Orkney record!

                Other birds across the island included a drake Garganey, 5 Black-tailed Godwits, single Whimbrel and Common Sandpiper, a Long-eared Owl in Holland, 3 Robins, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warblers, 3 Carrion Crows, a Brambling, 8 Common Redpolls and a Lesser Redpoll (the first of the year).

Savi's Warbler

Long-eared Owl

Common Redpoll sunbathing

Common Sandpiper

NORTH RONALDSAY - 12th April

Still nice and calm first thing but a brisk south-easterly sprang up out of nowhere after a few hours prematurely ending the ringing at Holland; the highlights though were catching another Long-eared Owl – this time a British control and three Fieldfares along with good numbers of the usual migrants.

                Totals from round Holland and the Obs plus a walk round the northern census route included 3 Sparrowhawks (a male at Holland and two males at the north end), 4 Woodpigeons, 130 Skylarks (including a flock of 115 by the Lighthouse), 7 Dunnocks, 30 Robins, 25 Wheatears – with a much improved 22 in the north, 30 Blackbirds (quite a few new migrants), 8 Fieldfares – the first ones since 28^th March, 3 Song Thrush, 46+ Redwing, 6 Chiffchaffs, 6 Goldcrests, 2 Rooks, 3 Chaffinch, 4 Brambling, a Siskin, a Common Redpoll and 2 Reed Buntings.

Long-eared Owl

Fieldfare

NORTH RONALDSAY - 23rd November

Even lighter easterly winds through the day but there were frequent showers which persisted right through the day; opened the nets first thing where there were 4 Long-eared Owls (I caught two) and 2 Blackcaps.   Other birds around the Obs census route included the Green-winged Teal still, a Merlin, 194 Golden Plover, a Woodcock, 8 Skylark, 2 Meadow Pipits, 3 Robins, 2 Song Thrush, 10 Chaffinches, 4 Common Redpolls and an excellent 119 Twite – they helpfully lined up on a fence for me!

Long-eared Owl

Twite

NORTH RONALDSAY - 16th October

A real change in the weather with a blazing strong force 8 SW wind and some nasty little showers making things difficult out in the field; the main and slightly surprising feature of the day was a strong and prolonged southerly passage of Thrushes heading low, into the wind with thousands of Redwing and Fieldfare piling through in small flocks pretty much throughout the day.   I didn’t really go out until the afternoon but it was pretty quiet compared to recent days with presumably yesterday’s Long-eared Owl behind T1 and a Ring Ouzel in Holland the highlights along with hundreds of Redwings and Fieldfares covering all the fields around the Obs.

                Other birds in the Hooking census route included 15 Whooper Swans, 2 Long-tailed Ducks, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers, a Hen Harrier, a Merlin, a Kestrel, 48 Ringed Plover and 43 Dunlin.

Long-eared Owl

Teal

NORTH RONALDSAY - 11th October

An awesome day, the day to make all the waiting through the westerlies of the last month worth it, SE winds, low cloud, mist and murk for once made the west coast the prime location, heavy rain moved in from mid-afternoon making it unpleasant to be out and about but it was clear that birds were arriving throughout the day.   Walked up the west coast in the morning and a bit more in the afternoon until the rain moved in, my highlights included a bright Little Bunting which eventually showed well at Trebb and the first Long-eared Owl of the autumn along the wall between Trebb and Gue Park.

                I had just got back to the Obs at lunchtime when we dashed up to Senness to get brilliant views of a very smart and distinctive BLACK-EARED WHEATEAR on the tumbledown wall around the croft, it gave prolonged views letting us get great detail on the tail pattern and overall pale ground colouration – the first for North Ron and Orkney.

                My migrant totals up the coast and round the Obs comprised 7 Robins, 60 Redwing, 13 Fieldfares, 3 Song Thrush, 6 Wheatears, a Swallow, 22 Rock Pipits, my first 5 Goldcrest of the autumn, 2 Blackcap, a Willow Warblers, 13+ Brambling, 30+ Blackbirds, 36+ Snow Buntings, a Merlin and a Hen Harrier – not a huge amount but truly wonderful after the dreadful autumn so far!

Black-eared Wheatear record shots

Little Bunting

Long-eared Owl

Goldcrest

NORTH RONALDSAY - 14th May

A stunning day with hardly a cloud in the sky and a light SE breeze; the nets and surroundings were very productive first thing with the highlight being 2 Long-eared Owls caught first thing while other birds in the area included the first Spotted Flycatcher of the year in the Kirkyard, single Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat and Garden Warbler, 2 Blackcaps, 2 Sedge Warblers, 4+ Chiffchaffs, 3+ Willow Warblers, a Tree Sparrow, 2 Mealy Redpolls, 2 Siskins and 2 Collared Doves.   Yesterday’s Red-backed Shrike was still round the Obs along with a Garden Warbler and a Chiffchaff with a ring on the left leg (when trapped later it was a Dutch control).

                The Brides census route was typically quieter with a female Bluethroat at Southness (it was seen yesterday) the highlight along with 2 Whitethroats, a Garden Warbler and a Chiffchaff of note.

Long-eared Owls

Bluethroat

Arctic Tern

NORTH RONALDSAY - 31st March

A glorious day with a very light easterly breeze and plenty of bright sunshine throughout; opened the nets at Holland first thing which proved to be very eventful as I caught 3 Long-eared Owls and a Rook!   It was also clear that there were plenty of birds around with 4 Woodcock, 20+ Robins, 3 Woodpigeons, a Brambling, a Chaffinch and good numbers of Thrushes around the garden.

                Walked the northern census route late morning with the main feature being an excellent total of 63 Robins scattered around; other birds included 2 Black Redstarts, 11 Song Thrushes, 2 Rooks, 50 Fieldfares, 60 Blackbirds, 12 Rock Pipits including another littoralis bird, 9 Pied Wagtails, 3 Woodcock, 3 Chaffinches, 15 Twite, a Ruff and a Grey Plover.   The first Chiffchaff of the year was around the Obs in the afternoon.

Long-eared Owls

Rook

NORTH RONALDSAY - 20th October

An awesome autumn day with a light easterly bringing with it mist and murk which drifted in and out through the day; opened the nets for a while in the morning and caught a Long-eared Owl (two were roosting in the bottom Sycamores) and a Woodcock in amongst plenty of Blackbirds, Song Thrushes, Redwings, Robins etc.

                I then went up and did the northern census route where there were thousands of birds all over the place – fantastic birding!   The highlight was finding a cracking PALLAS’S WARBLER in the garden at Bewan House which showed brilliantly while other highlights included great views of the long staying Bluethroat at Sandback, at least 12 Ring Ouzels, a Black Redstart and an Eastern Lesser Whitethroat; migrant totals comprised 1,785 Redwings, 102 Song Thrushes, 186 Blackbirds, 94 Robins, 18 Goldcrests, 21 Bramblings, 9 Chiffchaffs, 2 Mistle Thrushes, 24 Fieldfares, 4 Blackcaps, 2 Woodpigeons, 3 Mealy Redpolls, 6 Chaffinches, a Yellowhammer, a Wheatear, 7 Snow Buntings, 2 Woodcock, 3 Jack Snipe, 2 Pintail, 45 Teal, 70 Wigeon and a late Arctic Tern.

                There were thousands of birds elsewhere but the highlight was a flighty Great Grey Shrike at Ancum but it didn’t really allow close approach.

Long-eared Owl

Pallas's Warbler

More Whooper Swan action from Ancum

Brambling