NORTH RONALDSAY - 9th June

A largely horrible day with driving rain and then drizzle not dying out until late afternoon, I still walked the middle census route in the afternoon though with a few things of note including 2 Quail – one flushed from Waterhouse and another singing near Breck, the male Ortolan Bunting again near Ancum Willows, a female Red-backed Shrike at Ancum House, a female Garganey on Ancum Loch, a Spotted Flycatcher and a few waders at Westness comprising single Grey Plover and Bar-tailed Godwit, 6 Knot, 22 Dunlin and 60 Sanderling.

 Ortolan Bunting

9th May

A lovely, flat calm start but it wasn’t long before a cold, strong easterly wind started picking up; it was a decent few hours in the nets before the wind spoiled things as we caught 36 new birds including a smart Wood Warbler, 2 Twite, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, 14 Willow Warblers, a Whitethroat and a Redstart, we didn’t have much time to look at the sea but the adult White-tailed Eagle flew south.

                As we were closing the nets I got a call and was soon marching out to Vatnemarka to get great views of a cracking STONE CURLEW crouching at the edge of a ploughed field (a real quality Norwegian rarity - the last one here was in 1999!) and while we were standing there an excellent flock of 14 Dotterel whizzed past and 4 Rooks were feeding with some Hoodies.   The sheltered side of Lebeltet was quieter than I would have expected in the afternoon but it was very windy with frequent spells of rain by this stage as migrant totals included the singing Wryneck again, 5 Tree Pipits, 4 Redstarts, 6 Whinchats, 4 Lesser Whitethroats, 3 Whitethroats, 4 Blackcaps, 12 Willow Warblers, 3 Pied Flycatchers and a Kestrel which looked like it just came in.

                A look at Vågsvollvåien late afternoon produced a Grey Plover (the first of the year), 11 Whimbrel, 4 Common Sandpipers, 5 Wigeon and drake Gadwall and Shoveler.    The day wasn’t over though as two cracking Ortolan Buntings were found just inside Lebeltet and showed well late evening (another Norwegian tick!).

 

Stone Curlew record shot

Ortolan Bunting record shot

Odd female Redstart trapped with funny black marks around her throat