NORTH RONALDSAY - DNA results from 2019 (Part Two)

These are more interesting (if you like that sort of thing!).   It proved to be an unprecedented autumn for 'Eastern Lesser Whitethroats' with an estimated 17 individuals recorded between 23rd September and 18th October.   A total of eight birds were caught in this period, all of which were analysed, the results of which appear below;

NUMBER 1 - 25th September

This, confiding, dumpy looking bird was thought to be maybe not a Siberian Lesser Whitethroat (the commonest race of 'Eastern Lesser Whitethroat' but its shape was altered by it missing half its tail, with the crucial T5 missing, clouding in the field and hand ID.   It was confirmed by mtDNA as S. c. blythi or Siberian Lesser Whitethroat.

NUMBER 2 - 26th September

This bird was caught at dusk so the pictures were a bit ropey but it was confirmed as a S. c. blythi

NUMBER 3 - 28th September

Also confirmed as S. c. blythi

NUMBER 4 - 3rd October

Another fine S. c. blythi

NUMBER 5 - 4th October

Also a S. c. blythi but the only one with a big white wedge on T5 and very bright, white T6

NUMBER 6 - also 4th October

Another S. c. blythi

NUMBER 7 - 17th October

This one was a bit of a surprise, when caught I thought it was 'just' another S. c. blythi but photos do suggest a bluer head, slightly less browny back and longer winged (wing length was slightly longer than the other blythi trapped).   Photos though, can be misleading, often accentuating the dark mask and especially in strong light, changing the mantle tones so, despite my thoughts in the hand at the time, this bird came back as a late, nominate S. c. curruca.

NUMBER 8 - 18th October

Similar to the previous bird in that when I caught it I was leaning towards it being Eastern (I was perhaps swayed by the date) but in photos, with the blue head, grey/blue mantle it looks an obvious S. c. curruca which is exactly what it came back as - it wasn't that obvious in the hand with your naked eye though!

NORTH RONALDSAY - 18th October

Still good, pleasant conditions with the ENE wind slightly increased and picking up towards the evening; numbers of common migrants were again reduced as the clear conditions overnight encouraged lots of birds to head off.   There were some new things to be found but we’re still feeling a bit hard-done-by with our lack of a bit of quality in our log; totals included 11 Red-throated Divers, 3 Great-northern Divers, 6 Long-tailed Ducks, 9 Red-breasted Mergansers, 2 Hen Harriers, 3 Merlin, a big female Peregrine, a Woodcock, 2 alba Wagtails, 91 Robins, a Black Redstart, a Redstart, 2 Wheatears, 27 Fieldfare, 110 Song Thrush, 700 Redwings, a Mistle Thrush, yet another Eastern Lesser Whitethroat caught in Holland (that’s eight we’ve caught now this autumn!), 11 Blackcap, 18 Chiffchaff, yesterday’s Siberian Chiffchaff still, 7 Goldcrest, 73 Brambling, 9 Siskin, 7 Common Redpoll, the Hornemann’s Arctic Redpoll re-trapped at roost in Holland, now 2 Hawfinches (the long-staying male and a new female at the Obs), 7 Snow Buntings and 1-2 Yellowhammers with birds seen at Ancum and Nether Linney – new for the year.

Eastern Lesser Whitethroat

NORTH RONALDSAY - 7th October

A very windy start giving way to an apocalyptic few hours, late morning when the wind picked up and brought heavy, driving rain confining everyone back in the Obs but it brightened up in the afternoon and the still very strong wind moved from the SE into the south.   Most of the day’s sightings came in the afternoon and included the Hornemann’s Arctic Redpoll again up by Nether Linney and the Great Grey Shrike sheltering in Holland.   The nice range of other birds comprised 6 Herons, 6 Jack Snipe, a Black-tailed Godwit, a Woodpigeon, 4 Short-eared Owls, 16 Rock Pipits, 5 Grey Wagtails, a Dunnock, 30 Robins, a Redstart, 3 Wheatears, 2 Ring Ouzels, 13 Fieldfare, 60 Song Thrush, 277 Redwing, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Blackcap, 4 Chiffchaffs, 15 Goldcrest, 2 Chaffinches, 4 Brambling, 2 Common Redpoll, 2 Lapland Buntings and 25 Snow Buntings.

Yellow-browed Warbler

Short-eared Owl

Song Thrush

Redwing

Siberian Lesser Whitethroat (probably)

NORTH RONALDSAY - 27th September

A wonderful day after yesterday’s blitzkrieg, light ESE winds and some spells of sunshine with some brilliant migrant totals, probably made up of new arrivals and birds emerging from under whatever stone they had been hiding and enhanced by some increased coverage.   Scarcities comprised an excellent total of 16 Yellow-browed Warblers, 2 Red-breasted Flycatchers (Holland and Doo Geo), the Barred Warbler again in the north and presumably yesterday’s Red-backed Shrike moving over to Hooking.   The rest of the counts consisted of 5 Herons, 40 Barnacle Geese, 2 Hen Harriers, a Sparrowhawk, 4 Kestrels, single Grey Plover, Little Stint and Ruff, 2 Jack Snipe, 3 Woodpigeons, a Short-eared Owl, 10 Tree Pipits, 380 Meadow Pipits, 9 Rock Pipits, 3 Dunnocks (the first of the year), 89 Robins, 19 Redstarts, 3 Whinchats, 84 Wheatears, 4 Fieldfares, 190 Song Thrush, 83 Redwing, 6 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Whitethroats, 18 Blackcap, 29 Chiffchaff, 11 Willow Warblers, 6 Goldcrest, 4 Spotted Flycatchers, 3 Pied Flycatchers, 13 Chaffinches, 3 Lapland Buntings, a Snow Bunting and 18 Reed Buntings.

Whitethroat

Another eastern Lesser Whitethroat; a very different feeling bird to the last one with a longer P2, probably a more typical blythi

NORTH RONALDSAY - 25th September

Same again, with the strong and blustery ESE wind bringing spells of drizzle and low cloud across the island but today (compared to yesterday) was slightly clearer, slightly drier and slightly windier.   Most species experienced increases with today’s scarcities including 3 Red-breasted Flycatchers (the Holland bird, the Westness bird and a new bird at Doo Geo) and 5 Yellow-browed Warblers – mainly up the west coast.   The excellent spread of common migrants included 4 Herons, 75 Barnacle Geese, 2 Hen Harriers, 2 Sparrowhawks, 4 Kestrels, a Grey Plover, a Little Stint on Westbeach, the first Jack Snipe of the autumn, 115 Snipe, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (including a Baltic-looking juvenile), a late Swift over the Obs, 11 Swallows, 40 Skylarks, 190 Meadow Pipits, 3 Rock Pipits, 6 Robins, an excellent 21 Redstarts, 3 Whinchats, 40 Wheatears, 2 Fieldfares, 133 Song Thrushes, 47 Redwing, 3 Lesser Whitethroats (all probably eastern in origin), 2 Blackcap, 10 Chiffchaff, a Willow Warbler, 7 Goldcrest, a Chaffinch, 4 Lapland Buntings and a Snow Bunting.

Yellow-browed Warbler

Very slim, small, dark, pointed 1cy Lesser Black-backed Gull looking good for fuscus but....

Interesting Lesser Whitethroat, obviously an eastern bird but the tail pattern, dumpiness and very short P2 suggested something a bit better than blythi....we'll see when the DNA comes back

NORTH RONALDSAY - 15th October

Nice again through the day with light winds and some sunshine; the Brides census route was good with plenty of common migrants but little in the way of new arrivals with the exception of a smart Siberian Lesser Whitethroat near Stennabreck (an eastern race Lesser Whitethroat anyway, probably blythii).   Other migrant totals included a Hen Harrier, a Kestrel, a Short-eared Owl, 30 Skylark, 10 Wheatears, 7 Rock Pipits, 6 Robins, 15 Song Thrush, 122 Redwing, 4 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 17 Chaffinches, 10 Brambling, 23 Twite (Kirbest), 21 Reed Buntings, 9 Snow Buntings and most noteworthy, 4 Yellowhammers in Kirbest.   Other birds in the area included 7 Whooper Swans south, 21 Pink-footed Geese (plus another 35 south), 6 Red-throated Divers offshore, a Long-tailed Duck, 4 Red-breasted Mergansers and 2 Jack Snipe.

                There were another 14 Whooper Swans on Gretchen and 8 Greenfinches flew south (been a much better year for them) before another go at Ancum Willows produced fewer birds than yesterday but a few Bramblings and Chaffinches came in to roost along with another Yellowhammer while the Great Grey Shrike was still around, as was another Hen Harrier and another Short-eared Owl.   A Long-eared Owl was caught in Holland last thing.

Siberian Lesser Whitethroat

Yellowhammers

Twite

Whooper Swans