NORTH RONALDSAY - 17th July

Still very windy but largely dry with only a couple of drizzly spells; a walk round the Obs census route in the morning produced the Black-throated Diver still in the bay and the 5 Red-necked Phalaropes still on Gretchen with the two juvenile Garganey, 4 Shoveler and 27 Dunlin.   There were then 160 Dunlin, 6 Knot, 16 Ringed Plover, 20 Turnstone and 35 Redshank at Westness before we all went back up to Bewan to get more views of the White-winged Black Tern roosting on the rocks at Bewan with the huge flock 5,000+ Arctic Terns.

                Another look at Gretchen mid-afternoon produced a Swift flying low across the loch with 12 Sand Martins and two nice summer plumaged Knot with the Dunlin flock before the White-winged Black Tern appeared out of nowhere to try and roost with the Arctic Terns but they weren’t impressed and chased it off a few times!   It did rest for 20 minutes before heading off towards Nouster.

White-winged Black Tern at Gretchen

Black Guillemot

NORTH RONALDSAY - 16th July

A windy morning gradually increasing to a very windy afternoon with some really nasty, heavy showers sweeping through; went up to Bewan first thing and finally (after two previous attempts) connected with the stunning adult summer WHITE-WINGED BLACK TERN roosting on the rocks by the Beacon with 4,000+ Arctic Terns - it was seen briefly a week ago and equally briefly last night and was only around for a short period this morning but there are thousands of Arctic Terns all over the place so it’s hard to check every flock!

                The cut fields up the island were also full of birds including 750+ Golden Plover, 459 Oystercatchers, 17 Bar-tailed Godwit and 60+ Curlew.   Didn’t really do much else until late afternoon when Gretchen was very productive as birds of note comprised the 5 Red-necked Phalaropes still, the two juvenile Garganey, an influx of 104 Dunlin and 30 Redshank, 4 Shoveler, 4 Sanderling and single Knot and Bar-tailed Godwit.

White-winged Black Tern on the rocks at Bewan

Arctic Skuas still chasing Tysties

Garganey

Shelduck

Redshank