NORTH RONALDSAY - 13th October

Another lovely, calm day, largely bright and dry but with a few spots of rain to give us some hope of something dropping in but unfortunately, we couldn’t compete with next door!   Birds unearthed included the regularly returning drake Green-winged Teal back on Gretchen (or rather he has finally moulted enough for us to be sure its him, its probably been here for a while already), a big influx of 82+ Tufted Ducks on Brides in amongst which was a single Scaup, 2 Hen Harriers, a Merlin, a Ruff, an arrival of 14+ Black-tailed Godwits, a Short-eared Owl, a Grey Wagtail, 17 Robins, 7 Fieldfare, 110 Redwing, the Eastern Lesser Whitethroat still at Holland, 4 Blackcap, a Yellow-browed Warbler on the coast by Gretchen (first one since the 6th), 5 Chiffchaff, 5 Goldcrest, a/the Red-backed Shrike at Barrenha – it’s unclear whether it was a new bird or the long-staying individual last seen in that area on the 6th, 3 Chaffinches, 3 Brambling, the first 2 Greenfinches of the autumn, 3 Common Redpolls, the Hornemann’s Arctic Redpoll re-trapped in Holland, a Lapland Bunting and 22 Snow Buntings.

Yellow-browed Warbler

Short-eared Owl

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 - 28th September

Another brilliant day in the field with light NNE winds and varying cloud cover plus a few drizzly spells to make things feel exciting, there were perhaps fewer birds than yesterday (a clear night with a good Northern Lights display accounted for that) but with a notable influx of birders and ringers, the totals sometimes didn’t reflect that!   Today’s highlights included a male Grey-headed Wagtail which came into roost at Ancum, a Rustic Bunting (which I didn’t bother going to see!), 7 Yellow-browed Warblers, the Holland Red-breasted Flycatcher and the mobile Red-backed Shrike back on the west coast.   Other totals included 11 Red-throated Divers, 12 Herons, 104 Pink-footed Geese, 2 Hen Harriers, 2 Kestrels, a Merlin, 3 Quail still present at Kirbest (from the breeding efforts this year), 3 Ruff, 4 Jack Snipe, a Woodpigeon, 4 Short-eared Owls, another late Swift, 46 Skylarks, 10 Swallows, 5 Tree Pipits, 10 Rock Pipits, a Dunnock, 42 Robins, 18 Redstarts, 5 Whinchat, 70 Wheatears, 112 Song Thrushes, 56 Redwing, 6 Lesser Whitethroat, a Whitethroat, 2 Garden Warblers, 11 Blackcap, 11 Chiffchaff, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Pied Flycatchers, 14 Chaffinches, 10 Lapland Buntings, 16 Snow Buntings and 13 Reed Buntings.

Quail

Yellow-browed Warbler

Adult Pied Flycatcher

NORTH RONALDSAY - 26th September

Most of the day was horrible!   Driving rain and a blazing strong ESE wind but around 4pm it almost miraculously brightened up with the wind dropping off dramatically, even allowing some nets to be opened at Holland in the evening; a couple of brave souls were out most of the day though, naturally concentrating on the sheltered west coast, racking up some good totals with plenty of new birds unearthed.   Scarcities today comprised a Red-backed Shrike at Doo Geo, 4 Yellow-browed Warblers (three up the west coast and one caught in Holland in the evening) and the Holland Red-breasted Flycatcher finally getting its ring.   The rest of the totals included 7 Herons, 9 Barnacle Geese, 2 Hen Harriers, 2 Sparrowhawks, 2 Kestrels, a Merlin, a Jack Snipe, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a Woodpigeon, a Short-eared Owl, 12 Swallows, 2 Tree Pipits, 8 Rock Pipits, 28 Robins, 14 Redstarts, a Whinchat, 53 Wheatears, a Fieldfare, 76 Song Thrush, 35 Redwing, 3 Lesser Whitethroats (including another, very different eastern-type caught in Holland), a Garden Warbler, 14 Chiffchaffs, 4 Willow Warblers, 5 Goldcrest, 2 Spotted Flycatchers (the long overdue first for the autumn!), a Pied Flycatcher, 12 Chaffinches, the first Brambling of the autumn and 8 Lapland Buntings.

Red-breasted Flycatcher

Yellow-browed Warbler

Redstart

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 - 26th April

Back to our default settings of late with a brisk SE wind and plenty of bright sunshine; there were generally fewer birds around than yesterday although coverage was down.   There were still migrants around though as totals from the south of the island and up the west coast included 2 Kestrels, a Merlin, a Grey Plover, 3 Woodpigeons, a Dunnock, 20 Robins, 50 Wheatears, 3 Ring Ouzels, 8 Song Thrush, a Redwing, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Blackcaps, 15 Chiffchaffs, 11 Willow Warblers, the unseasonal Yellow-browed Warbler that was found yesterday still at Upper Linney (the first spring record for the island), a Rook and 17 Bramblings.

Lesser Whitethroat

Ring Ouzel

Kestrel

Brambling

Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs

Blackcap

Yellow-browed Warbler record shot

Merlin