NORTH RONALDSAY - 22nd September

A real autumnal feeling day with low cloud / fog throughout, grounding all flights brought in by a brisk SE wind; there was a good selection of new birds but they were spread far and wide making us work for our birds, the highlights consisted of the first 2 Yellow-browed Warblers of the autumn along the coast at Grind, the first Red-breasted Flycatcher of the year at Holland, the first Snow Bunting of the autumn at the Lighthouse and the Barred Warbler still at Quoybanks / Neven.   Other birds included 6 Red-throated Divers, 2 Hen Harriers, 2 Peregrines, 5 Rock Pipits, 30 Wheatears, a Fieldfare, a Garden Warbler, 3 Blackcap, 3 Willow Warblers, a Chiffchaff, a Goldcrest and 2 Lapland Buntings.

Hen Harrier

NORTH RONALDSAY - 21st September

Clear and sunny throughout the day with a strong SSE wind making it a bit tricky in the field; it was quiet for new birds but things of note did include single Red-throated and Great-northern Divers, 3 Herons, 4 Pink-footed Geese, a Merlin, the Barred Warbler still at Quoybanks, a Blackcap, 3 Willow Warblers, 2 Goldcrest, a Pied Flycatcher, a Common Redpoll at Kirbest and a Lapland Bunting.

Chiffchaff

NORTH RONALDSAY - 20th September

A lovely, calm, sunny, warm day with light winds which eventually swung round into the SE building up the anticipation for the week to come; there were a few highlights with the Marsh Warbler still at Ancum Willows and a Barred Warbler at Quoybanks, possibly the bird last seen on the 10th or possibly not.   Other birds on the land included the overdue first Tree Pipit of the autumn at Holland (we still haven’t had Redstart, Spotted Flycatcher or House Martin yet either but hopefully this coming week will remedy that!), 247 Meadow Pipits, 3 Rock Pipits, 37 Wheatears, a Blackcap, the first migrant Chiffchaff of the autumn, 5 Willow Warblers, a Goldcrest and a Lapland Bunting.   Eight Pink-footed Geese were in fields by Brides and two each of Hen Harrier and Peregrine floated and zoomed around respectively.

Bonxie

Fighting Ravens

NORTH RONALDSAY - 19th September

A drizzly, mizzly start but it began to brighten up from mid-morning with the drizzly spells shortening and becoming less frequent through the afternoon.   The day’s highlight was a lovely adult Long-tailed Skua which performed wonderfully in front of the seawatch hide before settling on the rocks for a few hours while offshore were 3 Red-throated Divers, 2 Great-northern Divers, 31 Sooty Shearwaters, 16 Manx Shearwaters and 5 Arctic Skuas.   Elsewhere it was pretty quiet with 2 Herons, an increase to 137 Wigeon, a Peregrine and 21 Bar-tailed Godwits.

Long-tailed Skua

NORTH RONALDSAY - 18th September

Wondrously, blessedly calm all day with long spells of bright, warm sunshine and a light breeze generally somewhere in the easterly quadrant – heaven after the last week!   As often happens after a big blow, the seawatching was brilliant but I didn’t partake and tramped round the land.   It was pretty quiet but there were certainly highlights as I found a Marsh Warbler at Ancum Willows plus 4 Herons, 2 Hen Harriers, 2 Merlins, a Kestrel, 9 Rock Pipits, 4 Whinchats, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 5 Willow Warblers, 2 Goldcrest and 5 Lapland Buntings.

The Marsh Warbler didn't show well but got it all in several pictures

NORTH RONALDSAY - 17th September

Still very windy through the morning but by mid-afternoon the westerly gales had started to subside and by the evening it was quite pleasant, a real relief after seemingly ages stuck in the grip of the difficult conditions; there was again, a spread of common migrants which consisted of lingering birds including 2 Sand Martins, 2 Rock Pipits, 2 Whinchat, 26 Wheatears, a Blackcap, 3 Willow Warblers, a Goldcrest, a Pied Flycatcher and a Lapland Bunting.   Other birds of note comprised a Heron, a Hen Harrier, a Merlin, 2 Peregrines, 658 Golden Plover, a Grey Plover and 3 Arctic Terns still.

Peregrine

NORTH RONALDSAY - 16th September

The westerly wind had eased off (slightly) in the morning, making it a bit better while out and about but it picked back up to blazing again by the afternoon; a few passerines popped out in the lighter winds (probably lingering / hiding birds rather than new arrivals!) including a Barred Warbler glimpsed in Holland, 2 Whinchats, 46 Wheatears, a Garden Warbler, 6 Willow Warblers and a Northwestern-type Redpoll at Garso – which probably was new in.   Some passage offshore was dominated by a good total of 1,700 Gannets along with 4 Red-throated Divers, a Great-northern Diver, 28 Sooty Shearwaters, 10 Manx Shearwaters, 3 Arctic Skuas, 14 Bonxies and 4 Arctic Terns.   Some good totals around the island also comprised a Heron, 346 Pink-footed Geese, a Red-breasted Merganser, a Kestrel, 126 Ringed Plover, 800 Golden Plover, 230 Sanderling, 52 Purple Sandpipers, a Ruff, 49 Dunlin, 11 Black-tailed Godwit, 20 Bar-tailed Godwits and 370 Turnstone.

Willow Warbler