NORTH RONALDSAY - 3rd December

Dry with a brisk NW wind, I walked round the coast from the Obs to Brides with the highlight being a very distinctive big Gull which flew past me in Nouster which showed many characteristics of a second winter American Herring Gull (we’ll see what becomes of it anyway!).   Other birds included 14 Snow Buntings, 210+ Common Gulls feeding in the surf, 3 Pintail, 12 Shoveler, 15 Tufted Duck, 7 Gadwall, 5 Meadow Pipits, 2 Robins and 7 Redwings.

                A little walk round the coast by the Obs in the afternoon then produced 32 Snow Buntings, the one remaining Common Redpoll in the sheep pund still, 320+ Golden Plover, just one Great-northern Diver and the adult female Hen Harrier drifting across Loch Park.

Possible American Herring Gull

Common Redpoll

Pink-footed Goose

NORTH RONALDSAY - 1st December

A big change in the weather with the winds swinging back into the west and dying down to almost nothing for a while but the change brought waves of mist, murk and drizzle which drifted in and out through the day; a seawatch first thing before the weather closed in produced a Sooty Shearwater, 526 Fulmars (with one Blue one), 6 Great-northern Divers, 65 Gannets, 18 Kittiwakes and single Little Auk and Puffin with 674 Auk sp.   There were then 13 Pintail, 17 Gadwall and a Merlin around Bewan.

                Other birds included a Water Rail around the Obs, still one Common Redpoll on the coast at The Lurn and 2 Pink-footed Geese by Holland before a look round Southness / Brides produced a Fieldfare, 7 Redwings, 4 Meadow Pipits, 2 Skylarks and 2 more Pintail while offshore there were 6 Red-breasted Mergansers and 9 Long-tailed Ducks.

NORTH RONALDSAY - 29th November

Still a very strong, very cold northerly wind but it was ever so slightly lighter than yesterday and an hour’s seawatch first thing produced the highlights of an adult White-billed Diver which flew north close inshore and 2 Glaucous Gulls (adult and juvenile) which flew along the shore with a trickle of Herrings and Great Black-backs.   Also in the north were 7 Pintail, 2 Goldeneye, a Merlin which appeared to come in off the sea and 35 Snow Buntings while there were still two adult Whooper Swans at Lenswick and 4 Herons at Westness.

                A walk round the Obs census route produced the Black Redstart again by the pier, 6 Great-northern Divers offshore, 3 Robins, 7 Redwings, a Chaffinch, 2 Common Redpolls and 4 more Snow Buntings.

The worst ever pictures of a White-billed Diver

Pintail

Common Redpoll

NORTH RONALDSAY - 28th November

The increasing and very cold northerly wind made things difficult so I only managed a brief walk round the top end which produced 7 Pintail, 24 Gadwall, 275 Wigeon, 70 Teal and 2 Goldeneye on Bewan along with 7 Snow Buntings.

Ravens showing off

Pintail

NORTH RONALDSAY - 27th November

The wind eased slightly and swung round into the NNE but persistent rain lingered until mid-morning with showers later; walked to The Links and back along the coast but there were no new birds really as bits of note included 90 Dunlin and 127 Sanderling on The Links, 19 Long-tailed Ducks and a Fieldfare of note.

Red-breasted Merganser

Fulmar

NORTH RONALDSAY - 26th November

Another rough, windy day with frequent showers, didn’t really do much with 2 Red-throated Divers and a Great-northern Diver off the pier and two Fieldfares round the Obs.

Red-throated Diver

Snow Bunting

Purple Sandpiper

NORTH RONALDSAY - 25th November

Strong westerly winds again but it was OK I guess between the wintery showers, it was just that the showers came very frequently!   The highlight was re-finding the dark juvenile Kumlien’s Gull which showed better on the grass around the Lighthouse; other birds included a juvenile Iceland Gull which flew past Brides and a distinctive adult female Hen Harrier with a very hooded appearance also at Brides where there were also 4 Meadow Pipits, 6 Fieldfares, 16 Redwings, a Chaffinch and 2 Snow Buntings.

                Also of note was a Woodcock at Hooking and wildfowl totals of 525 Wigeon, 23 Gadwall, 23 Tufted Duck, 10 Long-tailed Ducks and 4 Goldeneye.

Kumlien's Gull

Hen Harrier