Wednesday, 22 November 2017

NORTH RONALDSAY - 19th October


Another great day with a brisk easterly wind bringing mist and murk with it; it was clear right from the start there were loads of birds fresh in as several Woodcock and flocks of Thrushes were flushed from the road as I cycled up to Holland before dawn.   I then stayed at the nets all day as we managed a very decent 322 new birds ringed in the reduced number of nets we could open because of the wind highlighted by a BLUE TIT caught late morning – a big island rare (only the third record for the island!) and a brilliant total of 6 Ring Ouzels (three more were also seen and a total of 23 were put into log for the day).

                The other totals caught included 2 Woodcock, 3 Woodpigeons, 107 Redwings, 21 Song Thrushes, 114 Blackbirds, 26 Brambling, 18 Robins, 14 Goldcrests, 8 Blackcaps and single Chiffchaff and Siskin.   I didn’t really have any time to look around but other birds included the Red-breasted Flycatcher again, a Lapland Bunting, a Greenfinch, 4 Redpoll sp. and thousands of Thrushes coming and going, swirling in and out of the mist all day – the kind of autumn day you pray for!


Blue Tit



Ring Ouzels





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