8th June

For those of us who like nothing more than bizarre hybrids and other wildfowl of dubious origins, this spring has provided plenty of excitement. Today's unexpected offering was a Bar-headed Goose that flew over the island early in the morning. Some may scornfully dismiss this bird as an escapee from a widlfowl park, but we like to think that it is a genuine wild bird that has travelled here, along with the previous day's Blyth's Reed Warbler, all the way from their shared winter range in the Indian Subcontinent. Interestingly, there are four previous records of Bar-headed Goose on North Ronaldsay, and all have ocurred in May or June - compelling evidence of a natural vagrancy pattern. Perhaps.

As far as birds that were definitely not plastic were concerned, an Icterine Warbler in the surgery garden was the day's highlight. A Sedge Warbler at Holland House was a new migrant, as was a Lesser Whitethroat; 2 Chiffchaffs, a Willow Warbler and 3 Siskins were seen; and a Kestrel arrived early in the afternoon.

Siskins have been seen most days recently, but it was a surprise to find that this female had a large brood patch.