13th September

Although a reasonable variety of migrants was on the land, the bird of the day came in the shape of a Balearic Shearwater from the seawatching hide: this is still a very uncommon species in Orkney and less than annual from North Ronaldsay. A Barred Warbler trapped at Holland House in the morning was probably a new migrant, but 3 Common Rosefinches were presumably the birds from earlier in the week. A Reed Warbler, 2 Whitethroats, 6 Blackcaps, a Robin, a Siskin and a Common Redpoll were new migrants; other passerines included 13 Lapland Bntings, 3 Snow Buntings, a Chiffchaff, 3 Willow Warblers and a Whinchat.

A drake Scaup was on Hooking Loch, and the 8 Pink-footed Geese were still present. A blue phase Fulmar passed by among 200 ordinary Fulmars, 4 Sooty Shearwaters and 7 Manx Shearwaters. At least 5 Kestrels were still around, while the wader highlight was a Little Stint on the golf course.

A few Merlins have passed through during the last few days of good raptor passage.