12th September

A fresh arrival of migrants today and the buff-breasted sandpiper was still on Tor Ness, with 2 juvenile little stint and a grey plover also there. A grasshopper warbler was unfortunately found injured along the roadside near Holland in the morning, and wheatear and whinchat numbers were evidently up on recent days with the final day total at 42 and 18 respectively. Single reed warblers were at Burray and Holland, the turtle dove was again seen by Brigg and a single whitethroat was by the Mill. Other common migrants were well represented with 33 willow warbler, 18 robin, 14 redstart, 17 garden warbler, 13 blackcap, 3 tree pipit, 16 spotted flycatcher and 5 pied flycatcher. A goldcrest was in Holland, a chaffinch was on the Banks and overhead were a single swift and a sand martin. 2 juvenile spotted redshank are now on Gretchen Loch, at least 8 ruff remain and in Linklet Bay were 2 sandwich terns and a second grey plover.