28th April

A much busier day with the highlights being a goosander on Bewan Loch and a wryneck at Seaside. Wheatears totalled 113, 3 grey heron were at the north end , 2 white wagtail along the west side and 2 carrion crow flew north. Warblers consisted 5 willow warbler, 2 blackcap, 7 chiffchaff and a goldcrest was in Holland. 4 whimbrel were noted, 5 long-tailed ducks were in Linklet Bay and finches seen included a chaffinch, brambling and 4 siskin. Other sightings included 2 fieldfare, and reasonable counts of 34 sandwich terns, 186 purple sandpiper and 424 turnstone.

27th April

Three new birds for the year today included a house martin at the Obs, arctic tern in Linklet Bay and a lesser whitethroat at Kersitter. A black-tailed godwit was at Kirbest Mire, 30 dunlin were on the Links and a carrion crow at Lurand. Elsewhere were a goldcrest, blackcap, woodpigeon and 4 chiffchaff.

26th April

Very limited coverage today but at Holland in the morning were a kestrel, a collared dove, 4 chiffchaff and a willow warbler. A mealy redpoll was by the Observatory where 3 white wagtails were in the newly ploughed fields, the 2 avocets still on Trolla Vatn Loch and at Sangar a flava wagtail was seen.

25th April

A greenshank on Garso Loch is the first of the year, a siskin was at the Surgery and mealy redpolls were at the Observatory and Bury. 4 chiffchaff, 2 blackcap and a sparrowhawk were at Holland and singles of white wagtail and whimbrel were seen.

24th April

A redwing and song thrush were at Lurand and 15 fieldfare at Peckhole, single white wagtails were at Lindswick and Twingness. A chiffchaff was at Holland, 7 swallow at Brides'ness and a sand martin over Gretchen Loch. 4 snow bunting were at Tor Ness, a sparrowhawk was seen by the Observatory and 2 whimbrel were at West Beach.

23rd April

The 2 avocet remain on Trolla Vatn Loch, and also at the north end were 8 hooded crow and a carrion crow. 4 brambling and a woodpigeon were at Kirbest and 2 rook flew over, and nearby at Holland were a sparrowhawk and a collared dove. A wryneck was seen at by Brides Loch, a chaffinch and the only chiffchaff were at the Observatory and a party of 4 black-throated diver were in Linklet Bay.

22nd April

Very little today really with the best being a 2nd winter iceland gull in Nouster Bay. A rook, 2 chiffchaff and a chaffinch were at the Observatory, 2 sand martins were at Holland and an arctic skua flew through.

21st April

Presumably the same 2 avocet visited again today, this time on Trolla Vatn Loch. A count of 56 wheatears were mostly confined towards the north end, a willow warbler was at Rue and a goldcrest at Ystang. 2 whimbrel flew south in the afternoon and a siskin and a chaffinch were at the Observatory.

20th April

A long-eared owl was in Holland gardens early morning and a few swallows passed through today with 13 in total, plus 2 sand martins. A rook and carrion crow went out and 5 sandwich terns were in Nouster Bay. Just 3 chiffchaff and 5 wheatear were seen.

19th April

The second wryneck so far this April was at greenwall, a willow warbler was at Brecken and at Brides Loch were 4 swallows and the first whimbrel. 2 more swallows were at the north end, a total of 4 chiffchaff and 2 blackcap were seen and wheatears continue to increase with 52. The biggest event of the day, aided by rare flat-calm conditions, was of a record breaking 132 great northern divers, with the vast majority off Twingness.

18th April

The annual black guillemot count took place this morning, with a total of 549 birds. 8 grey heron were on the shore between Westness and Sennes, wheatears had increased with 34 and also seen were a swallow, 2 chiffchaff and 5 lesser-black backed gulls.

17th April

2 woodpigeon and a collared dove were at Kirbest, 2 goldcrest in Holland gardens and thrushes consisted of a fieldfare, a song thrush and 2 redwing. Other migrants included 2 blackcap, 4 chiffchaff, a robin and a sparrowhawk.

16th April

At Westness were a rook, woodpigeon and 3 grey heron, 2 goldcrest and a blackcap at the Observatory and another blackcap, goldcrest and song thrush at Holland. At least 1 collared dove was present and 18 wheatears were logged.

15th April

A wryneck near the Surgery this morning continues this springs theme of early records, and nearby at the shop and Holland were a willow warbler, a blackcap and 4 goldcrest. An adult white-billed diver was seen close in from Dennis Head, and nearby migrants included a robin, black redstart and a brambling. 6 chffchaffs were scattered around the island and 2 woodpigeon were by Kirbest.

14th April

A surprisingly quiet day with the only unusual sighting being a flock of 36 pink-footed geese at Greenwall. 2 mealy redpolls were at Kirbest with another along the west side, a robin and a chiffchaff were at the Obs with another chiffchaff, a goldcrest and a blackcap at Holland. Only 15 wheatears were logged and the glaucous gull remains in Nouster Bay.

13th April

A collection of finches at Nether Linnay included 2 chaffinch, 2 mealy redpoll and a brambling, with a collared dove and kestrel also there. 6 chiffchaff, a blackcap and 2 goldcrest were in the south of the island and 6 common scoter flew past Tor Ness.

12th April

The immature white-tailed eagle was still present to 10:45 before circling high and heading to Fair Isle. Still reasonably quiet otherwise with 6 chiffchaff, 1 goldcrest, robin, 2 swallow, chaffinch and siskin. Also whizzing about the island were singles of rook, carrion crow, collared dove, stock dove and woodpigeon. 4 sandwich terns and a glaucous gull were in Nouster Bay.

11th April

The morning produced similarly small numbers of common migrants as recent days, with a collared dove, 4 woodpigeon, a chaffinch and 4 goldcrest at Holland, plus 3 willow warbler and 5 chiffchaff elsewhere, but the day became much more exciting when an immature white-tailed eagle appeared over Hooking. The bird toured the island during the early afternoon, and fitted with both a transmitter and wing tags is surely from the re-introduction scheme in East Scotland (white tags on both wings with what looks like the number 7 on each). Other migrants today included 2 rooks, 6 sandwich tern, 34 fieldfare, 19 wheatear, a robin and a swallow.

10th April

A smart male mealy redpoll was with linnets at Nether Linnay, and a black redstart was at nearby Shooting Gallery. 2 black-tailed godwit were at Bewan, a robin, dunnock and blackcap at Westness and other migrants consisted 22 wheatear, a swallow, 3 chiffchaff and 3 goldcrest.

9th April

Holland gardens appeared to be the only place with any migrants, holding a blackcap, 2 chiffchaff and 4 goldcrest. Only 2 wheatear were seen, 18 fieldfare were at Greenwall, singles of rook, jackdaw and carrion crow flew over and a glaucous gull was in Nouster Bay. There was a surprise in the afternoon however, when 2 avocets dropped onto Gretchen Loch. These represent only the 4th island record involving 6 birds, though 3 of those have occurred since spring 2008.

8th April

A frustratingly wet day with few birds and far too much rain! Of interest were a willow warbler at Tor Ness, chiffchaff, collared dove, woodpigeon and sparrowhawk in Holland, 2 glaucous gulls and a common scoter.

7th April

A hawfinch and the earliest Orkney record of grasshopper warbler were today's highlights, with also the first blackcap, dunnock and 2 white wagtails of the spring. Chiffchaffs were seen at Greenwall and Shooting Gallery, a male stonechat was at Cruiserbreck and a redpoll sp. flew over Westness. Other migrants included 2 goldcrest, 35 wheatear, 4 song thrush, 2 robin, and the woodpigeon and sparrowhawk remain.

6th April

The springs first sparrowhawk was in Holland early morning, and 38 curlew flew through north in small groups. A sandwich tern was in Nouster Bay as were 2 glaucous gulls, and the woodpigeon was still present at the Surgery. There was a fair scattering of wheatears with 24, plus 2 goldcrest, a jackdaw and a robin, but the afternoon certainly had more quality with an immature white-billed diver off the north end, and the relocation of the ring-necked duck, now alone on Trollavatn Loch. Whilst watching the diver a bonxie and a manx shearwater passed by at sea, a grey plover flew over and notable on a local scale, 2 stock dove bottled the flight to Fair Isle.

5th April

A pretty awful day in terms of weather with persistent heavy rain making birding awkward. The only new arrival was a carrion crow at the Airfield, the long-eared owl was still at Holland and 2 sandwich terns were in Linklet Bay. Only 2 wheatears were seen, the pink-footed goose was still by Kirbest and just 1 glaucous gull was in Nouster Bay.

4th April

A long-eared owl was flushed from Holland early morning and thrushes were much more evident with 42 blackbirds, 32 fieldfare, 13 redwing and 2 song thrush. A goldcrest was at the Surgery, the siskin and woodpigeon remain and wheatears tallied up to a notable 38 considering the early date. Also much more abundant were meadow pipit with 224, the first great skua passed the north end and a littoralis rock pipit was by Bewan. Other birds of note were a woodcock at Twingness, 2 robin and still 2 glaucous gulls in Nouster Bay.

3rd April

A few more migrants about today despite the lingering fog, most notably wheatears which had increased to 16 and the first chiffchaff at Holland. A siskin and a woodpigeon were at Westness and a woodcock, robin and song thrush were seen along the west side.

2nd April

The first swallow flew through today, a goldcrest was at Holland and at least 4 wheatear present. The glaucous gull is still feeding on the dead dolphin in Nouster Bay where there were 10 red-breasted merganser, and 2 chaffinch were seen. Towards the evening curlew started to trickle north with 31 passing through, and the golden plover flock is slowly increasing with 230 today.

1st April

A much nicer day and a handful migrants to show for it. The female ring-necked duck was still on Garso Loch, wheatears had increased to 4 and a small movement of corvids included at least 9 hooded crow, 7 rook and 2 jackdaw. 3 sandwich terns were seen offshore at Bridesness, a song thrush was in Holland gardens and a goldcrest was at Rue.

31st March

The wheatear and chaffinch remain by the pier, and single rook and sandwich tern are new for the year. 61 skylark were at Kirbest and a littoralis rock pipit was seen at the north of the island.