17th April

A drop in the wind in the morning saw plenty of Wheatears arrive with 47 counted along the coasts. The wind increased from the south-east after lunch and heavy rain set in but other than 2 Bramblings, a Jackdaw and 10 Rooks, the numbers of other passerine species remained much the same as in recent days. A Black-tailed Godwit was seen and a Greenshank arrived in off the sea at the north end-the later the first of 2013. The first Arctic Tern was off Neven-another exceptionally early record and the earliest on North Ronaldsay by some 3 days. There were also 3 Merlins today and 7 Great Northern Divers off the coasts were nearly all now in their stunning summer-plumage.