25th-26th April

The 25th was another wet and windy day, with most of the days notable sightings coming from the north end of the Island. A couple of Iceland Gulls (juvenile and 2nd winter) were together at Bewan, while an hours sea-watch saw 3 Arctic Terns, 57 Puffins and 290 Kittiwakes pass by. Some 25 Rooks were seen-almost all of them arriving from the north before leaving for mainland Orkney to the south. The Kirbest crop field held 8 Lapland Buntings including a few smart summer plumage males and 8 Snow Buntings were on the coast near the Observatory. A Merlin was trapped and ringed at Holland House in the evening (the first to have been done so for 2 years) and there was also a female Sparrowhawk, 2 Black-tailed Godwits and 4 each of Sand Martin and Swallow seen. The 26th was a quieter, but calmer day. At least 6 Lapland Buntings were still at Kirbest and a Brambling was new at the Observatory. 19 Great Northern Divers were counted offshore and the 4 Pink-footed Geese near Hooking included at least 1 new bird.

Great Northern Diver