20th May

With thick fog from dawn until mid-afternoon expectations were fairly low today, so the discovery of a Paddyfield Warbler in the long grass at South Gravity was a very welcome surprise. This is the third record for North Ronaldsay but the second in the last two Springs, following last years June bird. The only other new birds today a Black-tailed Godwit, a Collared Dove and 2 Common Redpolls, while likely lingerers from recent days included a handful of common Warblers, the female Red-backed Shrike and 4 Spotted Flycatchers.

 Some record shots in the doom and gloom of today's Paddyfield Warbler. It occasionally sang from deep inside a fuscia bush, but most of the time was fairly mobile and elusive in the long grass-hopefully better photo's tomorrow if it remains!