9th May

A damp, drizzly start rapidly cleared up into a lovely sunny day with a light easterly wind, last nights heavy rain seemed to have done the trick with a great arrival of birds across the whole island; year ticks came thick and fast with a Wryneck at Nether Linney, a Wood Warbler in Lenswick, five Spotted Flycatchers scattered around, a male Red-backed Shrike at the Mill, a Grasshopper Warbler trapped at Twingness and a late Waxwing which came in off the sea on the west coast.   Other grounded migrants included two Sedge Warblers, 6 Lesser Whitethroats, 4 Whitethroats, 14 Blackcap, 16 Chiffchaffs, 27 Willow Warblers, a Pied Flycatcher, two Redstarts, two Ring Ouzels, 5 Tree Pipits, a Fieldfare, three Robins, three Common Redpolls, a Brambling, 13 Rooks and two Collared Doves.
Raptors and waders were also well represented with a female Marsh Harrier, a ringtail Hen Harrier, two Sparrowhawks and a Kestrel while a Green Sandpiper, two Common Sandpipers and a Wood Sandpiper were noted.   53 Swallows, 10 House Martins and two Sand Martins were whizzing around, four Dotterels and 10 Goldfinches were seen again while six Arctic Skuas and 53 Arctic Terns have started to display noisily around the isle!    An excellent and very enjoyable day!

 Lesser Whitethroat

Wood Warbler