28th-29th July

Two completely contrasting days with nothing at all to report from a very wet 28th and another quality July bird in glorious sunshine the next day. A call from an Islander mid-afternoon reporting a "large, white, Stork like bird" with the Greylag Geese at Hooking Loch, had everyone scrambling for the obs Landrover and a short time later North Ronaldsay's first Spoonbill-an immature was being watched by all. It remained on view for about 20 minutes before taking flight and was last seen gaining height and heading off north. A Green Sandpiper over the Observatory in the evening was also of note while 15 Storm Petrels were trapped and ringed overnight.

Spoonbill