21st to 22nd May

A real variety of weather with a few migrants arriving in rain and southerlies on 21st with sea-watching dominating again on the 22nd. The drake Garganey was seen again near the Mill and new birds on the former date were mainly at the north end where a Kestrel, 2 Barnacle Geese, 2 Common Sandpiper, Whitethroat and Willow Warbler. The lingering juvenile Iceland Gull and Tree Sparrow were also seen again in that part of the island. A 6 hour effort (perched on very un-comfortable rocks) from the point at Westness on 22nd produced at least 1 Long-tailed Skua (one north with another loafing afterwards, so possibly the same bird?), a group of 3 Pomarine Skuas, a summer-plumaged Black-throated Diver, 6 Arctic Skuas, 10 Great Skuas, 3 unidentified Skuas, 10 Manx Shearwaters and 152 Puffins.