2nd April

A good day with plenty of sunshine and a decreasing westerly breeze; the stand out bird of the day was easily the MAGPIE found initially at Longar before giving the rest of us the run around for an hour or so until it eventually posed nicely for the interested Obs staff on the fog horn near the lighthouse – yet another very common British bird that caused frantic twitching when out of context!   It was only the third island record and the first one for over 20 years!

Magpie on the fog horn with Fair Isle in the background but he wasn't tempted to carry on north being seen later in the day back down the island, photo Simon Davies

                The fine conditions also produced some more additions for the year list with 3 Common Terns on the beach at Nouster constituting the earliest ever record while the first Sand Martin and Mealy Redpoll of the year were also seen.

                The long staying Northern Harrier and Black-throated Diver were also seen again along while 3 Lapland Buntings near Holland were also a highlight.   Other landbird migrants included 16 Snow Buntings, single Chaffinch and Brambling (the latter strangely feeding in the middle of a field with a flock of Meadow Pipits!), 5 Goldcrests, 2 Chiffchaffs (including one singing his heart out), 10 Redwings, a Fieldfare, 46 Blackbirds, a Dunnock, 150 Meadow Pipits and 4 Woodpigeons while at least 140 Linnets came into roost at Holland.

                Little bits and bobs scattered around included single Whooper Swan and Pink-footed Goose with 800 Greylags, 321 Golden Plover, 3 Black-tailed Godwits and a Sandwich Tern.

Mealy Redpoll, photo Simon Davies

Kittiwake trying and succeeding to be a Tern, photo Simon Davies