31st May and 1st June

A windy start on the 31^st but this calmed down through the day to practically nothing by the evening; the day’s highlight was another immaculately plumaged female Red-necked Phalarope bobbing around on Gretchen in the afternoon where there was also a summer plumaged Little Stint.  Other little bits included a slightly unseasonal 2nd year Iceland Gull at Senness, a Little Tern again in Nouster investigating the Arctic Tern colony, the lingering Barnacle Goose at Bewan, a late Redwing and a new Blackcap trapped in Holland while wader totals still included 98 Knot, 188 Sanderling, 2 Purple Sandpipers and single Bar-tailed Godwit and Whimbrel.

That moment when your song comes on! (or maybe, that moment when 4 interloping Shelduck try and land on your loch..)   photo Simon Davies

                With the wind back in the east and overcast conditions the 1^st of the month felt good so for once it was a welcome surprise to be proved right when a Short-toed Lark was found in a ploughed field just south of Holland (a field, to be fair that had been crying out for something good!); it ended up being very elusive though being seen only a few times though the day.   The same field later in the evening, as it was being rolled, then held a very dark and diminutive Lesser Black-backed Gull which showed many features of a near adult Baltic Gull.

                The rest of the day’s noteworthy birds included the Little Stint still on Gretchen, male and female Ruff, a Heron heading north, 5 Collared Doves, 7 Sand Martins, lingering Garden Warbler and Chiffchaff, a new Spotted Flycatcher and lingering Barnacle Goose, Redwing and Chaffinch.

Baltic-type Gull, I imagine that's all it will ever go down as!   photo Simon Davies

There's a handful of 1st summer Arctic Terns in each flock at the moment which show amazing variability in plumage and bill colour, there was one just down the beach with a red bill and almost no black cap!