24th and 25th April
A decent day on the 24th,
dry and bright with plenty of sunshine and a light SW wind; it was quiet though
for grounded migrants across the island as birds of note just included 2
Whimbrel, 11 Swallows,2 Dunnocks, 4 Robins, 28 Wheatears, a Fieldfare, 4
Redwing, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Blackcap, 7 Chiffchaff, a Goldcrest, a
Chaffinch and a Siskin. The Kumlien’s
Gull was present again.
A real mixture of weathers on the 25th
with bright sunshine interspersed with regular showers, some very heavy
throughout the day coming through on the light southerly breeze; the day’s
highlight was certainly an excellent looking IBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF candidate at Sanger.
It was initially heard singing in the morning and showed very well just
as the Obs crew arrived, a net was put up and it was caught straightforwardly;
it ticked all the boxes in the hand and the field and the sound recordings
obtained also appeared spot on – if accepted it will be the first for North
Ronaldsay!
A few other new bits appeared through the day
including the first Kestrel of the year, 2
Whimbrel, 3 Woodpigeon, a Collared Dove, 2 Short-eared Owls, 9 Sand Martins, 9
Swallows, 3 Dunnocks, a Fieldfare, a Redwing, a Blackcap, 5 Chiffchaffs, a
Goldcrest, a good flock of 7 Rooks which flew south, a Brambling, 2 Siskins and
2 Common Redpolls while 13 Great-northern Divers were counted on the sea.
Iberian Chiffchaff Simon Davies
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