8th-9th June

The spell of Easterlies that was forecast finally arrived but it's not produced much thus far, but there's still plenty of time for something. The 8th was again a day to look at on paper, in reality it was quite frustrating. A lone Whimbrel was heard near Westness. It was Holland that again produced with our third Garden Warbler of the Spring and the Marsh Warbler remained holding it's territory in a Rosa-rugosa bush. A Lesser Redpoll was at Upper Linnay feeding around the garden, another Red-backed Shrike was on the fences between Senness and Dennishill and finally a pod of 30+ Risso's Dolphins spent morning in the firth (see video below, credit Gavin Woodbridge).
The 9th saw a continuation of weird goose migration month, following the 16 Canada Geese in late May a lone bird was on Ancum, if this wasn't odd enough it was joined by two Snow Geese of highly suspicious origins. The Marsh Warbler remained and a Chiffchaff was in Ancum Willows. A female Common Scoter spent most of the day on Brides. Our search for a Rosy Starling continued in vain, its led to good Starling counts though with 1561 counted throughout the island. Lastly the last few days have seen waders begin to return with 90 Lapwing, 89 Knot, 16 Dunlin, a lone Black-tailed Godwit, 17 Bar-tailed Godwits, 33 Curlew and 32 Turnstone. Surely it's only a matter of time until a rarer waders hits the island.

Snow Geese                                                                          GG