11th September

It was a mixed bag of weather today with drifty westerlies turning into gusty easterlies. Lots of the migrants seemed to have cleared out, but a few have clung on, and others have moved in.

The Great Spotted Woodpecker remains but has been mobile about the island, being seen today at Senness. More Curlew Sandpiper arrived on the island, with 8 being seen feeding round Bewan in the afternoon, and 3 being seen on Tor Ness. There also appears to be big movements of Golden Plover, with a total of 1007 across the whole island. 2 Rosefinch were found in the Lurand crop, associating with House Sparrows and remaining mobile around the obs area. 

Totals of the more common migrants across the whole island include: 5 Tree Pipit, 2 Rock Pipit, 1 Robin, 25 Redstart, 7 Whinchat, 7 Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Garden Warbler, 7 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 29 Willow Warbler, 1 Goldcrest, 3 Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Pied Flycatcher, and 39 Siskin.

There was another big decrease in raptor passage, with just 2 Hen Harrier, 1 Kestrel and 1 Merlin.

A brief seawatch in the early afternoon saw 8 Sooty Shearwater, 1 Manx Shearwater and 1 large Shearwater sp fly north past Dennishead.

The weather seems to remain varied over the next few days, with perhaps some favourable sea watching weather to hopefully get our year list past the 200 mark.

Rosefinch - MH

Lesser Whitethroat - HC