3rd - 4th September

The easterlies have continued over the past few days, occasionally being coupled with rain showers to make things feel extra rare. There's been more migrants about and some good sea watching too, keeping expectations high as the weather follows the same suit over the next week.

The 3rd started with a Great Shearwater passing the sea watch hide, accompanied in a two-hour watch by three Sooty Shearwater and two Red-throated Divers. Migrants stared to fall early afternoon, mainly on the east coast of the island, with two Siskin at Bewan, a Lesser Whitethroat at Howar, a Redstart at Quoybanks and a Pied Flycatcher at Lochend. As the day went on, more birds started to push through, a Wryneck was found in the Lurand Garden, along with a Lesser Whitethroat and two Willow Warbler. There were Pied Flycatcher at the Surgery and Verracott, a Blyth's Reed Warbler in the Shooting Gallery, a Reed Warbler in the camping field, a Garden Warbler at Scottigar and the camping field, and a Redstart at Westness. The biggest surprise of the day came when a Great Snipe was flushed from the thistles between South Gravity and Phisligar. Despite much searching in the area the bird appeared to drop down in, it could not be re-found. This represents the first Great Snipe in Orkney since 2000.

On the 4th there were Redstart at Lurand, Westness, Senness and Iris Taing, Fieldfare at the New Kirk and Old Mill, two Siskin at Trebb and one at the obs, Spotted Flycatcher at Tor Ness and Ancum Willows, Garden Warbler at Trebb and the obs crop, Pied Flycatcher at Howar and the Trolla Pund, the Wryneck remained in the Lurand Garden, a Rosefinch in the obs crop, a Common Whitethoat in the Shooting Gallery, a Lesser Whitethroat at Hooking House, a Tree Pipit at Gue Park, and a Blackcap at Trebb. On a sea watch there were two Great Shearwater, one Cory's Shearwater, four Sooty Shearwater, and eleven Manx Shearwater. There were also two Curlew Sandpiper on Ancum. One of the most exciting finds of the day however was a non-avian one, when a Convovulus Hawkmoth was found in the Viggay Irises.

Spotted Flycatcher - HC

Garden Warbler - MH

Siskin - MH