9th June

Getting the day off to a fantastic, and earlier than usual, start, a Paddyfield Warbler was trapped and ringed at Holland House at around 5.30 in the morning. This is only the second record of the species on North Ronaldsay - a fact than can probably be attributed, at least in part, to the wealth of habitat available for secretive Acros to hide themselves in.

An increased number of other migrants was evident as the day progressed. The highlights were 3 Crossbills, 2 Icterine Warblers and a Marsh Warbler, while counts of commoner passerines included 18 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Tree Pipits, a Song Thrush, a Fieldfare, 7 Blackcaps, 3 Garden Warblers, 4 Whitethroats, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 6 Willow Warblers, 1 Chiffchaff and 1 Dunnock. A Cuckoo was on the west coast, a Little Stint was at Trollavatn and an unseasonable adult Glaucous Gull was in Nouster Bay.

A couple of the Crossbills were trapped and ringed in the morning.