Although a reasonable variety of migrants was on the land, the bird of the day came in the shape of a
Balearic Shearwater from the seawatching hide: this is still a very uncommon species in Orkney and less than annual from North Ronaldsay. A
Barred Warbler trapped at Holland House in the morning was probably a new migrant, but 3
Common Rosefinches were presumably the birds from earlier in the week. A
Reed Warbler, 2
Whitethroats, 6
Blackcaps, a
Robin, a
Siskin and a
Common Redpoll were new migrants; other passerines included 13
Lapland Bntings, 3
Snow Buntings, a
Chiffchaff, 3
Willow Warblers and a
Whinchat.
A drake
Scaup was on Hooking Loch, and the 8
Pink-footed Geese were still present. A
blue phase Fulmar passed by among 200 ordinary
Fulmars, 4
Sooty Shearwaters and 7
Manx Shearwaters. At least 5
Kestrels were still around, while the wader highlight was a
Little Stint on the golf course.
A few Merlins have passed through during the last few days of good raptor passage.
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