North Ronaldsay May-June 23 Highlights
It's been a great spring on North Ron with some nice falls of migrants and a good run of rarities towards the latter stages. Here's a selection of photos from May-June. A 2cy Pallid Harrier showed wonderfully on 3rd May, floating between Peckhole and Kirbest. The first of an influx of this species to the UK during this period. Pallid Harrier We were then treated to a batch of south easterlies. 4th May was one of my favourite days of the season so far. It felt like the first 'proper' fall of the spring as there was a clear afternoon arrival of spring migrants - walking up the west coast in the morning I saw 1-2 birds of note, but on the way back there was a nice scattering of Pied Flycatchers, Tree Pipits, Redstarts and Willow Warblers. Best of all was a Quail, which had just arrived off the sea at Torness. I'd never actually seen a Quail before, despite hearing them on several occasions, so seeing one in these circumstances was very exciting. Pied Flycatcher Quail...
