North Ronaldsay Autumn 2022 Highlights

November 10, 2022

North Ronaldsay Autumn 2022 Highlights

My personal favourite moments from this autumn on North Ronaldsay, in no particular order...

September Migrant Fall

Easterlies during early September produced one of the most impressive falls of early autumn migrants I have seen on the Northern Isles. During the peak three day period from 7th-9th, there were Redstarts everywhere, with impressive numbers of Willow Warblers, Garden Warblers, Pied Flycatchers, Lesser Whitethroats and Tree Pipits also. I've also never seen so many Wrynecks in one week - on one day there were at least seven on the island at once!

Wryneck and Northern Wheatear

Common Redstart

White's Thrushes

White's Thrush was probably top of my most wanted birds to see in the UK at the start of this autumn. However, I didn't particularly expect to see one anytime soon, let alone two in one autumn! Both wonderful finds by Harry Witts and Dante Shepherd that also both showed ridiculously well.

White's Thrush number 1

23rd October

On the 23rd October, a White's Thrush, Eastern Black Redstart and a presumed Central Asian Lesser Whitethroat (pending DNA analysis) were found within 200m of each other around the Lighthouse area. Given nothing else was found on the island that day, it's amazing to think that all of these Central Asian/Siberian vagrants all made landfall at pretty much exactly the same spot!

Presumed Central Asian Lesser Whitethroat calls - a tit-like chatter, clearly different from the blythi rattle or the tak calls made by curruca/blythi

White's Thrush number 2 showing well!

Eastern Black Redstart showing the 'red triangle' patch, which separates the black bib and lesser coverts

Great Snipe

After dipping a Great Snipe on Fair Isle a few years ago, it was very satisfying to bump into my own this autumn. A bit of a unit of a bird and very exciting to watch.

Great Snipe notebook page

Late autumn phylloscs

I was jammy enough to find Hume's, Pallas's and Yellow-browed Warblers in the space of 4 days during late October/early November. Pallas's Warbler has always been one of my most wanted finds, although unfortunately the weather was absolutely horrendous meaning it wasn't the most enjoyable experience. In contrast, the Hume's Warbler turned up on a perfectly still sunny day and showed amazingly well around Ancum Willows.

Hume's Warbler - indistinct median covert wingbar (often looked like it only had one wingbar) plus buff flanks and ear coverts and greyish head (was striking in certain light, looks greener here due to sunlight) gave the bird a distinct jizz.

Pallas's Warbler notebook page

Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls

This year's Hornemann's influx to the Northern Isles reminded me somewhat of the Two-barred Crossbill invasion in 2019 in that they just kept coming! A wonderful chance to see these birds on a regular basis.

A very confiding bird at Lenswick (to be honest most of them were!)

Long-billed Dowticher

Not a face melting mega like some of the birds discussed previously of course, but this was one of my personal favourite moments. I initially picked the bird up in flight over Antabreck (silent) and then refound it very briefly on Ancum about half an hour later. The bird soon flew off again before everyone had seen it and we still hadn't had good enough views to be sure of it's identification. A few hours later, my heart sank as it seemed as though it had departed the island for Fair Isle (where one was showing ridiculously well!)... However, right at the end of the day, we refound our original bird on Ancum where it showed well and called, rounding off a bit of a rollercoaster of a day!

Long-billed Dowitcher "kip" calls - I'm very pleased with this sonogram given it was recorded using my phone

Freshly arrived migrants on the coast

This is always a highlight. Walking up the west coast of North Ronaldsay in easterly winds is something I will never tire of.