North Ronaldsay late March-April highlights

 A selection of photos and sketches from my first month and a bit back on North Ronaldsay this season. 

When I arrived in late March it felt like being plunged back into winter. Highlights included White-fronted Geese, reasonable numbers of thrushes, Snipe and Woodcock, and some impressive Skylark passage - on one day there was a single flock of over 200 outside the Obs (over 600 seen on the island on that day). The first Wheatears and Chiffchaffs also made appearances.

White-fronted Goose

Chiffchaff

Woodcock

Stonechat

Part of a flock of 208 Skylarks near the Observatory - turn the volume down!

The first half of April continued with a selection of early spring migrants. I jammed into a dog Otter on the north coast (rare on North Ronaldsay) and on 9th a moulting Black-throated Diver was in Nouster and a Common Scoter was off the Broch.

Black-throated Diver progressing through its moult - photos show same bird on 9th and 27th April

Common Scoter

Otter

15th April was my favourite day so far. After dipping the Red Kite, the White-tailed Eagle that Maddy had found flew over my head as it headed back south. Almost immediately afterwards, I then picked up a Spoonbill ploughing north (5th island record) - a weird bird to see visibly migrating.

White-tailed Eagle

Sparrowhawk - a good number have passed through so far this spring

Jackdaws coming in off at the Seawatch Hide. Early spring is a good time for corvid passage on the Northern Isles

The second half of the month saw further arrivals of spring migrants in small numbers including Whinchat, Sedge Warbler, Green and Common Sandpipers. A White-billed Diver in Nouster (plus Black-throated, Red-throated and Great Northern) and a Goosander on Hooking were my favourite personal finds.

Goosander

Blackcap

Lesser Whitethroat

Ring Ouzel

View of the Lighthouse from the Seawatch Hide