There seems to have been a good
run of birds on the island over the first few days of June. These included:
A Thrush Nightingale, 7 Marsh Warblers, 5 Icterine Warblers, 5 Red-backed Shrikes, Quail, 8 Common Rosefinches, 6 Red-backed Shrikes, 2 Marsh Warblers, 2 Icterine Warblers and a Grey-headed Wagtail.
In the last two weeks of September the island has seen a
few decent birds making landfall, including:
A Red-flanked Bluetail, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler (both at Harrier and both
firsts for the island), Blyth’s Reed Warbler, Bobolink,
American Golden Plover, Pectoral
Sandpiper, Red-throated Pipit, Icterine Warbler,
Marsh Warbler and Barred and Yellow-browed Warblers.
In the first two weeks of October, persistent westerlies blocked the birds, but when the winds eased
slightly one or two got through, including:
A Lanceolated Warbler, Richard’s
Pipit, Glaucous Gull, Iceland Gull, Lesser
Redpoll (a local scarcity – and a Foula first for
my brother and I!), Meally Redpolls, Goldfinch,
Long-eared Owl, 2 Hen Harriers and Snow and Lapland Buntings.
Please see the link below for up-to-date news of recent
sightings.