Friday 27 May 2011

A Common Rosefinch (which turned out to be a young male as, despite the brown plumage, it was heard singing) in the garden first thing in the morning was a promising sign, although it was perhaps a bit of a false dawn as there seemed to be not many new birds about. Not that we're complaining as there were still a couple of Red-backed Shrikes, three Icterine Warblers, a Marsh Warbler, another Rosefinch at Chalet and a variety of common migrants. It all makes Log quite entertaining, although hopefully I'll have an easier time than last night when Grace was allowed to stay up late for the Fair Isle Thursday and spent the whole time at Log heckling me. It's quite hard to concentrate with a two year old shouting 'I love Common Whitethroat' or whichever species I had just called out!

There's always something special about migrants on fences, cliffs etc. A few Spotted Flycatchers have been dotted around the island today making the most of any perches they can find.

A week of westerlies and rain are forecast, not great by any means for migration (or trying to get our seabird work done), but as ever, this is Fair Isle and anything is possible. Any predictions for what will turn up in the next few days? Leave them as comments if you do.

After three years at Loch of Strathbeg where up to 60,000 Pink-footed Geese appear, it seems a bit strange to get excited by just one of them! Nevertheless, this was a nice bird to see on Meoness today.

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