Rosefinches are Red.

Despite the unpromising looking conditions for migrants today, there was a multiple arrival of Common Rosefinches, with four seen. One at Barkland was a smart red male, while three 'brown' ones were at Schoolton (where the male also appeared later). Fair Isle has to be the premier place in the UK for this remarkable migrant (which should be heading to India) and it is interesting that, having already ringed an adult female, an adult male has also now appeared. This would suggest that they are not lost young birds on their first migration but are perhaps using Fair Isle as a regular stop-over site.

Despite all four Rosefinches being on my census route today, I managed not to see any of them. This male appeared briefly at Barkland inbetween my two visits there, whilst the three at Schoolton dropped in after I'd left and had departed before I returned. I'm hoping for better luck tomorrow, but in the meantime thanks to Steve Minton for the shot of the male Rosefinch above.

One arrival we're expecting tomorrow is the return of Will Miles from holiday and we're hoping for a few more birds shortly after that as the winds return to the east on Tuesday. Will generally has a happy knack of returning to the island just in time for the birds, so hopefully that's an omen that we're due something pretty good this week...