Bookings for 2012 can be made from 1st January 2012 (for members), from 1st February to 31st March (for birdwatchers and naturalists) and from 1st April for all other interested parties. 

PLEASE NOTE: The redevelopment of the Observatory facilities at the Low Light will take place in 2012 from July to October and so accommodation on the island will be severely restricted during this period. Please contact the Bookings Secretary for further information.

The final week of the year for the observatory saw some welcome south-easterly winds, mainly dry with the only significant rain on the morning of Tuesday 25^th. A total of  380 birds (of 16 species) were ringed during the week with the highlights being: blackbird 253; fieldfare 2; redwing 23; song thrush 24; chiffchaff 6; blackcap 15; robin 28; brambling 7; black redstart 1; water rail 1; long-tailed tit 11; lesser redpoll  2

Friday 28^th October: peregrine 1; lesser redpoll 2; chaffinch 6; pied wagtail 2; reed bunting 1

Thursday 27^th October: pink footed goose 25 north; barnacle goose 75 west; brambling 3; long-tailed tit 11; chaffinch 1; kestrel 1; goldcrest 3; redwing 20; blackbird 50; song thrush 5; blackbird 50; redwing 20; fieldfare 15; blackcap 7; chiffchaff 2; reed bunting 1; merlin 1; pomarine skua 1; grey heron 1; chiffchaff 2; robin 10

Wednesday 26^th October: black redstart 1; robin 20; fieldfare 30; blackbird 700; song thrush 50; redwing 30; peregrine 1; merlin 1; kestrel 1; blackcap 4; goldcrest 3; skylark 6; linnet 2; brambling 6; pied wagtail 1; common gull 1; chiffchaff 2; starling 250; linnet 2

Tuesday 25^th October: brambling 25; water rail 1; kestrel 1; grey heron 1; reed bunting 1; skylark 5; redwing 100; fieldfare 50; song thrush 15; blackbird 400; robin 10; goldcrest 4; snipe 1; blackcap 12; merlin 1; chiffchaff2; starling 350

Monday 24^th October: kestrel 1; brambling 4; snipe 1; common gull 13; black-headed gull 2; woodcock 3; chiffchaff 1; chaffinch 1; merlin 1; starling 140; blackcap 2; robin 7; skylark 2; blackbird 50; fieldfare 100; redwing 25; song thrush 2

Sunday 23^rd October: woodcock 3; merlin 1; chiffchaff 2; blackcap 3; fieldfare 250; redwing 50; starling 60; barnacle goose 2; kestrel 1; brambling 4; chaffinch 1; lesser redpoll 1; blackbird 70

 Saturday 22^nd October: crossbill 1; lesser redpoll 5; fieldfare 100; blackbird 5; robin 5; kestrel 1; merlin 1

Friday 21^st October

As the wind continued to blow from the south west, another flock of winter thrushes (36 fieldfares, 10 redwings and 2 song thrush) came through while a robin and 4 goldfinches arrived.

Thursday 20^th October

Another woodcock arrived in the continuing westerlies whilst also recorded were 4 meadow pipits, 2 bramblings, 2 dunnocks and singles of skylark and pied wagtail.

Wednesday 19^th October

With the wind moving into the north west, a small flock of 6 lesser redpolls arrived while a nice addition to the ringing records included a smart twite. Three more bramblings arrived and they were joined by 3 dunnocks, 2 chiffchaffs, 4 meadow pipits and a kestrel.

                                            

Tuesday 18^th October

Another quiet day of westerlies saw few new birds but 5 bramblings, 4 meadow pipits, a wheatear and a snipe were recorded.

Monday 17^th October

A quiet day with a strong south westerly wind resulted in only 3 blackbirds being ringed while 5 bramblings arrived.

Sunday 16^th October

Another day of westerlies saw a handful of thrushes (10 redwings, 2 song thrushes and a mistle thrush) arrive whilst it was also quite a ‘finchy’ day with 20 lesser redpoll, 6 siskin, 2 chaffinch and a goldfinch on the island. Other new arrivals included a kestrel, 4 meadow pipits and 3 ‘alba’ wagtails.

Saturday 15^th October

A cloudy day of light south westerly winds saw a further passage of thrushes including 150 blackbirds, 20 redwings and 11 fieldfares while many of the blackcaps and bramblings moved out.  Another yellow-browed warbler turned up while the first woodcock (2) of the year arrived. A productive day at the traps saw 47 birds ringed.

Saturday 8^th October – Saturday 15^th October

Summary

With wind in the west or northwest, the week was very quiet for passerine migrants, but good for goose migration, particularly Barnacle on 8-10^th. An immature Red Kite came in from the north over the Low Light on the 10^th  and was escorted off the island to the south by the resident Peregrine pair. Remarkably, it was wing-tagged (blue left, white right) in June by the observer himself on the Black Isle, one of 94 so marked.

                         

A week for geese on The May  - 3 Brent Geese arrived to feed on Rona and were then joined by a couple of Barnacles                                                                             (Keith Brockie)

On the afternoon of 12^th the wind backed SE and 13^th brought in hundreds of thrushes, mainly Blackbirds, whilst a Long-eared Owl and a Yellow-browed Warbler were both trapped and ringed.  There were further thrush arrivals on 14^th, again mainly Blackbirds plus at least 25 Blackcaps (14 ringed) and small numbers of Bramblings. By 15^th the wind had veered west.

Despite less than ideal migration weather, 141 birds of 21 species were ringed in the week. Of particular note was the unusually high total of 10 Lesser Redpolls while the star bird was probably the ‘controlled’, Lesser Whitethroat, ringed in Belgium. The full list was: 

Chiffchaff and Song Thrush 16, Goldcrest 15, Rock Pipit 13, Meadow Pipit and Redwing 11, Lesser Redpoll 10, Blackcap 9, Pied/White Wagtail (3 alba) 8, Wren 7, Blackbird 6, Robin 5, Garden Warbler and Willow Warbler 3, Dunnock 2 and singles of Treecreeper, Whitethroat, Wheatear, Pied Flycatcher, Oystercatcher and Chaffinch.

Sunday 18^th September – Saturday 24^th September

Saturday 24^th September

Pink-footed goose 1292,  wigeon 1, goosander 4, grey heron 2 kestrel 2, sparrowhawk 1, peregrine 3, snipe 1, swallow 2, robin 4, wheatear 4, wren 2, spotted flycatcher 1, linnet 40 and redpoll 40

Friday 23^rd September

Sanderling 2, swallow 4, robin 3, wheatear 6, goldcrest 1, linnet 89, redpoll 6 and the first seal pup of the year (below)

Thursday 22^nd September

Swallow 1, meadow pipit 50, robin 2, wheatear 2, willow warbler 1, goldcrest 1, siskin 1, redpoll 8

Wednesday 21^st September

Wheatear 2, willow warbler 1, redpoll 20 

Tuesday 20^th September

Wigeon 1, swallow 2, robin 2, wheatear 3

Monday 19^th September

Wigeon 1, grey heron 1, kestrel 1, peregrine 2, sand martin 1, swallow 10, meadow pipit 10, robin 2, wheatear 3, goldcrest 2

Sunday 18^th September

Brent goose (pale bellied) 20, pink-footed goose 2, grey heron 1, sparrowhawk 1, whimbrel 1, swallow 20, grey wagtail 1, robin 2, redstart 3, whinchat 1, wheatear 3, chiffchaff 1, goldcrest 3, pied flycatcher 1, treecreeper 1, blackcap 1, redpoll 2

The early part of the week was dominated by very strong west winds which eased on the Wednesday. Thursday 15th was pleasant with wind backing SE by the evening while Friday 16^th was a wild day with potentially productive SE winds and rain. Saturday 17^th saw a calmer day with sunshine and the wind returning to the SW.

Friday 9th September

Wind light and variable, occasionally easterly. Swallow (40), Meadow Pipit (20), Robin (5), Wheatear (8), Willow Warbler(10), Goldcrest(3), Treecreeper(1), Redpoll sp. (1)

Thursday 8^th September

Westerly winds reduced. Swallow (6), Meadow Pipit (40), Robin (8), Wheatear (12),Willow Warbler (10), Goldcrest (2), Sedge Warbler (1),Twite (2)

Wednesday 7^th September

 Continued very strong westerly wind. Meadow Pipit (30), Swallow (5), Robin (6), Wheatear (10), Willow Warbler (10),Goldcrest (3), Blackcap (1), Kestrel (1)

Tuesday 6^th September

Very strong westerly wind rising to Force 9.  Swallow (12), Meadow Pipit (20), Blackcap (1), Willow Warbler (8), Kestrel (1),Robin (5), Wheatear(3), Garden Warbler(1), Goldcrest (3), Peregrine (1)

Island wader count: Oystercatcher (29), Curlew (60), Redshank (13), Turnstone (154), Knot (1), Ruff (1), Purple Sandpiper (62)

Monday 5^th September  

Still morning with freshening westerly wind. Continued small passage of Swallows and Meadow Pipits. Also seen: Willow Warbler (5), Sedge Warbler (1), Garden Warbler (1), Whitethroat( 1), Spotted Flycatcher(1), Wheatear(4), Goldcrest (3)

Sunday 4^th September

Calm and sunny. Continuing passage of Swallows and Meadow Pipits. Also: Wheatear (2), House Martin (1), Willow Warbler (2), Robin(1), Whimbrel (1)

Saturday 3^rd September  

A light  south westerly wind with good visibility. A small passage of Swallows and Meadow Pipits with small numbers of other migrants: Garden Warbler (1), Whinchat (1), Robin (2), Willow Warbler (2), Goldcrest (2), Wheatear(1)

A relatively quiet week for passerines with a wood warbler, a whinchat, 2 robins, 2 goldcrests and a handful of willow warblers, pied wagtails, wheatears, swallows, house martins and meadow pipits.  A whimbrel was the best wader of the week which also saw a couple of carrion crows and a grey heron. Three raptor species were recorded, a merlin, a kestrel and three peregrines while at sea both bonxie and manx shearwater were recorded.

Tuesday 23rd

: an imm white wagtail ringed, peregrine 2, willow warbler 6,

Monday 22nd: 1 kestrel, wheatear 12, willow warbler 6, song thrush 1, barred warbler 1. 

Saturday 6^th August – Saturday 13^th August - Summary

Passerines

With N/E winds veering to S/E all week a smattering of migrants arrived including –  3 Wood Warblers, 2 Whinchats, 2 Common Whitethroats and singles of Pied Flycatcher, Blackcap, Song Thrush and Common Redstart. There were 6 Robins, 6 Wheatears and at least 15 Willow Warblers but the best bird was the Common Rosefinch on the 12th.

                   

 Sea-watching produced both Great & Arctic Skuas, Common, Arctic & Sandwich Terns, Common Gulls and Manx Shearwaters.

Moths

Moth-trapping was carried out during the week with the commonest species being Dark Arches and Antler. A portable trap outside the Low Light, caught July High Fliers, Common Rustic, Dark Arches, Lime-speck Pug, Garden Tiger, Mouse, Large Yellow Underwings and Garden Dart. 

Saturday 6^th August: Between midnight and dawn 14 Storm Petrels were ringed, the same retrap caught again, and there were 5 controls of which one was a Portugese bird. On the return crossing 9 Manx Shearwaters flew close to the boat and landed on the flat surface of the sea less than 100m distant giving excellent views while nearer to Anstruther 2 Porpoises were watched heading South.

Friday 5^th August:

As with every other night Manx Brae was quiet but the night sky show of meteors during our watch was exceptional. The same Storm Petrel was retrapped and 6 more ringed to add to the total before a bright dawn which led into a sunny morning. A juvenile Kestrel flew in obligingly to sit on top of one of the mist net poles while offshore a few Commic Terns moved North. At 1400 a Great Skua tracked North without altering its course for likely victims nearby. Before midnight 3 Storm Petrels were ringed in the light Westerly 2/3.

Thursday 4^th August: The night was notable for calls of Leach’s Petrel over the island, at 0052 from Manx Brae, at 0200 of 2 birds close to Low Light, and a single call sequence at Manx Brae at 0246. The last of these was recorded by Denis White and is the first sound recording of the species on the island. None of the callers was netted but 9 Storm Petrel were ringed, 1 controlled and the same bird retrapped as the previous night. Dawn was beautiful but by mid-morning rain was persistent and with haar coming and going it did not feel like August. About 1930 the sky broke to the North West and there was lurid sun and rainbows for a while until haar again returned until about 2300 by which time the wind was in the West for the first time during our stay, blowing up to force 4 into the night.

Wednesday 3^rd August: At Low Light improvised equipment was used to lure a single Storm Petrel, which was ringed, but at the South end 2 were ringed, 2 controlled, and 1 was retrapped which had been ringed on the May on 20.08.2010. Two juvenile Puffins were picked up before haar enveloped the island at dawn. By day the sea was flat, the sky almost clear at 2/8 of bobbly cumulus and with no wind it felt hot in the sunshine so a Sedge Warbler, caught in the Arnott Trap mid-afternoon, was a surprise. A short spell of evening haar had dissipated by the time we went out at 2245.

Tuesday 2^nd August:  9 Storm Petrels were attracted plus a Leach’s Petrel which was netted and ringed while another called from the seaward side of Low Light tower. Luckily this occurred just before rain in the CD playing equipment brought operations here to a halt. The rain continued until about 1700 when a juvenile Puffin caught during the night was released. By night the Fife coast was completely obscured but the island was clear overhead and two sets of Storm Petrel lures were in use, as usual at Low Light, but a second set was run by Mark Newell et al at Lady’s Bed. During the evening a Garden Warbler and 2 Willow Warblers were trapped.

Monday 1^st August: The night was dry and mild and 3 Storm Petrels were ringed. By day the sea was flat and in the still air we heard the calls of a juvenile Guillemot throughout as it swam around below the Low Light unaccompanied by an adult. Eight Turnstones in crisp plumage were on the Middens and 2 Willow Warblers were in the Top Garden. By night rain began at 2330 forcing an early end to sound recording but work at the nets continued.

Sunday 31^st July: With sea noise and net noise it was not a surprise that only a single Storm Petrel was netted during the dusk to dawn session, arriving late at 0315, but calls were heard from passing Sandwich Terns and Curlew. A juvenile Puffin was picked up during the night and released later. The day was bright and broken bringing out Small Tortoiseshells and Red Admirals and there was a warm feel as the wind veered South East, giving much quieter conditions by night.

Saturday 30^th July: The 1230 crossing was over a gently rolling sea into a light Easterly with 2 Porpoise seen about half way across. During the late afternoon the blow rose to force 3/4 and by dusk to 5, giving considerable sea noise below the Low Light.

Monday 25th July: Sooty Shearwater 2, Manx Shearwater 3, Purple Sandpiper 1, Curlew 5, Dunlin 1, Wheatear 3, Starling 44, Swallow 2

Sunday 24th July: Manx Shearwater 1, Storm Petrel 2, Curlew 1, Turnstone 2, Wheatear 1, Starling 90

A relatively quiet week for migration with just a handful of passerines, a few waders on the move and the start of some movement at sea.

Waders: A single curlew was present throughout the week (with 4 on 19^th). Other records included 2-3 purple sandpipers, 1-2 redshank, up to 8 turnstone and a single whimbrel on 20^th and 22^nd.

Seawatching: At sea, a couple of arctic skuas and a bonxie on 18^th with a single arctic and 2 bonxies on the 19^th. A lone manx shearwater was seen on 22^nd while 25 cormorant were recorded on the same day.

Passerines: A single northern wheatear was present throughout the week while a couple of willow warblers turned up on 18^th. A single carrion crow arrived on 22^nd while a mobile starling flock frequented the island all week ranging in number from 35 to 86.

Raptors: A single kestrel on 23^rd was the only bird of prey recorded.

Saturday 16 July

 Heavy rain overnight and from dawn until late morning. Then intermittent showers. Wind SW 4-5 at dawn decreasing to 3-4 by late p.m.

Curlew 1 Manx shearwater 1 (from May Princess). Small tortoiseshell 2

Friday 15 July

Var 3 at dawn (4/8), picking up by early pm (SE 3-4), cloud clearing for a time; wind veered to SW 5 by late pm until dusk, cloud 8/8.

Goosander 7 (S), Swift 4 (S), Arctic skua 2, Curlew 1

Thursday 14 July

Glorious throughout most of day, Var 3, 0/8, hot. Wind picked up in evening (S 3-4).

Common scoter 66 (S), Sandwich tern 2, Curlew 1, Small tortoiseshell 2, Red admiral 2

            

Wednesday 13 July

Wind still in the NE, max 4 but mostly 3. Glorious hot day.

Willow warbler 1, Carrion crow 1, Curlew 1, Small tortoiseshell 2, Red admiral 3

Tuesday 12 July

Wind up again at dawn (NE 3-4), dropping to Var 3 by 9 am. Cloudy at start of day (8/8) but 4/8 by evening. Dry all day.

Willow warbler 1, Small tortoiseshell 2

Monday 11 July

Rain overnight and all morning, stopping at 1pm. Wind NE 4 at dawn, dropping to Var 3 at 6 pm (4/8).

Cuckoo 1, Carrion crow 1, Willow warbler 1, Red admiral 2

Sunday 10 July

Clear morning (2/8) with breeze (NW 3-4), dropping to Var 3 by mid-afternoon. Showers threatening late pm but remained dry.

Osprey 1, Arctic skua 1 (dark), Swift 7 (1N, 6S), Carrion crow 1, Sandwich tern 1, Willow warbler 4, Curlew 1, Whimbrel 1, Redshank 4, Small tortoiseshell 3, Red admiral 4

Saturday 9 July

Rain at dawn. Cloud 8/8, clearing mid-morning to 6/8. SW 3. Light showers by evening (7/8)

Sandwich tern 2, Carrion crow 1, Curlew 1, Swallow 1, Small tortoiseshell 2

Friday 8th July:

Wind ESE force 2-3, thin cloud cover with hazy sun.  

Thursday 7th July:

Wind ESE force 4-5, rain showers with occasional sunny periods.   Cleared in late evening. 1 Curlew

 Wednesday 6th July:

Wind ESE force 3-4, with a few small breaks in afternoon. Showers pm. 2 Garden Warblers (1 ringed) Also 1 Pied Wagtail ringed.

Tuesday 5th July: 

Visibility poor, cloud cover 8/8 clearing to thinner cloud with hazy sun.  Rain in afternoon and evening. Wind SE force 4-5. 1 Song Thrush, 1 Curlew.

 Monday 4th July:

Wind SE force 3-5. 1 Swift, 2 Curlew

 Sunday 3rd July:

Wind SW force 2 backing SE and dropping later. Sunny. 1 Curlew.

 Saturday 2nd July:

Wind ESE force 4-5 dropping later.  Cloud cover 0/8 increasing later to 5/8.  No precipitation

Sunday 19^th June – Saturday 25^th June

Saturday 25^th June

35 starling, 1 swallow and a juvenile skylark

Friday 24^th June

1 siskin and 4 willow warblers

Thursday 23^rd June

1 swallow, 1 whimbrel

 A rather thin week for migrants with a Garden Warbler on 5^th; 2 Spotted Flycatchers and a Marsh Warbler on 7^th and a male Red backed Shrike on 8^th, being the highlights.  A chiffchaff and a couple of willow warblers were around during the week while one or two swallows and wheatears may either have been on passage or potentially hanging around to breed.  Daily weather was:

Friday 10^th June

Wind: SE F0 -2 dropping at dusk; Cloud: variable 2/8 to 4/8, no rain; Visibility good.

Thursday 9^th June

Wind: SW F4 decreasing to F2 by dusk; Cloud: variable 2/8 to 5/8, no rain; Visibility good.

Wednesday  8^th June

Wind: SE F0-2; Cloud: 6/8 clearing to 0/8 by dusk; intermittent light showers; visibility generally good but poor during passing showers. A male red-backed shrike arrived and was duly trapped and ringed.

Tuesday 7^th June

Wind: SE F1-3; Cloud: 8/8 clearing to 3/8 after rain in the afternoon; Visibility poor. Two spotted flycatchers and a marsh warbler arrived and all were ringed.

Monday 6^th June

Wind: N backing S F1-2 dropping at dusk; Cloud: 8/8 clearing to 1/8 by dusk; Visibility good.

Sunday 5^th June

Wind: NE F2-3 increasing to steady F3 by dusk; Cloud: 8/8 most of the day, though again no rain; Visibility good. A garden warbler was trapped and ringed

Saturday 4^th June

Wind: NE F3; Cloud: 5/8 increasing to 8/8 by dusk but no rain; Visibility good.

Saturday 28^th May – Saturday 4^th June

Friday 27 May: 1 common rosefinch (female/imm male), 1 chiffchaff

Thursday 26 May: The wind remained in East until early afternoon: 1 male blackcap, 8 sedge warblers, 3 swallows, a spotted flycatcher, an icterine warbler (ringed), 5 whitethoat,  a lesser whitethroat and 2 cuckoo

Wednesday 25 May: Wind went to SE at 11.00hrs and almost immediately, a small number of birds arrived including  a nightingale species (possibly thrush nightingale), 1 spotted flycatcher, 1 willow warbler, 1 chiffchaff  and 5 wheatears

The week’s weather remained variable from the west with the strongest occurring with a Force 7 on 18^th. Hirundine passage throughout the week was sporadic with up to 70 swallows, 20 house martins,  2-3 sand martins and up to 9 swifts occurring. A passage of 12 crossbill were noted on 18^th and up to 8 whimbrel on 19^th. Birds on the island throughout the week  included 20+ willow warbler, 1-2 chiffchaff, up to 10 northern wheatear (most being Greenland), 2-3 sedge warbler, several whitethroat, 4-5 whinchat, 2-3 garden warbler, 2 lesser whitethroat, a redstart and spotted flycatcher. A tree pipit appeared on 18 th but by the 21st, there were very few passerines on the island although a crossbill was noted calling overhead. 

April 16-23 Summary

The fine weather stayed until Tuesday 19^th, then the haar arrived on Wenesday 20^th staying until the weekend accompanied by a chilly north easterly wind. Migrants were few all week but arrivals included goldcrest, woodcock, golden plover and a few chiffchaffs and willow warblers. blackcap and wheatear were recorded while half a dozen swallows, and four fieldfares demonstrated migration in both directions.