TIREE: A WHITE STORK was reported by visitors today after they first saw it yesterday in a field at Kilnaluaig. The bird was ringed – a red/orange darvic MX51 and this information led to it being identified as a fledged bird from this summer in Sweden – in a nest on top of a barn at Sniberup in central Scania southern Sweden:https://maps.app.goo.gl/owo2xxkxVS4hFagGA with two siblings and they were all ringed in the nest on the 14th of June. After that I have no reports of it until the 10th of August when it was seen in Norway(!). For some reason (part of it probably winds in the wrong direction) a big part of this year’s younglings decided to fly north in August. On the 6th “at least 40” storks were seen at Norsborg close to Stockholm ( https://maps.app.goo.gl/1TQoLPvPZnQuevvJ9 ). The 7th and 8th, 65 storks were seen in Hamnäs in Hälsingland ( https://maps.app.goo.gl/P2dodC8JaVoV9MCk8 ). From there they flew northwest to the vicinity of Orkland (close to Trondheim) in Norway ( https://maps.app.goo.gl/rhaz1FLTjao4Nkmk9 )! They arrived there on the 10th and MX51 was one of the 64 storks to arrive there. Probably he hadbeen part of the group the whole time. On the 15th most of the storks, in at least two big groups, started to fly south again. On the 16th at least 27 of them arrived back to northern Scania. For some reason MX51 was however left behind and have been on his own in Norway since then. It moved slowly to the south fairly close to the coast and was seen in several places, among others Surnadal. On the 8th of September it arrived to Fylkesnes, Bömlo ( https://maps.app.goo.gl/rhaz1FLTjao4Nkmk9 ) close to the coast between Bergen and Stavanger. MX51 remained there at least until the 14th. Regardless, MX51 must have flown right across the ocean to you. It quite an remarkable achievement! Even if it went to the Shetland islands and rested there it´s still some 350 kilometers over open sea! (with grateful thanks to Petter Albinson – from Storkprojektet i Skåne for this excellent information).
A juv BARRED WARBLER was found at Balephuil, Tiree by John Bowler while he was on his way to look for the White Stork.
ISLAY: A BARRED WARBLER was reported by Clive McKay on the west side of Loch Gruinart.