Black-headed Bunting just in....

Female Black-headed Bunting just arrived on the Farne Islands (Graeme Duncan)

...and showing well (Graeme Duncan)

Thursday 30th May comments: (09:30 update) News just breaking that the islands have scored with its first major rare bird of the spring, as a female Black-headed Bunting has just been discovered. The bird, showing well, is the sixth record for the Farne Islands following a male from 23-28 July 1971, another male from 10-20 July 1999, first-winter individuals on 23 August 2004 and 14 September 2009 and a female on 31 May 2011.

Interestingly the Farnes has the near-monopoly of Northumberland records as the only other County record involved a male at Hauxley on 26 July 1977. Unfortunately the weather is poor today (no boats sailing due to strong northerly winds) but if the bird remains, we will be trying to organise access tomorrow. More updates later.