orkney birding (1 Viewer)

Looks like Snow Goose feever is with us.

There was a report of a hybrid amoungst graylag in the south parrish a few days ago.

A report of what mayby a juvinile in Firth and another report of a bird on the east of Boardhouse loch yesterday.

Good hunting out there.




http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Orkbird/

Here is Erics complete report for the month.

ORKNEY BIRD RECORDS

NOVEMBER 2007


Only one Black-throated Diver was reported, and that in the unusual fresh-water locality of Swannay Loch, until 12th. Great Northern Divers, however, were widely reported with the largest concentration being 53 off Quanterness on 26th. 27 Slavonian Grebes were in the same area on 12th and 15 in Waulkmill Bay on 14th while this species seems to be becoming commoner inland with 12 on the Stenness Loch on 12th and seven on the Boardhouse Loch on the same date. A single Red-necked Grebe was watched off the Bu of Cairston on 16th.

This autumn’s extraordinary shearwater passage extended into November with Sooty Shearwaters being seen off North Ronaldsay as late as 13th and a peak of 28 on 10th. Even more unusual was a Balearic Shearwater seen from the same island on 5th. The storm on 8th resulted in a Storm Petrel flying past Avertaft, Westray and a Leach’s Petrel being deposited in a Birsay Village garden later to be released none the worse.

A Little Egret that was found by the Loch of Hundland on 10th remained in the area for the rest of the month. Some good Shag counts included 600 in Widewall Bay on 3rd and 230 off Rousay’s Point of Avelshay on 7th.

Shapinsay again attracted the most Whooper Swans with up to 55 at Vasa Loch on 10th; elsewhere no more than ten were reported. The South walls Barnacle Goose flock numbered 700 on 3rd while smaller groups on the Mainland involved eight over Deerness on 12th, 12 at the Boardhouse Loch the same day and up to 62 at the Loch of Skaill. Five Pale-bellied Brent Geese were in Kirk Hope, South Walls on 3rd while, on 7th, 28 un-raced birds passed over Egilsay. The goose census over the whole of Orkney on 10th produced another enormous total of 54, 612 Greylag Geese. Very few Pink-footed Geese were found, the largest flock being 200 on Sanday on 8th. The only Greenland White-fronted Goose flock in Orkney is that which divides its time between The Loons, and the Swannay Loch; they numbered 75 on 4th.

Eight Shelducks returning from their north German moulting grounds were found on Shapinsay on 10th while singles were seen in Tankerness on 14th and in Widewall Bay on 29th. The largest Wigeon flock was 1075 on the Boardhouse Loch on 12th when 233 Teal were also present. As has become usual, it was the Stenness Loch that gave the highest total of Gadwall with 26 on 12th although up to 15 occurred on North Ronaldsay. North Ronaldsay also reported up to 17 Pintail, the only others reported being three on the Sabiston Loch on 12th. A Mandarin Duck in Birsay Bay must have been a fine sight even though it is likely to have wandered out of a wildfowl collection! Amongst the diving ducks, Pochard continue to fine the Boardhouse Loch to their liking with 441 there on 12th when the Stenness Loch Scaup flock numbered 259. As well as divers and grebes, the sea off Quanterness also produced the largest total of Velvet Scoters with 41 on 26th, the only others being singles off Houton on 3rd and in Echnaloch Bay on 15th/16th. The Quanterness birds were accompanied by a drake Surf Scoter on 12th and 26th. To complete the wildfowl, a Goosander was on the Ayre Loch, St. Mary’s on 17th, a drake Smew on the Skaill Loch elusively from 12th and the Ruddy Duck remained on the Quoyloo Brewery Pool.

A Common Buzzard was seen over Heddle on 1st while a Rough-legged Buzzard was reported from Rendall on 13th. A Water Rail near the Kirbister Loch on 25th was away from the few known breeding sites. The biggest concentration of Golden Plovers was in Deerness, peaking at 1100 on 29th. Grey Plovers are scarce on the Mainland so that one at Warebeth on 13th and 22nd was of note. Warebeth also provided the largest count of Ringed Plovers, 120 on 13th. The Mill Sand in Tankerness held 350 Knot on 13th while, as usual, Scuthvie, Sanday held the most Sanderlings, 220 on 29th. Although North Ronaldsay reported a respectable 145 Purple Sandpipers on 26th, this flock was outshone by the 279 on Papay on 10th. Four Ruff were at South Ronaldsay’s Loch of Lythe on 25th. 143 Snipe were counted on North Ronaldsay on 2nd but, significantly, not a single Jack Snipe record was forthcoming during the month. Woodcocks, however, were widely reported with one-two seen in nineteen localities. The very late Whimbrel in Burray lingered until at least 27th. Bar-tailed Godwits peaked at 51 in Widewall Bay on 11th and at about that time there was a small influx of Black-tailed Godwits with 15 by the Stenness Loch and 10 at Mill Sand on 10th and 12 over Quanterness two days later. A Grey Phalarope was a good find at Echnaloch Bay on 9th.

During the storm on 8th, a Pomarine Skua passed Egilsay while, in its wake, seven passed North Ronaldsay on 10th and four on 13th. The latter island also produced the only Bonxie records with one on 10th and two on 13th. A juvenile Little Gull was on Westray from 30th October until 3rd while Stromness’s elusive Ring-billed Gull was relocated but only on 23rd. The storm also brought an influx of white gulls with at least 12 Glaucous Gulls (including a very tame bird in Stromness that is attracting attention) and Iceland Gulls in Kirkwall, Stromness and at the Bay of Skaill. In addition, two Kumlien’s Gulls were located, a second-winter bird at the Brough of Birsay from 10th -12th and a first-winter bird in the same locality on 11th. For those struggling to find this bird in their field guides, it is a race of Iceland Gull from the Canadian Arctic islands that is thought to have been derived from hybridisation between normal Iceland Gulls and Thayer’s Gull, a species from further west in Canada. The first-winter bird in Birsay was very dark and in fact showed some of the characters of Thayer’s. Kittiwakes were also stirred up by the strong winds, 1375 passing North Ronaldsay on 10th. The very late juvenile Arctic Tern stayed in Echnaloch Bay until 7th but an even later bird was found off the Bu of Cairston on 16th. Of all the species affected by the big storm, Little Auks were the most conspicuous and, although we didn’t see the tens of thousands that occurred further south in the North Sea, many were recorded. 258 passed North Ronaldsay on 10th, 860 on 12th and 151 on 13th while 137 were also reported passing The Gloup, Deerness on 12th; in addition there were up to 15 in Scapa Bay and up to four from a dozen other localities. Puffins, which should not be in Orkney waters at this time of year, were also noted passing North Ronaldsay with 20 on 112th and 27 on 13th.

250 Rock Doves were at Dale, Costa on 18th while a single Stock Dove was on North Ronaldsay on 2nd. Long-eared Owls were in very short supply, the only ones reported being at Smerquoy Brae on 8th and on North Ronaldsay on 21st. It wasn’t to be a Waxwing year but up to 11 were reported in Kirkwall (on 5th), one-two in Finstown and one on North Ronaldsay. The only Grey Wagtails were at Willow Road, Kirkwall where up to three were seen. The unusual habit of some Rock Pipits to move well inland in the winter was reported again with two perched on the BBC buildings on the summit of Keelylang on 30th. A very late Swallow was at Evie Sands on 4th and, on the same date, two late Wheatears were reported, in Birsay and in Sandwick. Single Black Redstarts were found on North Ronaldsay on 2nd and 7th and at Backatoon, Firth on 4th. There was an influx of Blackbirds early in the month with 74 on North Ronaldsay on 4th and parties of 10-12 in East Mainland and South Ronaldsay localities over the next few days. The largest Fieldfare parties were 71 on North Ronaldsay on 2nd and 60 at Stews, South Ronaldsay on 23rd. North Ronaldsay also reported 142 Redwings during the thrush arrival on 2nd but elsewhere no more than 30 were reported. There were six reports of one-two Blackcaps up to 22nd but more unusual were the Garden Warblers that occurred at Dale on 1st and 3rd and from 9th to 11th. Three Chiffchaffs were on North Ronaldsay on 1st/2nd while singles lingered there until 12th and at three other localities between 14th and 26th; another at Crafty, Firth on 26th was considered to be of the Siberian race, tristis.

The influx of Jackdaws thought to be mainly of the Nordic race, C.m.monedula, continued with 80 at Echanloch Bay on 4th, 75 over Birsay Bay on the same date and up to 36 on North Ronaldsay at the same time. Later in the month, 38 were in Burray Village on 15th and 20 at Tirlot, Westray on 29th. Two Carrion Crows were in Holm on 16th and one in Orphir on 22nd.

The largest Chaffinch flock was of 40 at Quoys, Hoy on 23rd. 40 Bramblings were on North Ronaldsay on 1st with one-five at five other localities during the month. Between 4th and 15th, single Goldfinches occurred in four localities (including Copinsay and Egilsay) while three were seen in Finstown on 26th. Eight Common Redpolls were on North Ronaldsay on 1st while an Arctic Redpoll was well described from Tirlot, Westray on 14th. The Siskin irruption continued on a smaller scale, the largest parties being 16 in Stromness on 12th and 30 at Herston on 21st with one-seven at six other sites. Twite flocks were well reported with 260 at each of Greenwall, Holm (16th) and Dale, Costa (18th) and three other flocks of over 100.

By far the largest Snow Bunting flock was in Holm where 470 were counted on 17th; three other flocks of 100-150 were seen in South-east Rousay, on Shapinsay and in Deerness. Lapland Buntings were only reported from Egilsay with one on 4th and three on 29th while the largest Reed Bunting flock resided, as usual, at Dale where there were 120 on 18th.

Eric Meek

Merry christmas to every one who reads this patch and all those who contribute.

Merry christmas one and all.

Daf

CRANES

Pair of Cranes now at Fea hill n/e Tankerness loch.

All booked up for Egilsay 10th-17th May, a week volunteering at RSPB Onziebust.
Reading this thread I absolutely cant wait!!!!
Just hope those Corncrake dont keep me awake at night with their calling!!!||||

Good for you
I hope you enjoy your time over there
Here you go have a taste more then Paul......


ORKNEY BIRD RECORDS

JANUARY 2008


There was only one record of a Black-throated Diver in January, a bird at Sandoyne on 12th. Red-necked Grebes are very scarce winter visitors but, on 7th, two were in their usual locality of Sandoyne and one off No.3 Barrier. Little Grebes were reported from their usual wintering localities but one at Herston was unusual. Fulmars began to return in numbers to their breeding cliffs during the month and there was a count of 3540 passing Costa Head in an hour on 8th. Herons were widely dispersed but eight on the west coast of Papay on 5th and 11 at Widewall Bay on 22nd were of note.

Shapinsay again provided the highest counts of Whooper Swans with 85 on 12th while 25 were at Bea Loch, Sanday on 13th and up to 15 at four other sites. Greenland White-fronted Geese peaked at 82 at The Loons on 16th while a single bird was on North Ronaldsay most of the month. The European White-fronted Goose was relocated in Firth on 26th. A Tundra Bean Goose was at Dale, Costa on 14th. 70 Pink-footed Geese, a large flock for the West Mainland, were at The Loons on 16th wile 600 in Deerness and 450 on Shapinsay on 28th and 29th were in more usual localities. A Canada Goose that appeared on Papay on 28th December remained until early January while another was on North Ronaldsay most of the month. North Ronaldsay also reported a Pale-bellied Brent Goose for the whole month too. No counts of the South Walls Barnacle Goose flock were available for January but over 600, presumably of these birds, visited the Herston area on 26th; the flock at Skaill, Sandwick numbered 70 on 14th while 45 were at The Loons on 16th and 17 at Breck, Rendall on 26th. The Snow Goose first found in Firth in December re-appeared there on 5th and was seen at Quanterness on 31st.

Shelducks returning from their moulting grounds peaked at 36 in Widewall Bay on 30th; no more than two were reported from elsewhere. Good Teal counts included a peak of 490 at Shapinsay’s Mill Dam on 24th, 130 at Loch of Banks on 14th and 190 at the Sabiston Loch on 20th. A Green-winged Teal was at the Loch of Tankerness until at least 12th. 16 Pintail were counted on North Loch, Sanday on 13th while up to 13 were on North Ronaldsay. The Loch of Stenness Scaup flock numbered 224 on 12th. There were no exceptional counts of Velvet Scoters during the month but single Common Scoters were at Inganess on 12th and in Holm Sound next day with a count of six off Mirkady, Deerness on 22nd. The Inganess Surf Scoter was seen on 1st and 12th while a young drake was watched off the North Ronaldsay pier on 21st. A drake Goosander was on the Bosquoy Loch on 12th while the elusive Loch of Skaill Smew remained until the end of the month occasionally commuting to the Loch of Clumly Quarry Pool. The Quoyloo Brewery Pool Ruddy Duck was again seen on 9th.

A Water Rail was flushed at the Harray Loch’s Lochside picnic site on 29th but the sighting of the month was undoubtedly the two Cranes that were first seen at Quanternees during the morning of 5th and later were relocated at Fea Hill, Tankerness in the evening.

Common Buzzards were in Orphir on 5th and Heddle on 9th while the Rough-legged Buzzard that was found in Rendall in December remained there all month.

The largest Golden Plover flock was 900 at Banks on 26th while, unusually, one was back on moorland at Heddle Hill on 20th. 73 Ringed Plovers at Newark Bay, South Ronaldsay on 12th was a good count. Purple Sandpipers peaked at 205 on North Ronaldsay on 23rd while other large counts came from Scuthvie, Sanday (155 on 13th), North Wick, Papay (147 on 7th) and Evie Sands (100 on 27th). Scuthvie again provided the highest Sanderling count with 390 on 13th while 70 Dunlins were at the Skaill Loch on 26th. The lone Ruff at Graemston Loch, South Ronaldsay on 7th was later joined by five more on 29th. Single Jack Snipe were reported from six localities including two on open moorland while two were at the Wasdale Loch on 13th. Woodcock remained widespread with one-two seen at fifteen sites. Widewall Bay provided the highest Bar-tailed Godwit count with 76 on 11th; a single Black-tailed Godwit was at Skaill, Sandwick on 12th. The wintering Whimbrel on Burray was relocated on 29th. There was a count of over 1000 Curlews at the Loch of Bosquoy on 20th while the largest concentration of Redshanks was 235 at Widewall Bay on 12th. Scuthvie, Sanday provided the highest Turnstone count with 225 on 13th although counts of 100-110 came from Birsay Bay, Newark Bay, South Ronaldsay and from Evie Sands. The Grey Phalarope that appeared in Newark Bay, Deerness in December remained until 12th.

The immature Mediterranean Gull was seen again at the Peedie Sea on 17th and 28th. During foul weather on 13th, a large gathering of 995 Herring Gulls and 660 Great Black-backed Gulls came ashore on North Ronaldsay. Single Glaucous Gulls were reported from seven localities while there were two on North Ronaldsay on 14th. Iceland Gulls appeared in very similar numbers with singles at seven sites and two at Newark Bay, Deerness on 26th although there was also a record of four white-winged gulls, probably Icelands at Car Ness (viewed from the ferry) on 29th. One-two Little Auks were seen off North Ronaldsay, Sandoyne and in the Pentland Firth.

The largest Rock Dove flock was 300 at Skaill, Sandwick on 26th. 14 Skylarks on North Ronaldsay on 27th may have been the first hint of early passage. Single Meadow Pipits were reported from several sites while the flock at Gyre Orphir numbered 15 on 21st. Two Rock Pipits were at Neigarth, Evie (1.5 km from the shore) on 10th. A Grey Wagtail was in Kirkwall on 12th while up to three Pied Wagtails were reported wintering at several sites, especially in Stromness and Kirkwall.

A Robin was reported on three dates on North Ronaldsay, an unusual locality in winter, while that island also provided the largest Redwing count, 18 on 10th. 40 Filedfares at Heddle on 9th was the largest flock of that species. Single Chiffchaffs were found at Stembister, Toab and Langskaill, Tamkerness on 22nd while a warbler that was either a Yellow-browed Warbler or a Hume’s Warbler was seen briefly at Hestily, South Ronaldsay on 7th but, unfortunately, despite much searching couldn’t be relocated.

Carrion Crows were noted at Twatt (two) on 14th, Evie on 19th and Sandwick on 23rd. Three Jackdaws in a flock of 13 near Tormiston on 16th showed the white neck patches characteristic of the Nordic race.

Up to 72 Greenfinches were counted in Finstown during the month. Up to six Goldfinches also occurred there with another in Stromness on 8th/9th and two at the Rousay pier on 22nd. A single Bullfinch was at Crafty, Firth on 22nd and a single Linnet was reported from North Ronaldsay on 24th/25th. The biggest Twite flock was at Queena, Sandwick on 21st while up to 300 were at Graemeston, South Ronaldsay during the month and 260 on Shapinsay and 250 at Dale, Costa on 7th. 100 Snow Buntings passed over the Lochside picnic site, Harray on 28th while elsewhere there were 90 in Rendall on 20th, 61 on North Ronaldsay on 22nd and 60 at Dale on 13th. The highest concentration of Reed Buntings was 40 at Dale on 7th.


Eric Meek

OUT AND ABOUT.


Out and about to day on the monthly Tim Dean walk proved to be a matter of endurance at times. Bright sunshine was interspersed with savage wintry showers. We started with a look round Skail then a trip over to Quoyloo brewery and a walk from there via the lanes all the way to Holodyke on the edge of the Harray hills. Here are a few of the highlights.

The bay of Skaill was dramatic to say the least. The westerlies have pushed the seas up into big crashing swells. The waves were breaking way up over the cliffs at the Hole of Row,so much so that you could see the sea flooding down the hillside like a river. .Along the shore salty spray soon encrusted every thing and the scopes n bins were kept covered. The loch was a nightmare of wind and waves. What birds were there sheltered in the lee of the western shore. Good numbers of Potchard,Teal and Widgeon were about. A few Golden eye and mallard showed. There was no sign of the Scaup or the Smew. A Hen Harrier quartered the ground for a short while but I think the most interesting sight were the orange headed Whooper swans. They gain this colour from feeding in very iron rich feeding grounds before they come to winter here. I don’t know if it will moult out before they leave,idont supose so now!

Quoyloo brewery..N Unigarth.. West Linklater..Upper Linklater..This track(a drovers road I think) gives great views of the wetlands below. We stopped for a bite to eat in the relative calm and enjoyed some sun and fine views that fairly teemed with the usual wet land suspects. The track led out to the Sandwick strait where we would cross the road and head the short distance to the Swartland drovers road. First though we had a nice surprise with a flock of seven Meadow Pipits. These were the first returning Mipits I have seen this year and a welcome sight they were. Strangely enough we were less than a quarter mile from where I say my first returnees last year. Scoping up the lovely little Rossmire loch produced the first Gadwall of the day and displaying Mallards.

Swartland to the merkister..The track was a bit waterlogged but we plodded on. Ravens were around and flushed Snipe shot away from underfoot but not a great deal was seen until we reached the decca station. In the pools of Orr shun More Gadwall were hanging around but while watching them once again the skys opened and empted copious amounts of hail on us. The brighter ones amongst us made a bee line for the decca station to hide in Roys garage and eat jelly babies whilst others stood and waited it out. Beside the souage station was a Reed bunting and on the water another pair of Gadwall. At the Merkister there is a field with neeps this proved to hold twenty five or more Skylarks and a small flock of Twite. It was a nice find and we had some nice views when they weren’t hiding in the furoughs

Merkister to Holodyke…Heading out to the Harray road our first (and only) song thrush appeared. The waters of Shunan held only a couple of Coot These are pairing up and will be getting on with it soon as they are early breeders. We move three hundred yards down the Harray road and take the track up past Nisthouse and North Bigging. The weather realy takes a turn for the worst and the hail is rattling down. Its mean and little is to be seen,a Rook flock and a Phesant were about it. The last bit to the transport is a grim affair with hail in the face and heads down. Its great to finally stop and sit in the shelter of the buildings. Its not been great weather for birding but we have seen quite a few. Every one is still dry and warm which I see as a bonus. No ones bins fogged up which is a bonus as well. It wasn’t weather to see huge numbers of birds but often that’s not the point. Its being out there in like minded company and enjoying the day for what it is. I think that’s what counts.

Top day…..Cheers Tim
Sorry bout your car.


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Orkbird/

Green Winged Teal

We seem to be in the middle of an invasion at the moment.

The Tankerness bird is still there on the loch of Tankerness,paired up.

The bird on Loch of Brockan remains.

There was the bird at Mill dam Shap this week.

Another drake was found by Kieth Hague at Wester sand, Holm on the 18th.

So that looks like we have four at the moment...here is a link to Kieth Hagues web site where there are a few pictures,

http://www.keithhague.com/index.html

A quick spin around the back yard.

It has been foggy and damp in the hills here over the last few days and last night was no exception. The tendrils of fog blowing across the bottom end of the yard did little to encourage venturing out but dogs have to go so off we went on a quick forty minute circuit of the back yard. This is a half mile of rough track a half mile of hill track through the heather and back across a moor land field to the house. With visibility fluctuating between twenty and a hundred yards Prospects didn’t look good yet within seconds our pair of swallows were shooting past our heads bringing the endless supply of food to their hungry brood moving forward after watching them a blackbird shoots past us with a ringing alarm call going. Roy {the dog} leads the way down the track and returning from the neighbours is my cockerel and two white hens. As we stand and let them pass up the track two hoodies pass low and settle in the lower trees. Al together there are five in the family group three adults, two parent birds and another that assisted with the feeding and two surviving youngsters…strange things crows. Moving around ‘next doors’ trees and hedge gives an over view of a field mostly empty sloping down in to a bank of boiling fog Continuing down the track Large round bales appear. Their black plastic wrap has attracted a few common gulls as a warm place to stand. You can tell it’s a favoured place as few want to move until the last moment.. Looping around the new plantings we start on the peat track into the hills. Looking down now in to the shallow burn cut valley the lower slopes are covered most of the way along with Downy Birch Aspen and Creeping Willow. From this dense cover there are more Blackbird alarm calls. Things are livening up though as on the foggy wind I can hear Wood Pigeon and Pheasant up the valley a bit . The first family of Meadow Pipits rise out of the heather to sit on fence wire and start to complain they are soon joined by another and eight or ten birds are flitting around with the senior ones maintaining the high vantage points.. The vocal calls of male Wrens join in and there are territories almost every fifteen paces up this valley. There is nothing more they like doing than giving it tambo on the vocals!!
Up the track and away from the ever growing flock of meadow pipits my interest is more taken by the plant life that’s appearing as summer passes. Yellow rattle is every where and in places is dried right out and rattling away in the breeze. Devils Bit Scabious is dotted about and going over quickly. The track is a carpet of Eyebright whilst up the raised sides amongst the heather Bog Asphodel and slender St Johns wort make for bright splashes of yellow amongst the purples of the Ling, Bell and Louse wort. A passing male Reed bunting takes my attention. As I wonder if it was the farther of the successful brood just near where I am standing its gone as quickly as it appeared.. The probable reason is almost immediately obvious, across the slope from us the menacing shape of a ring tailed Harrier is rising out of the mist and quartering the ground. All around us now all that’s now to be heard is a single Stonechats alarm call as the dangerous shape looms large above us closely passing over and then off down the valley below …an excellent if short view. The last hundred yards to the bridge that will take us across the burn and back on to my ground. The heather here seems to be occupied with overly aggressive Mipits. The higher tufts of heather have birds screking away, it seems more directed at Roy that me and the birds are not liking him here.
The trail now winds back to the house. Consisting of a sheep track through the heather it winds around the wet holes and boggy ground. At the moment these wet lands are our crowning glory for along the sides of them are spread a carpet of fiery Bog Asphodel in a stunning show that heralds the descends from high summer and on to autumn
At the patch of Downy Birch a family of Stonechats are disturbed. They take to the fence to complain and I count four fledglings and two parent birds. Stonechats seem to have done well this year and second broods are around now.. The track back to the house is uneventful there are Mipits around. A Curlew flies over low in the fog and I suss out another type of Eyebright. This one a single flower on a slender stalk I am pleased with the flower and Roy is pleased to be home, so much so that his bounding run scares a ringtail off the fence post where she has been quietly sitting looking over the house hedges for an easy meal.

Roy is oblivious

The Harrier is disgruntled
.
And I am delighted

A nice end to a quick and quiet foggy walk..



Is this local patch getting back on track?....wha kens.

The Bee eater seen in Stromness{that I couldn’t find} seems to have reappeared on Shap today giving good views the length of the village before disappearing with the deteriorating weather. The second chance for a lifer slips away!!. Its tipping it down out there right now.The other night Evie beach had a nice GND close in backed by three RTD. .Harray Loch had a dozen Shoveller on the east side seen from Barnhouse and Stenness Loch opposite the car park held 200+ Redshank and a nice flock of BTG. The Godwits looking great in summer plumage...Crossbills are about generally and at least two two bar have been seen. Around the house for the last three days a female Hen Harrier has been schooling her young in the art of hunting although the youngsters seem more interested in play and loafing around. All very entertaining tho.

Daf

Here is erics report for december. It gives a good picture of whats been about in the depths of the snow time.



ORKNEY BIRD RECORDS

DECEMBER 2009


Firstly, could I correct an error in last month’s article. The photograph accompanying the piece purported to be a Little Swift but was, in fact, the much larger Alpine Swift!

Three Black-throated Divers were in a typical location, off Cava, on 4th and one was in Water Sound on 20th but much more unusual were three off Marwick Head on 9th. One-two Little Grebes were in characteristic winter habitat at the Finstown Ouse, the Brig o’ Waithe and Widewall Bay and a Red-necked Grebe was in Inganess Bay on 13th.

Fulmars were moving south off the west coast at up to 7500/hour during the first week of the month but, thereafter, were totally absent from that area. 1000 Shags, an especially large count, were in Hoy Sound on 28th. 24 Grey Herons were in Widewall Bay on 7th, other double-figure counts coming from the Holms of Stromness (16) and Graemeshall (10).

The peak Whooper Swan count from Shapinsay was 62 on 26th while 19 were at the Sabiston Loch on 22nd,16 at the Skaill Loch on 6th and 14 at Burwick on 18th. The Greylag Goose census revealed a total of 80,538, an increase of over 12,000 on the December 2008 total. In addition, there were 1038 Pink-footed Geese, most of them in the East Mainland. Up to 47 Greenland White-fronted Geese were at The Loons with singles in three other sites; three Eurasian White-fronted Geese were on North Ronaldsay all month with three on Stronsay on 14th. Three Tundra Bean Geese were found at the South Walls airfield on 5th. Up to 1680 Barnacle Geese were also on South Walls with parties of 21-50 at Stronsay, Loch of Skaill, Loch of Boardhouse and at Flaws, South Ronaldsay. Single Canada Geese were on North Ronaldsay 11th-31st, at Carness from 4th-13th and on Shapinsay on 26th while single Pale-bellied Brent Geese were on Papay and at Mill Dam of Rango on 13th with two on Stronsay next day. The escaped Bar-headed Goose that was in Rendall in November was refound this month in Harray.

Up to 25 Shelducks were in Widewall Bay all month with one – four at three other sites. 11 Pintails were found on Stronsay on 14th while up to 52 were in the North Loch/Loch of Rummie area towards the month’s end. Shovelers are scarce on the Mainland in winter and the Finstown Ouse was a particularly unusual locality to harbour up to seven late in the month, birds doubtless displaced by ice; 17 were also at Liddel Loch on 18th. A female Ring-necked Duck was on North Ronaldsay on 14th, probably last winter’s bird re-visiting. Inganess Bay was the only locality to report Velvet Scoters while the Surf Scoter was found there again mid-month. Five Common Scoters were in Widewall Bay all month and a single female on North Ronaldsay most of the month. A drake Goosander was at the Ayre Loch, St. Mary’s most of the month being joined on occasions by a duck while a red-head Smew was at the Loch of Skaill on 18th.

Single Buzzards were noted in typical localities in Firth, South Ronaldsay and Rousay though one at Howe, Stromness was rather more unusual. By far the rarest raptor recorded, however, was an intermediate-phase Gyr Falcon watched coming in off the sea north of Stromness on 8th.

A Water Rail was at Dale, Costa on three dates, one in Rendall on two dates and another at Otterswick, Sanday on 12th while a female Pheasant was chancing its luck at dusk on Christmas Eve, wandering around on one of the Stromness piers! Up to 2000 Golden Plovers gathered at Twatt with a peak on 8th. However, the only Grey Plovers were singles at Widewall and in Skaill Bay. The largest Lapwing flocks were 1250 at Loch of Skaill on 6th and 900 on the Stromness Holms next day. Other notable wader counts included 304 Sanderlings on North Ronaldsay on 7th, 170 Purple Sandpipers at Newark Bay, Deerness on 6th, 102 Snipe on North Ronaldsay on 22nd, 1070 Curlews in Widewall Bay on 18th, 125 Bar-tailed Godwits on Sanday on 30th (and 108 on Stronsay on 14th) and 218 Redshanks at Widewall Bay on 18th (with 214 at Carness on 12th). Woodcocks were reported from 16 localities, the largest concentrations being seven on North Ronaldsay on 2nd and ten in Hoy’s Lyrawa Plantation on 11th with six still being at Hestily on 26th. Single Jack Snipe were found at three West Mainland localities with others on Sanday and Shapinsay. The wintering Whimbrel on Burray was seen again on 12th and 13th

A very late Bonxie flew over Scapa Flow on 4th. The arrival of the cold weather on 19th brought an adult Iceland Gull to Stromness with two immatures arriving there shortly afterwards. A Glaucous Gull was an unusual visitor to a Stromness bird table on 27th! Earlier in the month, bad weather had forced 606 Herring Gulls and 210 Great Black-backed Gulls ashore on North Ronaldsay on 2nd. A Sandwich Tern, apparently attempting to overwinter, was off Aikerness, Evie on 31st. Four Little Auks were in Scapa Flow on 4th with one off Marwick on 17th, another having been found dead at the latter site on 7th.

The cold snap concentrated lots of birds at important food sources and no fewer than 980 Rock Doves were at the Firth School bird crop on 29th. A pale-breasted Barn Owl was found dead at Eastside, South Ronaldsay on 11th; this species, once a great rarity in Orkney, is occurring more frequently these days. Four Long-eared Owls were roosting in a Birsay plantation from mid-month.

Meadow Pipits were more widespread than usual at this time of year with at least
23 on the Trumland RSPB Reserve, Rousay on 23rd. Also on that reserve on that date were three Rock Pipits, other inland records coming from Dale, Costa on 11th and one at Queenamidda, Rendall on 10th that actually landed in a tree! – a bizarre habitat for this species. The only Grey Wagtail reported was one at the Peedie Sea on 12th. Pied Wagtails were typically localised , one-two being reported from Finstown, Scapa, Peedie Sea, Stenness and Stromness. Fieldfares and Redwings were widely scattered in small parties, 50 of the former at Durkadale on 7th and 50 of the latter in Stenness on 12th and 18th being the largest.

A Blackcap was in Finstown on 1st, another at Swannay until 3rd and one in Rendall until 10th. Chiffchaffs were reported from Scapa Crescent, Kirkwall early in the month, from North Ronaldsay on 11th and Finstown on 20th , from Burray on 29th and from Herston on three dates. A Coal Tit was at the Old Academy, South Ronaldsay on about 2nd while another, possibly the bird reported in October, was in the Wee Fea Plantation, Hoy on 11th. Another rare visitor was a Tree Creeper in The Willows, Kirkwall on 6th while the Rose-coloured Starling remained at Balfour Village, Shapinsay until 23rd by which time it was, sadly, looking very unhappy.

At least three pairs of Jackdaws were prospecting chimneys in Kirkwall’s Broad Street as the Xmas Day Ba’ raged beneath them; 100 congregated at Newton Farm, Birsay on 26th. Single Carrion Crows were noted at East Heddle and at Melsetter on 5th. The Firth School bird crop attracted up to 30 Chaffinches, two Bramblings and up to 150 Linnets but the Dale, Costa crops attracted even more, with peaks of 90 Greenfinches, 1100 Twite and 100 Reed Buntings. Another Brambling was in Rendall on 22nd while another big Twite flock involved an amazing 1500 near Ocklester, Holm. A Goldfinch was on Burray on 4th and one at Newark Bay, South Ronaldsay on 18th but all other records came from Finstown where up to 10 were roosting in a garden there mid-month. A single Lesser Redpoll was in Rendall on 8th. 300 Snow Buntings were counted at Skithva, Sandwick on 27th while there were six other reported of flocks of up to 75.

Finally, could I remind everyone that all bird records for the past year need to be submitted to Jim William, our County Recorder, by 31st January if they are to be included in the 2009 Orkney Bird Report. Jim’s address is Fairholm, Finstown or by e-mail to [email protected]

Eric Meek

Highlights of a visit 12-13th May, my first time on Orkney - Red-throated Divers Lochs of Stenness / Harray, 8 Great Northern Divers in Scapa Flow off Hobbister, 5 GND off Rerwick Head. 3 male Hen Harriers and 4 Short-eared Owls scattered sites. Great and Arctic Skuas Birsay. 2 Black-tailed Godwits and Pintail The Loons. All 4 auks, 1000s at Marwick Head, with Black Guillemots off Hobbister. Breeding waders everywhere....my first visit I'm sure I will be back.

Hi,

Can anyone point me in the direction of some decent spots for migrants on the Mainland or on South Ronaldsay. I'll be passing through on Saturday on the way up to Sanday, with plenty of time to spare because of the crossings....

Thanks

Hey there FPS,
You heading to Sanday? You spending some time there? A gang of us went there in 1996, I think. It's a big ol' lump of an Island, especially without a car!
If you have time inbetween ferries then I would head round to Deerness, there's some excellent patches to look at around there and very underwatched. Or if you still have a penchant for all things mammaly there was a bearded seal at Finstown...
I'm on my way back to North Ron after 15 years... here's hoping!
Nick