More bloody snow!

Big garden bird watch

Best counts for the hour from my garden were as follows.

52 House sparrows

90 Starlings

1 Song thrush

1 Dunnock

5 Greenfinch

3 Hooded crows

4 Common gulls

1 Redwing

1 Herring gull

It was a snowy garden I had for this years count. I think the conditions have swollen the numbers some what with a lot of Starlings and Sparrows about. However saying that latter in the day we had quite a few more Sparrows in at one time. The Starlings also flocked in and at one time there were easily over two hundred in one flock that settled. It was nice to find a Dunnock below the shrubs. It was a garden first for us here as was the solitary Redwing that briefly appeared during the counting hour. I don’t know about overall scientific validity of the nation wide count and as a BFer pointed out its more of an exercise to get the public involved and thinking positively about garden birds. Whatever it is it certainly produced results for me with to new species’ for the garden list.

There has been a dead pilot whale drifting about the boards of orkbird for about a week so I thought I would go and get a look before it began to smell!!. This is a fifteen foot long Pilot whale that’s lying at the north end of Marwick bay. It’s the first Pilot whale I have seen and it’s a shame to be seeing a dead one. Its attracting visitors as well whilst I was there today several folks came and went. With a bit of luck it will be attracting white winged visitors if they are passing. This is an excellent spot for Glaucous gulls, there’s fresh running water near by for them to wash off the gore before returning to gorge then selves more. All in all it was quite interesting. There was a male Hen harrier over the fields at the Marwick turn and a Gadwall from the loons hide on the way home. I might have looked more but the fingers were freezing out there to day.

Oot west

I managed to get out for a couple of hours to day so I thought the west coast would be the place to try. Even though the wind was coming around to the south west it would be onshoreish and provide lift for today’s quarry. It may sound like a bird to far but over this last few months there have been recurring reports of Gyrfalcon being posted on orkbird. Another fresh one was all I needed to shoot out west for a look. With Yesnaby as my destination I take the Voy rd around the north end off the Stenness loch. This is usually a good area to find all manner of waders and wild fowl yet to day it is still a frozen sheet of ice. The temperature dives as I start to run parallel with the icy shore. With only a few Curlews here and there and the usual flocks of grazing geese there not much bird life to see.
Arriving at the Yesnaby camp parking there are several cars. A scan south down the coast reveals several pairs of walkers spaced well out and more just setting off. It seems to be quite a popular walk year round now. The coastal path will take you to the Black crag and eventually into Stromness. Coming from the clear air of the central mainland I am caught off guard by the misty salt laden air that’s been thrown up and over the cliff line….lovely. Setting off I crash on past the geo and the millstone quarry and make my first stop at the rock bridge. After walking through the backwards running waterfall I stop to take a couple of photos before pushing on to the castle. Blackbacks and Herring gulls are well out numbered by Fulmars today. Its great to see so many back about the cliffs. There’s a Raven sitting on top of the castle but it’s the Fulmars that have totally taken my attention in the south end of this little bay where the basalt dyke plunges through the strata of sedimentary rocks the first of the fulmar pairs are readopting their favourite roosting, breeding ledges once again. The air here is a whirling vortex of fulmars spinning endlessly in stiff winged flight….excellent.
I head up the heather hill before me to eventually gain a view down the coast. By the time I had made it to the top one of my knees was feeling a bit springy above the knee, this and the amount of walkers before me put me right off going any further in pursuit of the Gyr. Moving further down the slope I came across three Snow buntings feeding on the heather. As I approached they would move on maintaining a gap of about fifty yards. At last I had some thing to unwrap the scope for. This of course seemed to take forever, all the time you are watching the birds with one eye whilst getting set up. With the camera on and set up I find the birds with the scope. They are feeding in the dips in the heather and are only in view for seconds before diving back in to cover. I move up hill a bit. Things are on my side. I have the hill behind me ,i am quarter hidden by the ground in front and I have a good wind in my face. I chance a couple more shots before the three of them pick up and move off leaving with their trill chatter ringing in the wind.
I head down to the cliff edge before heading back. Here I find a nice wee shelter made of rocks so stop for a well earned coffee. Two flights of shitehawks come over the shelter at ground level one after another. Spinning around there is nothing visible chasing them. A few more snaps of waves and the like and its time to head back. This time I stick with the cliff path which gives good views of the waves breaking against the foot of the castle rock stack. Another rest stop at the kissing gate to admire the Ariel antics of the Fulmars and it’s a solid bash back to the parking and another coffee before off for home.

There to be no elusive Gyr for me but that’s certainly not to say its not out there and I for one hope it is. Birds have a way of dropping off the map. There were the Snowy owl(s) last year, at least one was kicking about for ages appearing now and again, not to mention the Rough legged buzzard. It gets seen regularly all over and I have yet to definitely see it either!! Still its not been a waste, I have studied up on Gyrfalcon and been out for a few miles of sea fresh air….it must have done me some good!!

Snow bunting

The mearest hint of love and spring.

It looks like not all thoughts are on the cold snowy winter. In fact the thoughts of some have been distinctly frisky and of spring!. There have been Ravens cavorting around the house filling the air with sound and tumbling displays of masculinity. A couple of days ago I was watching a raven at some carrion away down the fields. The bird did not last long with its prize before another arrived and forced it to give up its meal. As I watched a third bird arrived. The dominant bird then actually offered the food to the new arrival by dragging it towards her and backing off whilst she ate. Over the last couple of weeks Ravens have been exploring the open roof of the derelict house just up from us. Looks like we might have some nesting action on wur own doorstep to look forwards to!!

The big freeze go on and on across the whole of the UK. In Orkney we have been getting things reasonably easy. The snows fell well before and have remained as the base covering ever since. From time to time there has been a minor fall to top up the surface but little of note has fallen since. Last night there was maybe an inch or more of powdery stuff to stick to walls and shrubs and top up the foot prints and dimples to leave soft pleasing pillowy look to the ground. Surprisingly there was a strong fog when I first awoke. This was soon dissipated by the bright sun rising in the clear blue skies of the morning.
With cabin fever in the air I thought I might chance a bit of a wander down to the loch to see what there was to be seen. With a poor choice of under layers it was best foot forwards. The vista form the bottom of the drive is an expanse white that is totally lacking in shades of green. The fields roll away to the frozen loch and the loch its self is swathed in a blanket of mist. Around the few houses here the small birds are noisy and vociferous as they move between feeding stations. The story is a little different looking out across the fields tho. The wet marshy ground and muddy pools are frozen solid, even the ubiquitous greylag geese are not to be seen and its not often that’s the case. It’s a fair bet if you went down there to any of the wee places that fresh water springs from you would find an untold amount of snipe. Its desperate times for snipe and they have been seen feeding on the salt thawed patches of the main road verges. A situation that often leads to collisions and death…yet another hazard of the season.
The road is a ribbon of sugar soft whiteness that gives slightly as the Brashers dig in for sure grip. I am only going a mile up the road and most of that downhill but it looks like most of that is to be walked in silence. Little is to be seen as I move along but finally movement close by catches the eye. It’s a brown hare, it bounds along stopping in a nice pose for long enough to get the scope off the shoulder set up and the camera switched on before it casually lopes off downhill and out of sight. This is the sort of frustration that hounds digiscopers. The setup no matter how practiced is so often not quick enough. Thinking about this as I write I think I should reduce the experience to initials and use it as an internet expression!!
This has taken me to the brow of the hill and standing beside the standing stone looking across the west mainland towards Stromness and Hoy the view in the bottom of the bowl is shrouded by a hazy mist. The islands of Lochside are a bit shrouded but scoping produces an area of open water with birds so its off down I go. The calls of a raven are echoing around and it soon appears from around a corner. As I walk into view the cries stop and I am regarded with suspicion, maybe because of the gun like protuberance I am carrying (it certainly makes a difference with the geese) I manage three quick photos before its away calling once more. The walk down to Lochside is almost totally bereft of birds, one Wren crossed my path and little more than twa Hoodies, gulls and geese were in the air.
The final approach to the area of Lochside heralds a complete change of ambiance. I have descended in to the misty air and its freezing. Visibility becomes suddenly grey and I have forgotten I am wearing sunshades(div) Moving in to an adjacent field I manage a view of the open water. There is a flock of Tufted duck along with Widgeon and a couple of Potchard. Around the edges there are a couple of Teal and some mallards. The vegetation holds masses of birds that I cant see but there are a good few geese heads being held up wondering what this newly appeared threat is. The light being no good for photos and not wanting to spook any thing I withdraw. Moving along the road I go to the picnic spot putting a Snipe up on the way. I pick my way through the heather to the waters edge. From here the open water is viewable and nicely held in one place is the elusive black swan of Harray loch. I know folks think its not a real wild bird but I reckon that it is debatable as this one has been here since year dot and is well settled with life partners. Even as I am setting up the scope the view was disappearing in the mist. I think I will start to call this mist fog as the thickening seemed to be growing at an expediential rate. I had a look about with the bins and took a couple of quick snaps. Looking up after a minute or so and the islands were disappearing. Time to go but first I must go for a walk out on the ice. Moving back down the shore I step out a few yards and have a good stamp, seems ok, a couple of good jumps and there is little to worry about its all frozen solid. It crosses my mind that I might be to if I didn’t get going so it was back retracing my steps. After gaining some little altitude and a bit of a view I could see the bank of fog stretching from Lochside over the land and Stenness loch towards Stromness. Next time I looked back further up the hill the islands where I stood were totally lost. It’s a strange phenomenon for us fog as its not something we get a lot of and I certainly wouldn’t have expected it in these conditions. The uphill rush had done me tho and I was sweating and it wasn’t being wicked away, I opened my coat only to start a wicked chill. Pressing on it was once more a fairly bird less return. But hell at least I had been out and it was all down hill to home.

Eclipse on hogmanay

An eclipse on the blue moon of the new year.....bring my best goat and the big knife dear...


This must surely be a portent of better things to come.

A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR TO ONE AND ALL OUT THERE...DAF.

The local weather report

Still bleedin snowing.

A chilly and merry christmas to one and all

The winter freeze seems to have hit every one in the UK and across Europe. Last night there were temperatures plunging to -17 in the highlands….its all a bit chilly for my tastes!!

Fortunately Orkney is escaping not so bad. We have had a covering of snow that has lasted for a few days now and although the day time temperature has hovered around 0 degrees there is little evidence of thawing. We have I suppose the benign influence of the Atlantic and north sea air flow to thank although the influence seems less benign when the gales have been from the north west for weeks on end.

We have to be great full for small mercies though and the worst of the weather seems to have bypassed us. With a bit of luck the snow covering will last for a couple of days yet and all the kids country wide will enjoy the delight of snow on Christmas.

So its Christmas eve and I don’t know if I will post again before the big day(well maybe a few photos hehe) but if I don’t then a happy festive break to you all…enjoy…now where’s that Christmas cake…

HAPPY SOLSTICE

It’s the first minutes of the solstice. At last the daylight will start to grow in length. It’s the real time of celebration for me and although I do look forwards to Friday it’s the passing of the shortest day that’s the big marker of the depths of winter.

Happiness and light to you all.

A toutch of the white stuff

With the snow falling over the continent and the bulk of the UK it seems we are getting off lightly up here. Two days of light intermittent snow has left a thin white covering across the isles. Last night the wettish ground crusted over with an icy glaze that gradually penetrated deeper and deeper as the night drew on. The met office posted severe weather warnings for snow fall. It failed to happen overnight but the warning extends across today. So far the first couple of hours of light has brought a sustained if light and dusty snow fall. The direction has come about over night so instead of east blown weather it is now coming from WWE almost a complete turnaround.

Several days of snow now loom on the horizon. I cant really see this extending its way to Christmas but you never know your luck. Fingers crossed for a white Christmas. I have to go now and sort out fresh water for the garden birds.

Happy sledging

Cocks n hens

From the kitchen door

Its chilly cold up here now and I am not getting out that much. I was out west Saturday but failed miserably to connect with tims class on Sunday. That was a bit of a miss but that’s how it go’s. At the moment gallivanting about the isles is a bit of a luxury expense so I am having to console my self by standing at the back door and looking out. Its meagre pickings most of the time as you may imagine.

We look to the east with the heather covered Harray hills and the Lyde valley about two miles distant. Between us and the heather are fields of mostly grass for grazing and silage and a few cereal fields. We have the usual suspects taking advantage of the landscape. There are small flocks of greylags here and there with bigger waders waiting to be picked up by the scope. The parish starling flock is often visible feeding on the ground or balling up and settling on telephone cables in their nervous fashion. When one of the regular raptors crosses the air space it soon becomes evident just how many birds are on the ground as flocks of startled birds take to the air, with lapwings, oyks, curlews, skulking ducks and occasionally golden plover and more often about.

Closer in and the pickings become thinner. The sparrows have been increasing in number with things topping out at around fifty at the moment. One interesting sparrow happening to day was a sparrow on a concrete fence strainer. As I watched it was rolling its gaze upwards. It must have been attracted to the small hatch of flies hovering above it in the watery sunshine. With out warning it started to jump up and catch the flies out of the air. It carried on with this feeding behaviour for a few minutes until distracted by another sparrow crossing her bows carrying an unfeasibly large piece of bread and was off.

Greenfinches seem more abundant at the moment, I suppose its being driven on by the increasingly colder weather. A few resident blackbirds and a complaining wren kinda complete the residents list. These residents often struggle for the kitchen scraps when the larger interlopers arrive for food. Common gull and blackheaded get pushed aside by the herring gulls and greater blackbacks. Hoodie crows work together to claim food before fighting amongst them selves for the lions share. Ravens have been coming down as well. At the moment they are reinforcing the pair bonds with lots of ariel displays and raucous calls. As soon as the solstice is by the will feel the sap rising and be off to claim their ancestral nesting grounds and begin refurbishment….the first breeders of the coming spring.

The best birds of the day have been a pair of Hoodies that gave good views of iridescence in the sunlight whilst waiting to pounce on a couple of slices of loaf, a few redwings that passed over with their thin short calls and a few twite one of which gave a nice view on the fence wire before dropping in to the rank grass beyond to join this companions in foraging for food.

Ahh five minutes at the back door.

The bird report for last month from the RSPB.

ORKNEY BIRD RECORDS

NOVEMBER 2009


The largest concentration of Great Northern Divers was of 22 in Echnaloch Bay on 8th but on several dates early in the month, up to 12 per day were watched moving into Scapa Flow from the west. Echnaloch Bay also held the biggest gathering of Slavonian Grebes, 27 on 8th while up to six Black-throated Divers were in Orphir Bay on 28th/29th. Little Grebes were noted in a couple of less usual localities on 29th with three in the Choin, Marwick and one off the Holms of Stromness.

A Sooty Shearwater passed Marwick Head on 11th and a very late Manx Shearwater was seen from the same locality on 28th. Some big gatherings of Shags were noted with some 500 in Hoy Sound on 29th, 300 in Widewall Bay on 8th and 265 in Deer Sound on the same date. Up to 18 Grey Herons gathered in Widewall Bay during the month and 14 at Graemeshall Loch on 30th.

130 Whooper Swans were on North Loch, Sanday on 8th while 38 were at Vasa Loch from 7th to 13th and there were lots of other reports of up to 20. Black Swans are always escapes from captivity in Britain and one has lived on the Harray Loch for many years. However, a new bird was seen on Westray on 4th, and presumably the same individual at the Tankerness Loch and on Shapinsay on 7th.

The November Greylag Goose census revealed a total of 60519 present in the islands with 29234 in the West Mainland and 12321 in the East Mainland. During the census, 863 Pink-footed Geese were recorded of which 714 were in the East Mainland. The wintering flock of Greenland White-fronted Geese in Birsay were late in arriving, the first being 22 on 11th. Numbers built up to 49 by 22nd but then, on 23rd, about 60 were seen flying north past Marwick Head, perhaps the remainder of our usual flock; a single bird was on Stronsay on 16th. Up to four Eurasian White-fronted Geese frequented North Ronaldsay during the month while one was Redland, Stromness on 5th; others of indeterminate race were at Marwick on 15th and Westray (two) on 15th. Six Taiga Bean Geese were found near Birsay School on 4th/5th and were seen again on 21st. The Barnacle Goose flock on South Walls had built up to 1060 by late October; elsewhere up to 37 were seen at the Loch of Skaill and 13 on Sanday. Single Pale-bellied Brent Geese were seen near Stromness on 15th and on Stronsay next day while six Dark-bellied Brent Geese were near the Brough of Birsay on 15th. A Red-breasted Goose, a species that would be new to Orkney, was reported near Kirkwall on 12th but despite thorough searches, could not be relocated.

Small numbers of Shelducks returning from their moult migration were noted in five typical localities, the largest gathering being 12 in Widewall Bay on 25th. Amongst the large numbers of Wigeon, a hybrid Eurasian x American Wigeon was found at Mill Dam, Shapinsay on 4th. 298 Teal on the Harray Loch on 24th was a good count as were counts of 76 Gadwall and 55 Pintail on Sanday’s North Loch on 8th. 197 Scaup were on the Stenness Loch on 23rd and 942 Pochard were on the Harray Loch on 24th with 312 were at their other favourite resort, the Boardhouse Loch, on 27th. The only Velvet Scoters reported were 10 off Rerwick Head on 18th. Up to five Common Scoter were seen in Widewall Bay and a single bird on the Stenness Loch on 23rd was unusual. Single drake Goosanders were at the Ayre Loch, St. Mary’s on 22nd and on Loch of Bosquoy on 24th.

Reports of one-two Buzzards came from the Rendall-Firth area, from Widewall/Hoxa, from Birsay and, more unusually, from Sanday. The Durkadale Hen Harrier roost held at least 14 birds on 16th while five were still utilising the North Ronaldsay site on 22nd. Sparrowhawks were conspicuous with no fewer than four being seen at Binscarth on 5th. There were two reports of Hobbies in late October, one at Marwick on 24th and one on Rousay on 31st while, a large falcon, possibly a dark-phase Gyr Falcon hurtled over Deerness on 15th.

474 Coot were on the Harray Loch on 24th while Water Rails were reported from nine localities including birds that wandered into a house in Stromness on 8th and in Herston on 10th! There were many reports of big flocks of Golden Plovers with 2500 on Burray, 2000 on Shapinsay, Sanday and in Swannay and 1830 on Stronsay with many more flocks of up to 1000. However, the only Grey Plovers were one at Birsay on 7th and singles on North Ronaldsay on 12th and 18th. 350 Sanderlings were at Scuthvie, Sanday on 14th and 260 Purple Sandpipers at Newark Bay, Deerness on 22nd with four other reports of 60-145. 36 Knot were in Widewall Bay on 20th and 25 were at Mill Sand on 22nd and single Ruffs at Loch of Banks on 4th and Mill Sand on 29th. At least 600 Snipe were on Sanday on 8th, other good counts including up to 208 on North Ronaldsay and 125 on Birsay Beach. Three Jack Snipe were at Garson, Stromness on 3rd, two still being there on 29th while singles were noted in three other localities. North Ronaldsay reported peak counts of 11 Woodcocks on 1st and 7th while up to five were seen in Rendall and one-two at 14 other sites. 410 Bar-tailed Godwits were at Cata Sand, Sanday on 7th and 340 at Lama Ness on the same island next day; 160 were at Oddie, Stronsay on 16th. Black-tailed Godwits were, however, typically scarce with just seven on North Ronaldsay on 4th and one at Marwick on 11th. The biggest Curlew flock was one of 1077 in Widewall Bay on 20th while the Burray Whimbrel was seen again on 7th.

A late Bonxie was seen off Marwick and Black Craig on 7th and an early Iceland Gull on Shapinsay on 15th. Little Gull movements are something of a mystery but one was on North Ronaldsay on 5th, one on Shapinsay on 15th and two in Orphir Bay on 29th. An enormous gathering of 8000 Common Gulls on the Stenness Loch on 29th is probably an Orkney record. Sandwich Terns have wintered occasionally in the past and two at Evie Sands on 29th may be contemplating doing just that. Up to three Little Auks were noted off North Ronaldsay on three dates and four in Scapa Flow on 11th while one was found dead in a Stromness garden on 13th.

A Barn Owl was reported from Rennibister on 21st and was apparently of the pale-breasted race as all recent records have been. Three Long-eared Owls were at Lettan, Sanday on 12th and one-two on North Ronaldsay until 17th but the only other reports were of one at Herston 8th - 24th and one at Langskaill, Tankerness on 15th. The bird of the month, if confirmed by the British Birds Rarities Committee, was undoubtedly the Little Swift seen briefly off Marwick Head on 16th. This mainly African species would be new to Orkney although there are two Shetland records and November is a typical month for the species to occur.

North Ronaldsay’s Woodlark remained until 7th while a Short-toed Lark was also there from 1st - 4th. A very late Swallow was at Burwick on 8th. Some Rock Pipits once again performed their strange mini-migration to winter in the West Mainland hills, four being found on Enyass Hill, Rendall (130 metres) on 28th. Most Pied Wagtails left the islands for the winter, only six being reported during the month and being outnumbered by Grey Wagtails of which there were up to three in Finstown and singles in five other localities. A most unusual visitor to North Ronaldsay on 15th was a Dipper; this individual was of the black-bellied race and therefore almost certainly of Continental origin.

Robins became somewhat less conspicuous than in October but there were still 20 on North Ronaldsay on 7th where a Black Redstart was noted 2nd - 7th and a Wheatear on 2nd and 4th. A Bluethroat was a very good find at Echnaloch, Burray on 8th. Scandinavian thrushes were still in evidence with up to 124 Redwings, 172 Fieldfares and 109 Blackbirds on North Ronaldsay early in the month and smaller numbers elsewhere although 150 Redwings were at The Shunan on 21st; a Ring Ouzel was also on North Ronaldsay on 1st.

Blackcaps were widespread in small numbers with up to five on North Ronaldsay and one-three at ten other sites. Similarly, there were up to five Chiffchaffs on North Ronaldsay and one-two at ten other localities, several being reported as being of ‘eastern origin’. The Dusky Warbler was apparently still present on Stronsay as late as 6th.

A Great Grey Shrike must have made a splendid sight at Blackhamar, Rousay on 16th while the Rose-coloured Starling remained in Balfour Village until 4th and a very unusual find in Willow Road, Kirkwall on 30th was a Treecreeper. Two Jackdaws were migrants on North Ronaldsay on several dates while one at Tirlot, Westray was identified as being of the Scandinavian race, because of its white collar. 75 Hooded Crows came into the Langskaill roost in Tankerness on 15th and a single Carrion Crow was at Lyness on 11th.

Up to 25 Chaffinches gathered in the Finstown area during the month while up to five Bramblings were seen there with one-two at three other sites. 100 Greenfinches at Firth School on 7th was the largest flock recorded. An influx of Goldfinches brought up to seven to Hoy, up to six to Finstown and one-two to five other locations. Up to 15 Siskins were in Rendall early in the month but the only others were five in Harray on 7th and singles in Finstown on 8th and 22nd. The Firth School bird crop attracted up to 150 Linnets while 100 were also seen at Dale. Redpolls caused a lot of head-scratching as folk tried to sort out the various species and races. Up to ten in Rendall were mostly Greenland/Iceland Redpolls birds but when trapped, three had the measurements of Lesser Redpolls while two showed the characters of Mealy Redpolls! Elsewhere, up to six were seen in Finstown, one-two on North Ronaldsay and singles at Durkadale and St.Margaret’s Hope. The Dale, Costa Twite flock outstripped all others with 600 present on 11th and 26th; 400 were at Ocklester, Holm on 30th, 310 on Egilsay on 4th and 200 at Aikerness, Evie on 29th while North Ronaldsay retained its flock with a peak of 90 on 4th. 10 Crossbills passed through Rendall on 1st while a single bird was in the White Glen Plantation, Hoy on 9th and 11th.

Some good Snow Bunting flocks were reported with 200 in Deerness and on Sanday, 150 at Howe Brae, Stromness, up to 132 on North Ronaldsay and 110 at Sandwick, South Ronaldsay. A Lapland Bunting that flew over the latter locality on 16th was the only report of this species and a good record anywhere away from North Ronaldsay. 90 Reed Buntings were at Dale, Costa on 11th and 40 at Firth School on 8th while a single Yellowhammer was on North Ronaldsay on 7th.

Eric Meek

Nice one in the garden

I was just leaving about two to day when a Merlin came low overhead from behind, putting put up a small ball of Starlings it banked to the right and dived through them with out luck. Exiting the panicing flock to the left it headed towards next doors raising up and diving in to her shrubs before heading off towards the standing stone on the top of the hill. A nice winter tick for the garden list.

Back (again)

After several attempts to get this blog back on track I think I am finally getting there this time. I would like to thank all those that are looking in on a regular basis, I ken fine there’s not been a lot going on but hopefully I will be adding new content as I go along. After my wee sojourn in the hospital my return to Orkney was over whelmed by the need to go to London where sad family stuff held me for a month or so. All the places that I would have been delighted to get to like Barnes and the Kent marshes held no interest for me over the weeks. I did manage to get out a couple of mornings (more to save my sanity than to be birding for birdings sake) Right next to the flats I was in is the city farm of Mudchute that is flanked by Millwall park There are allotments a café and stables, large animal enclosures and a bridal path that sort of circles the farm.
The first walk about had very tame crows hanging around the feet as I was looking in to bushes at fleeting movements, Quite a contrast to the Hoodies here. The usual suspects were about with Blue tits, Great tits and Green finches aplenty. Wrens and Robins clicked away and a flock of long tailed tits flitted about ahead of me as I slowly moved along the over hung bridal way. Surprisingly there were no house sparrows to be seen at all. I did however get a lifer at Mudchute. As I was moving through the tall tree line that edges the park my attention was taken by some raucous birds screeching away. I new before I had seen them what they were…sort off. A look in to the top branches soon produced Parakeets. There were a dozen of more green parakeets with a pale breasts and orange beaks. They were highly mobile and didn’t hang about for long. I was to see more over the coming days and once they flew past the fifth floor window of the flat…all a bit surreal really.
There have been a few explanations about how these birds got established. My favourite is they are all descendants of a pair released by pop god (to my misses) Marc Bolan. Whatever the truth they are well and truly established in the English capital. One fella that was visiting had walked through a roost on the east side of Greenwich park that had a couple of thousand birds in it. A very noisy experience and one that’s not so rare. Roosts of ten thousand or more are well established in some areas. I was well pleased at the find anyway.
With me not feeling fit enough to ride down to London and time being important I jumped the plane and bish bash bosh I was down in the blink of an eye. The return was to be by train and an enjoyable experience it was to be. I had seen fieldfares and whooper swans before the midlands and the miles swiftly fell under the wheels. As we progressed north the recent heavy rains and flooding were more and more evident. At one point several small deer bounded away from the track side across a stubble field displaying striking white arses as they went. Newcastle and beyond the train is on the east coast proper. Here I see my first Curlew swiftly followed by several Lapwings. Running into Edinburgh in the late afternoon is cracking, the suns getting low throwing a golden light over the landscape. There is also the felling of warmth and security that the familiarity of the landscape brings when you know that you have reached home. Those warm feelings were to prove some what elusive 13 hours later as I climbed out of a taxi and on to an all to familiar freezing Waverly station for the 6.30 to Stirling and Thurso. The only bum note of the trip was about to unfold tho. As I boarded the train I saw a notice that there were no reserved seats on the train. I wandered down to my allocated seat and some bloke was in it. Fair enough the one behind was empty so I would take it. I swung my sandwich bag up to the rack and the flask went with a right bash, thinking I didn’t like the sound of that I hefted the big carryall I had with me. Next thing I know the bloke in front is saying my bag I dripping on him. Grabbing it down the flask of coffee is draining in to the bag, I rescue the sandwiches and bin the rest in the litter bin. I apologise tho the fella in my seat and he starts on at me “ its still dripping doon on me an that eh “ Tired, cold and unamused at the prospect of paying two quid a cup for coffee all day I look him in the eyes with my meanest disposition and say..SO…bugger me he raises his hands….oooer…and puts up his hood. I take my seat in a casual manner all the while thinking phew I thought I was about to get thrown off the train for fighting there, not to mention getting the crap beat out of me by some muppet half my age. Who needs coffee in the morning if you can get a healthy dose of adrenalin.
Stirling was just a wee way up the line and we all changed there in the cold first light of day. Edinburgh had been cold but now the air was altogether sharper. Moving inexorably north the early light revealed waterlogged fields, rivers in spate and flood plains awash. In places I saw flocks of thrushes moving across the fields, a couple of good geese flocks that were to far away to know what they were. We were a bit past Perth when close in and low a Red Kite flew across a field beside the track. This was a real thrill. It was large and it was very close for those fleeting moments. I had only seen them from the distance and then not kent what they were until I got to the computer that night. This was defiantly my best bird of the journey. The highlands were coming into there own now. The hills were well snow capped and simply glowing in the morning sun. After a month in the east end it was as if my vision had turned from monochrome to colour. The stunning warm tones of brown through to red and shades of winter green against the blue of the sky stood out in such a way that I cant describe. Its not just digested by the brain but it warms the heart and blood with its beauty. (chokes back tear). About this time the first Buzzard appears looking well at home moving across the rugged landscape. I knocked out a few photos as we went along which I will post after this for a look. Soon enough Inverness came and went and the last stage was underway. The train windows were well smeared but I wasn’t going to let this stop me taking photos. This is the slowest rail journey in the UK in places it is endlessly up hill and slow. It is also the most indirect route possible for getting to a town that is due north. The reason for this is the rail way was originally built largely through private subscription. The only people with the finances and interest to be building a railway across the desolation of northern Scotland were of course the big land owners of the big estates who took the opportunity of bringing in the guns and exporting their wool hence the train meanders around the country with the aplomb of a rabbit that’s been eating rum soaked raisins. I managed to keep the eyes open all the way to Invergorden where I managed a couple of snaps of the rigs that are layed up there. Arising tide was pushing in the waders, all to far to really identify bu8t they had the reassuring appearance of Redshanks. Two more Buzzards were ticked and a Raven brightened things. I was falling more and more in to my book and dozing. I awoke to the pleasing sight of Dornoch station disappearing on departure. The town is Scotland equivalent of Kalamazoo, Michigan USA. I returned to the realms of morphious with the thought that I could let the miles pass peacefully. Outside though the country was well changed the mountains had receded and the vast expanse of Caithness and Sutherlands flow country spread before us. I must admit I awoke from my dozing a couple of times although all I did was take a couple of photos and settle down again. Soon enough I was awoken at Thurso station where the rails end. God how I wish for faster trains!! A brief taxi ride along to Scrabster and the ferry terminal saw me standing with a view of home…well I would have had a view if it had not been for the rain blowing about the car park…super. There was little else to do but wait. I amused my self for a while counting gulls, that was until I decided their calls were just mocking me for having nothing better to do. Darkness fell and the Pentalina arrived to spirit us away in to the pitching rolling world of dark night. The last birds I was to see on the journey were the gulls following the boat as I pressed face to the windows and gazed in to the all encompassing dark. Bright shapes that seem to glow white in the night came and went like spirits or ghosts as they were illuminated by the ships lights. All this melancholia was to be left behind with the lights of Stromness.
Looking down the pier I could see Joe Doyle waiting to give me a lift home. In no time we were tied up along side. A quick queue and we were all ashore on the solid ground of home. With a quick whit like? No bad, I was off. I had started at 11 the previous day and it was now 21.00….trains…I kinda remember why I don’t choose to use them any more, I do enjoy them but the last half takes ages. Never mind it was good to get home.

I thought this blog was going to get back on track, things were looking good. We had just had the Sandhill crane and I was starting to shoot about again and enjoy birding. The Red eyed vireo had me dancing with glee. October was started with all the promise that best month of the year brings. The day after the Vireo it was to all end for me. I was waiting for a squall to pass after lunch before heading off to work. As the loch disappeared in to the grey curtain of rain I felt a little woozy. Almost immediately I was aware of this my vision split in two. I stood and blinked like an idiot trying to clear it but nothing happened except for a throb of pain deep behind the eye. Oooer feeling like I was going to go down and being alone indoors I shot off next door where a car was summoned to whisk me in to the doctors. Rushed in, in increasing pain the afternoon passed in a blur from doctors into hospital. Next morning it’s on to an ambulance flight to Aberdeen. Nice to get a plane to your self but I would have preferred it under other circumstances really. So a week lying around on uncomfortable beds, my brain suitably irradiated with lots of cross sectioning x-rays and two separate lumber punctures (they were such a laugh) There seemed to be no damage from the wee stroke so I was sent home. All in all the hospital was clean, all the staff were superb, but the shop was expensive and the birds crap. I slipped away for a skulk about the grounds a couple of times and managed starlings and shite hawks. The one bright spot were three carrion crows so I managed a quick tick. With the staff fed up of jabbing me with needles and requests for bed baths I was returned home to get on with things.
It was raining when I made it back on to island terra firma but the downpour has only stopped to draw breath a couple of times since. Not that its making much difference to me as I am confined to barracks with orders to sit on my arse and chill…no running around and no excitement. I hadn’t counted on the weather being such an adversary in things tho. We have now had ten days of wet, sometimes very wet weather. During the breaks good birds have been popping up all over and I am stuck looking out the windows…great!. Its not been that bad though Fieldfare fell to the garden list. On Sunday afternoon in the lee of a pampas grass I spied a blackbird. On closer inspection it had a scaly appearance and a pronounced if subdued white bib evenly spread. This made my heart leap! Cos it looked like a female ring ouzel and if such would be only my second . The misty drizzle was blowing across the lawn but the window was reasonably clear of rain the more I looked the more convinced I was and it wasn’t one of the flocks of blackbirds that have flooded in from the continent over these last few days. So its photo next of course but the obvious thing to do is as usual the wrong one and even with the camera on and the scope set ready opening the front door is enough to send the bird from its shelter and away into the squalls. Great bird for the garden list and pleased to have it but I will have to live with loosing the opportunity to get the photo.
Today I was off to Kirkwall and then to Stromness a look. The tide was well up and the fields had a lot of activity going on. The calm dry weather that moved in over night has let all the birds that are about have the opportunity to feed. Big crowds of all the usual subjects made for some spectacular flock feeding. Looking across the lochs the air was full of birds coming, going and wheeling about. In Stromness at the top of Hellihole I saw my first Yellow browed warbler of the autumn so I was once more pleased with the day. On the return home I stood at the end of the drive and scoped out the fields below the house. Whilst there was no great numbers of birds near the house the loch was a delight. The surface was turning to glass and in this state it reveals exactly the numbers of ducks and geese exposing them with nowhere to hide on the smooth surface. Duck numbers have started to rise but the main influx is yet to arrive. As I stood there I was aware of a shuffling in the stunted sycamore beside me. I turn only my head slowly and in my vision is a Goldcrest…what a delight and yet another first for the garden list. Minute after minute passes, it’s a single bird and it moves flitting and probing, working its way around the branches. It keeps its acrobatic display going and ignoring me. A couple of cars pass and I remain comfortable and still. The wee bird stops still as the cars pass but promptly resumes feeding unflustered. Another car sounds up the hill and with out thinking I turn my face towards the sound…bad move. As I rotate it back I can see the business end of the Goldcrest pointed at me with an angry expression on its face. Now some may say that’s a bit of an anthropomorphic sort of thing to think but if you could have seen the expression when it had sussed out I was there and some sort of potential threat it was defiantly anger and aggression, the stare from those eyes for these moments bore in to my leaky brain. It seemed for a brief yet endless time we were connected and the whole size of the bird expanded to greater than the sum of its parts as it stared into my face. With a flutter it was gone and I was alone.
Och well you have to grab your fun where you can get it with the quiet life and it’s the little things that keep you going!!

Its been a quiet week for me as I have been stuck inside not really getting out. It looks like its set to continue for the rest of the month…Ahh the ironies of life. Best birds of note at the house have been a pair of Barnacle geese roosting in with a flock of Pink feet the middle of last week. I had a Carrion crow in Aberdeen the other day so it’s a year tick. There’s been days of rain here yet it is mild and still tonight. Below the house the air is a raucous noise of thousands of Greylags roosting and grazing. There were a few hundred Pinks and Laggs this after noon along with relatively small flocks of Lapwing Curlew Golden plover. Tonight is a different story. The flocks are right up to the fence at the bottom of the gardens and the noise has been really something at times. Im looking forwards to a good look through the bushes around the houses here the morns morning tho. There’s been a lot about and you never know your luck eh!

The suckier side of birding.

What a manic day. My early start didn’t happen and im cursing myself for it now. I managed to get to the Gloup a little before eight I think. My spirits were high as I approached. The road gets narrower as you get there and the flocks of small birds were all over with lots of activity in the air. The car park had one car in it and two birders on the Gloup path. Seeing they were heading back I waited at the head of the path to see what was occurring. It was to be crap news tho, this was Dave and Stuart returning from their first light check. They had been spending all this time looking for the bird. The area where the bird had roosted had been heavily trampled down to only twenty feet from the spot. The ground had been clean when every one left last night. Two cars were there over night but gone when the lads arrived. Draw what conclusions you want..i ken what I think. If I had the reg numbers I would have spent my time tracking them down rather than half the day looking for the cuckoo….altho probably not.
The cuckoo blown out I head off to Burwick to meet the boat . Sitting about the car park I get the cannon out to get a few snaps. Once again it insisted that the batteries are flat. Spinning them over usually does the job however even changing them for fresh wont get it going….what a pain. The boat disgorges a sea of twitchers dressed in olive drab clothing and matching pallor. The bloke im looking for I have met before but cant see. I sit till every one is boarding busses. No one says hello and I am the only biker there…another bummer.
Still never mind. With this its back to the town for the bike run to the Stromness bike show and a hang out with the bikes for a while. Its blues weekend there as well so its going to be a good day in strombo. The lure of the birds is to strong tho so I head off after an hour, get a coffee and a sarnie before heading out to search for the Cuckoo. It was to prove a long afternoon starting at the Wideford burn, Tankerness, Deerness and as big a swath of the east coast as I could manage. In the end I cut my losses and headed off to Winnic to look for the Crane. Fortunately there was a nice parking place with the bird conveniently located in the adjoining field. There were a good few folks about in various places enjoying the views. The bird was a good distance off with the angle of the sun doing us no favours. The wing was dropping and the air warming. The skys had broken to show an increasing amount of blue. My mood was lightning by the minute. Moving down the road speaking to some folks as I go every one is friendly and enjoying the views. Speaking to Barry and Rebecca and watching the field a Hen harrier quarters the ditch right behind the Crane. Amazingly the bird is completely unfussed with this and ignores it with a wary eye. More surprising still is the goose that is grazing beside it. Ordinarily it would be up and away with this threat but it seems there is safety in numbers…even if that number is two!! I met the furthest travled twitchers here with one young lad that had made it non-stop from south Devon. Like I said at the time ..outstanding effort!!!..i did wonder if his name was Joe Ray.
Having used up the vantage points below it I move off and go to Hestly for a look from the garden. There are several folks here and the view is surprisingly good. Looking over my shoulder back to the house its obvious you could sit inside and view this mega from the comfort of your own soft seat…..that is if you wernt in Spain…ouch bad luck Andy.
The midgies are starting to bite so I head back to the bike but not before I have a yarn to yet another birder this time about bikes. It makes a nice change and a good note to end on before a nice run home. The birding day ended better than it started that’s for sure.

COOKING WITH GAS

Things are going fucking brilliant up here this week. There was a black browed albatross seen from the Pentalina north of Stroma just sitting on the water. A Yellow billed cuckoo was found by Gerry Cannon and posted up on Orkbird this afternoon. Its out in Deerness near the Gloup…just follow the Deerness road till the absolute end and your there. Deerness is doing well at the moment with two American Golden plovers showing well in the same area. I cant resist this and will be off to the gloup at first light. I was speaking to Tim Dean tonight and he was telling me that these cuckoos are pretty delicate and this one might not last all that long which is a sad though. Saying that tho Paul Higson has reported that it was feeding and alert before it went to roost so fingers crossed.
There was a Grey Phalarope at the first barrier flow side so with the constant fresh westerly we are having there’s a chance of more. In these conditions there is always a chance of Little Auks sheltering in the same area mostly further out tho. Echna is also worth a good look
. I intend to go for the Crane again the morn after Deerness and with a bit of luck it will still be about. The wind should remain fresh and from the west. If this is the case hopefully the bird will remain. It is a long way east of where it should be and while it may find that confusing I am pretty sure it will realise how far north it is. As it may winter in the southern united states or Mexico I am sure it will feel the need to head south once the gales finally break and it gets a chance to come about….enjoy it while you can…..stay in miss out.

Kate...love you and miss you xxx

Sandhill crane...refreshes the place other birds cannot reach

It had been pourin like the flood on and off al day. On the met office weather site I was watching a break in the clouds coming in towards the afternoon so I saddled up and took my chance. On arriving in at5 the bottom end of the south parish I spoke to a couple of birders who both told me it had been about an hour ago and had been flighty, they pointed me towards Liddle loch tho. I know the place fairly well having fished and walked it for thirty odd years. It is cris crossed by tracks and rights of way. The first place I stopped to scan over the loch and fields beside it produced the Crane. Its in preening with a small flock of Blackbacks…right enough I am a lucky dog and this dog was about to have his day (for a change)
I took the road up to Banks and parked up by the café. You could scope the bird from there but I thought I would get closer.
Below me half a mile away down on the shore other birders were getting a good view sheltered behind some stone dyke. I made my way down to the cliffs and then the shore. Using the slope of the storm beach for cover I made my way along to the dykes and joined the small throng. Although the bird was a bit off and the wind was whistling about a bit I managed to get a fine view and a few snaps. At times it was settled right down and at others it was preening away. It showed a lot of character though and strutted about a couple of times pushing away through the gulls.
All too soon it was up and away whether it was the two birders approaching from the other side of the loch, or the flight of ducks that came in at that time I don’t ken. I did see two Bonxies cross the space and they didn’t put it up tho.
Never mind once its gone its gone. What did impress me was once it was away dozens of birders stood up and exposed them self’s (not literally) I could see a few from my spot but they emerged from ditches and folds in the ground. They were every where along the shore side. Quite a sight for Orkney where you are often unlikely to see another scope all day.
I haven’t been out birding for ages and quite gotten out of the way of it. I am glad to say I feel quite refreshed and keen again…I might even get this blog back on line again....mega