It isnt !

After some absolutely fascinating, informative and intense debate across the usual internet forums the consensus of opinion is now that this bird is a Desert wheatear rather than a Red-tailed Wheatear. It’s a shame that it wont be a mega but it is a particularly rare visitor and a splendid record for Orkney. It has made for an excellent weekend birding and has drawn me out of my cant be arsed funk of the last few weeks. I might even go and try for another look to day as most of the film I shot yesterday seems to not have come out on the computer. The bird is at Sandside bay Deerness, park about half way down the track and the bird is hanging about thirty yards back from the shore….good hunting.

Is it isnt it ???

Buggered if i know...But i would go with the wealth of expert opinion that viewed the bird in the flesh for all those hours over the past couple of days and plump for the red arsed mega option...superb bird whatever...fantastic find for Morris, top job!!!

Dancers wed/thurs? ?

I ken fine that these predictions are a bit hit or miss but here we go!!...Geophysical Activity Forecast: The geomagnetic field is expected to be at quiet levels on day one (04 October). An increase to active and possible minor storm levels is expected on days two and three (05-06 October) as three Earthbound CME's are forecasted to arrive.

Water Rail

Snipe

At the Loons today,

Two Reed bunting, good flocks of Teeick, a pair of Kestrel active all day, plenty of Pinkfeet and more than a few Lags, two and a half thousand Golden plover spread across Yonbell and the aerodrome, once with as many again in the air towards the windmills The sky was truly dark! The reserve flock were flighty getting put up by the day long raptor activity, they started to skine up and move off in the early afternoon. One brief Gadwall and an even briefer Water rail (twice). Two solitary Swallows. The majority of the Curlew flocks stayed done the far end but weren’t particularly active, a nice sight was a flock of small ducks extremely high coming in from the north east, looked like Teal arriving. A single Snipe sat in the cut reeds right in front of the hide, roosted fed and roosted some more and was impressively tolerant of the hide which was hive of activity today. Shorteared owls were about in the late afternoon with two in sight at the same time the best count. Peregrines made seven or eight separate appearances and perched obligingly about the fence lines. There were maybe twenty two separate Ring tail passes across the reserve. Male Harriers made nine separate appearances. Eleven folks made a total of fifteen visits and five had the sense to bring sandwiches, I was not one! Six hours of sitting on my arse looking was topped off by a half hour watch from the observation point. Short eared owls hunting in front of us and a fantastic display of Peregrine rough housing with a male Harrier before chasing Golden Plovers for all it was worth. A good way to end the day!! It was a good days sitting about but I cant help thinking as I sit here I would be feeling the bones of me arse a wee bit less with a Pallid harrier tick tho!! Ach well the morns another day.

aurora alert

things are looking good for between the 8th and the 12th!!! There is a link on the facebook page.

Things are fairly moving now. Down the fields local geese are gathering in numbers and Golden plover have reappeared in numbers. All day Saturday and until Sunday at noon saw hundreds of Meadow pipits and to a lesser extent Twite continually passing over and through the gardens. This morning saw an excellent flock of seventy plus Twite around the houses. This has to be a garden record for us. !!

Shooting stars

Its 23.21and a superbly dark night and i have counted eleven shooting stars and three bright flashes over the last fifteen mins!

Painted lady

This is the only the first painted lady i have seen this year!!

Things are fairly starting to move now and over the past week I have seen the Ruff at the Shunan, a Marsh harrier at the mill of Rango, a pair of Greenshank at the loons. The past couple of days have produced flocks of Meadow pipits in the verges and fields. The Rendell hillside yesterday held a couple newly arrived and very tired looking mippit flocks. There was also a flock of sixty Swallows hunting together over a wheat field and resting up on the hydro cables. Things are certainly warming up in the migration stakes. Today I basked in the sun at the Black Craig (shirt off it was so hot!) and although whales and dolphins were not to be seen in the fantastic conditions I did manage two Manx shearwaters. The cliff top heath provided a few Common blues and my first Painted lady of the year. The sea was pretty quiet tho with only a small flow of Gannets way out heading north to take the interest. Five Whimbrel passed. I watched them approach in the bins then held them in the scope for ages before they disappeared south heading past the high cliffs of Hoy. Heading off I was circled by a juvenile Twite that called and called, landing ahead a couple of times. Cresting the hill two more Whimbrel take off and pass over me calling as they go. I am quite impressed with this im having a good day for Whimbrel!!. Its not all over though and as I start down the hill there is a ringtail starting to quarter the edge of the heather. Its back is to me and as I stand still its unconcerned by me, I suppose the wind is taking it away and it has nothing to fear. It makes a great excuse to stop and catch my breath after the up hill down hill bash from the cliff top…..The quiet time is looking a little less quiet now!!

Heads up!!

A juvinile Pallid / Montague’s harrier on Pappy has been reported on Orkbird today. Its likely the one on Fair isle the other day so look out mainland as it is bound to come through…..good hunting!!

Swallow roost

I have been to see the Swallow roost at the loons twice this week and tonight definatly provided the best spectacle. The birds are favouring the reeds right in front of the hide for their roost at the moment which of course means super views. The Swallows began to gather from half eight and grew in number over the next half hour until there were over a thousand whirling about. The flock was so great I made my way outside and stood in the road to get a fuller view. All to soon they began too swoop down to investigate roosting sights in the reeds, eventually falling from the skies in droves to settle before all being put up by a couple of late arriving birders!!. Still this gave a chance for the entire flock to be seen as one and impressive it was!!. No sooner had they risen though than they spiralled down to settle again and were almost all down by the time the late arrivals had sorted their self’s out and entered the hide. Never mind it will all happen again the morns night wi a bit of luck. It’s a super sight and very atmospheric to be under such a flock, well worth going out for a look!! There will be a wee bit of film going on the facebook page the morn some time!

Cetacean watching

Its been a good couple of days for cetacean watching for me. Sunday
Was flat calm and slack water was about lunch time so I shot down to Hoxa for a look. Ten minutes watching produced the thrilling sight of a fin and another trailing after it. A while later and another pair appeared and disappeared. They were highly mobile and moved about from one end of Flotta to the other. These were Harbour Porpoise and they would take two or three breaths and be gone. I was fairly sure I saw at least four separate individuals, Steve Sankey who was watching further round the head thought he had seen at least seven individuals so there was plenty to see.
Monday was another flat calm day and I headed for Stromness and the Black Craig. This was to misty to see anything and I decided to return as soon as possible, that just happened to be today funnily enough. Conditions were good, nice and calm with a mild air. I could see from the jack up rig to Hoy and north to Yesnaby. Little was to be seen, a few birds on the sea and several more in the extended view from the scope. Any distant exotic shearwater shapes resolved themselves into immature gannets over and over again. When this became to much of a strain on the eyes it was back to eyes and bins looking for fins. Still nothing and as time ticked away I began to attract the attention of midges. My tolerance to the wee beasties is pretty lame and I was soon in the mind to move on and make my self a bit of a mobile target. I ended walking half way to Yesnaby and back with little luck. There had been a constant passage of Bonxies heading to Hoy and for a large part of the path I had been accompanied by families of Wheatears and more than a few Rock pipits. By the time I reached the stile below the Emec spy post I stopped to catch my breath and cool off in preparation for the final uphill path. So all peeled off and enjoying the cold perspiration evaporating in the slightest of breezes I was looking to sea thinking that was that for the day a fin cut the water and disappeared only reappear as the first sight was sinking in. This was about half way to the yellow buoy. It didn’t stay in sight for very long and once down it was three or four minutes before I could find it again. At one stage it was obvious that there was a smaller one close behind it. Eventually I lost sight and they headed towards the Jackup barge. I amused my self looking at the photos I had taken that had taken zooming in and out playing hunt the fin….with no success I should add!! My attention was grabbed with a sudden blowing sound and looking up the Dolphin is right below me just off the cliff, snatching up the bins ( I hardly need them!) I can see the back is grey, it has a bluntish head, as it dives shallowly through the water it rolls on its side as it gos down showing a white flank with a smooth line between the grey along the flank. Close in like this the, the sensation of size is large and I wonder if this is a Rissos Dolphin ( there has been one washed up out west this week and they are fresh in my head) anyway it soon is nowhere to be seen and I turn to walk back to the stile three walkers have appeared one of whom is Tim, a stalwart of the camera club. We were soon chatting about sightings and the disappeared dolphin when Tim says there was a huge splash out at the yellow buoy, as we look out there’s another and another. With bins trained on the spot we can see a pod of Dolphins out there leaping clear of the water splashing exuberantly, some clearly spinning. Counting over and over gives the best count of eight at one time although im sure there were more. It’s a thrilling if distant display but it just gos on and on. We get the scope on them and manage a few views before it all eventually gos off the boil. Its not all lost though and they reapear after a while a lot closer in, not jumping as much but still very active moving about the same area . I think these were common dolphins as you could see a dark v in the body colours lateral line (saying all this tho im no sort of expert on cetaceans) Leaving the other three engrossed I was to soon head off though very satisfied with my mad 40 mins watching…..cracking stuff!!

Field Gentian

I had a visit to the Black Craig by Stromness this lunchtime, the idea being to have a look for passing whales and dolphins. Right enough it was calm and smooth but unfortunately the sky dropped to the sea as I reached the cliff edge and began to set up. I was shut down before I started as the horizon sped towards me. With that there was little more to see than occasional razorbills, fulmars and Bonxies emerging from the gloom. I had a poke about the cliff top to keep my interest and circulation up. I am glad I did though as I wandered in to a huge display of Field Gentian. Field Gentian is one of those bogey plants that I just haven’t seemed to come across on my travels despite seeing sightings of it posted on various sites ( I even have it misidentified in a photo album on this very blog!! ) The duck was about to be broken though as I realised I was sat besides a flowering Gentian, along sides this there was another and another. It didn’t take long to see there was a carpet of Field Gentian spread before me. Its so often the way of things, you wait for a bus and three come at once. I had looked for individual plants in a couple of roadside verge sites with out luck yet here were literally thousands just breaking into bloom. This spectacular display is not alone though as there seems to have been a huge cliff top blooming of Eyebright as well, turning the cliff tops frosty white as they disappear in to the soft mist. All in all it a fine sight and well worth a look. Take the path to the Black Craig, straight past the renewable spy station and down to the cliff edge stile. Cross the stile to the right and the display starts just a few yards in. Please watch for trampling plants though!!

Orca

On our facebook page tonight...



killer whale spotted off the east side of Egilsay today in line with the Muckle green holm 12.45pm also at 3.20 from the Eynhallow ferry by the cardinal buoy.

Janet Evans

BTG

There have been a dozen or more Black tailed godwits about hands with the Breckan pools at the Harray end of the Stonyhill for the last two days.

Start em young!

Freya 5, Life list 16.

Noctulucent clouds last night.

Flight congestion !!

Two lifers in a day.

Orkbirds once again came up with the goods, Last night I was having a look before bed when I saw the report of the temminck’s stint at the Shunan. Even though it was now to dark to go it would be light in a few hours and this would be to good a bird to miss. I have been down this road so many times and come up blank with a sleep and an ‘early’ start so with it being light enough to get things together at the back of three it was a simple decision to stay up and head out first thing. I put the time to good use checking out stint id info and sky news. Time passed and by four AM I was on site at the Shunan. The whole place was buzzing with Shellduck looking after five well grown chicks, a flock of oystercatchers roosting on the far shore. Every soften three or more would chirp up get their heads down and march about pleeping. This would go on for a while and stop before another protagonist would start up again and this of course went on all the time I was there!! The foreshore at the closest point had a trio of Herons roosting. They are spooky things at the best of times so I was fairly chuffed to get parked up with out disturbing them. The ambiance was fantastic as the light levels grew, a soft breeze was enough to keep off the midges. I adopted a soft seat on the bike and concentrated on scoping out every inch of mud and stone ii could see over and over again. There were several types of duck with young, Redshanks with chicks out wading, but little sight of a tiny wee wader.
Time passed and my attention wandered from the scope to the bins and with the wider perspective the dramas of the day harried me for attention…gulls and lapwings squabbled, curlews chased each other from the good feeding areas with bubbling cries whilst others jumped in to the vacant ground. At one point a scavenging bonxie put up several gulls and came in for some serious abuse before retreating across the fields. Eventually a scope pass across a distant rock spit showed a tiny head splashing between a couple of rocks. This was enough to grab my attention, just in front of this was a redshank and it just totally dwarfed the wader. It was a distant and dull view but you could see it certainly wasn’t one of the dunlin that were a short way off. Although obscured by the rocks it was moving into view from time to time I managed to see a distinct bib and a pale looking set of legs!!! Oh yes this is the bird im looking for!! Yeeha tick!! With the scope zoomed in to the point it will start loosing resolution I follow it from left to right watching it as closely as I can when it occurs to me …take a photo dumbfuck!! This of course is the kiss of death, no sooner though and a common gull lands almost on top of the poor wee Temminck stint pushing it off its wee pool. To my horror it took to the air and showing some white shot out of sight in to the last bay on the right. It was now 4.45 and the view had lasted five minutes or less. I was all fired up now and settled in again thinking it would show again but by 5.30 there was no sight of it. Even though it wasn’t to show again there was so much activity it was hard to be disappointed. Eighteen Blacktailed Godwits striding about feeding dressed in their finest summer plumage and a pass from a male hen harrier put every thing up just as I was on the point leaving gave a great opportunity to see just how many birds the loch side area held, Needless to say I failed to find the Temminck stint in the chaos with just my bins to hand, never mind though it was off home for a bit of well earned kip…I thought the day was over!!

On awakening and a quick migraine later I jumped on the bike for another look. I spent another hour searching over and over but the best bird I could find was a Common Sandpiper that dropped in covered a lot of ground feeding furiously and headed off. I took this as a hint and headed off as well. The loch of Bosquoy is the next turn on the right heading home from there so I snap in there for a look thinking that the Temminck might just be feeding here some where. Pulling up I find Morris Rendall setting up his tripod, saying whit like and that he asks me if we are looking for the same bird. If it the stint I am then. That’s not the one he says, he is here to try to photograph the Ring necked ducks. This is another bird well actually it was a pair of birds that were reported the other day and I hadn’t looked for. I had assumed that by now they would have been on there way to where ever…..WRONG …again. Never having seen one I had a look in my Collins that I for once had taken out with me. I was surprised to see that they had no discernable ring about the neck and were to all intents and purposes a large Tufted duck with a white band on the bill behind the nib, no crest and a pronounced lump on the crown. Armed with this I turned my attention to the flock of tufties across the loch. Theres little to see but a nice Slavonian grebe it its summer splendour. The flock is nervous and a bonxie pass lifts them all up in groups. The Bonxie trys for a few of the chicks in the reed bed edge but the gulls rise from the adjoining field and it is given short shift. Another look through the flock produces nothing and the further edges of the reeds now come in for scrutiny. Then looking straight at me is a big tuftie with a white bar on its bill, I shout Morris over and he gets it as well we take shots of the scope quickly checking it out when Morris says ‘I should just get my camera’ followed by ‘wait a moment whars hid gone’ HA!! once again the C word drove the bird away. It seems that our bird had slunk away in to the reeds. We looked and looked but it wasn’t going to reappear. I took a wander up the track towards the kirk road to get a view behind the reeds but it was to little avail although it was worth a look. Returning to the bike Kieth Fairclough had arrived and after a fruitless search he tried the track up the hill a bit as well whilst I kept a look out on this side. Even with a heard of lively cattle charging down to the shore failed to get the duck out of cover (if it was even there by that time) So with Keiths return I pack up to head home. I was fairly chuffed with two lifers under my belt for the day. At home it treated to a cracking dinner of steak and chips. Does it get much better than this….I don’t think so!!!!

Orkney conservation threat. YOUR help is needed NOW!!

This message was posted by Paul Higson on Orkbird and I thought it well worth repeating here. This is a very very important subject and the threat to local habitat that looms is very real. YOUR help is needed if local wildlife habitats are not to permanently disappear.

I would be very grateful if you could take the time to read the following, and
hopefully then take action…….




An important public consultation is currently taking place over the Orkney Local
Development Plan. The Plan has policies which recognises specific areas of
important wildlife habitat as Local Conservation Sites. Over the years, more
than 220 LNCS's have been identified and surveyed for their birds and plants -
generally moorland or wetland and home to many breeding birds such as Redshank,
Curlew, Snipe etc, as well as a wide range of other wildlife and plants. In many
areas these are the only remaining remnants of natural vegetation left.

Moves are afoot to remove this protection and it is vital that we act to help
protect the wildlife rich heritage we have on Orkney for future generations.

I have uploaded a new File (in Files section)- "Orkney LNC sites". listing all
these 220+ sites - we cannot afford to lose any of them.

We need to support the draft Orkney Local Development Plan policy that protects
these sites - Policy N2 (Natural Heritage Designations).

Could I ask you to write to your local Councillor - file uploaded - "Orkney
Councillors", expressing your support for Policy N2 and Local Conservation Sites
in particular, and the how strongly you feel about the need to conserve Orkneys
Natural Heritage.

ALSO, you MUST copy your e-mails/letters to devplan@... or The
Planning Manager, Development Planning and Regeneration, O.I.C, School Place,
Kirkwall, KW15 1NY.

Your comments can help give the Council the confidence to maintain the vital
Local Nature Conservation Site designations, and this policy, that gives these
important sites some protection from development. This plan could result in the
most important nature conservation policy decision in Orkney for years - the
decision is very much in the balance, and any support you can give may well be
the support that tips the decision in its favour.

One last thought - I personally think it is best if only members who live on
Orkney or visit on holiday respond, so "interference by off island do-gooders"
cannot be used as a weapon against us.

All representations HAVE to be with the Councillors/Planning by 24th JUNE 2011 -
please beat that deadline.

PLEASE , PLEASE do everything you can to help, and let your friends, family and
workmates know about this too.

Cheers,

Paul

Many thanks for reading this, and PLEASE PLEASE help.

Dlophins

Theres a short bit of film of dolphins on the facebook page! If anybody wants to speculate on what is going on i would be interested to hear it!

Terns return to Skipi Geo

A trip over the Hillside road to Evie led to Birsay where I parked up at the Buckquoy car park where I indulged in bacon and egg rolls, coffee and photos of the recent rockfall at Marwick. With the tide rising to much for a walk to the broch I made for Skipi Geo to check out the turns. Sure enough they were loafing about claiming nesting spots, picking at the thrift and moving stones. Hopefully they will have some luck breeding here. The western cliffs are poorly filled with breeding birds and things look pretty sparse. Only time will tell if the Auks and Terns will do any better this year and for now we can only hope. Skipi Geo is one of the strongest sites around tho with the birds here gaining the advantage of food brought here by the strong up welling currents and tides. It is this food source that hopefully will keep them going if the Sand eels move off to cooler waters. For now though life in the small colony is just getting going with pair bonding, food sharing and mating all happening together. All the drama noise and spectacle is just restarting for another season. Skipi Geo is a site that should be of interest to those who have limited mobility as with care you can get a car close enough to the edge to enjoy really close views with out having to walk any distance!!!

Alfresco sex is all very well but i think its a bit close to home for this Oystercatcher!!

Things look settled but the arival of a hoodie soon has everything in flux

Volcanic ash

A fairly big fall of ash seems to have happened overnight. The car and bike have a good covering and despite the heavy showers it is coating everything. Should be good news for the garden tho!!!

RTD

New seasons orchids

Whilst cutting the grass in the back garden it was a plesant suprise to find the first of the seasons orchids blooming.

Orca sightings

Yesterday I went to the cliffs of Hobbister to scope the flow for Orca. A small pod of two adult and one young Orca had been reported earlier in the day off Hoxa heading in to the flow swimming close to shore. I of course chose the wrong side to go and look. The water was to rough for a long distance scope and little was to be seen along my side of the shore. I did get to see Red throated divers displaying but that held little solace for me as I returned home to read reports of Orca hunting in Echna bay and around Hunda the same time I was sitting out the showers in Orphir…Ach well never mind…Tonight Kas Monro from /www.caithness-sea-watching.co.uk and orkbird reported a pod of six or more Orca seen from the Pentalina off of the Lother rock. So here might be another chance to catch a sight of Orca from the shore….good searching

Cuckoos calling

After days of rain things dried a wee bit to day. There was word of a Cuckoo at Happy valley so I steamed off for a look. A walk round happy valley filled in time as I could hear a bird calling way down the Stenness end of the valley. With no bird getting close it was time for plan b, I moved off up the valley towards Russadale to a friends house where I could get a cup of coffee and wait in comfort. Refreshed I moved out of the house and down a gully that leads to the lovely scrub covered valley. I hadn’t been there for long but heard two wrens, three willow warblers and three sedge warblers calling away. Add to this the abundance of meadow pipits and you soon see why the cuckoos are drawn to this place. Sure enough a cuckoo appeared on a fence post about a hundred yards away. I scoped it up and took a few photos but it was fairly distant. Form time to time it was mobbed by small birds but it showed no sign of moving as it assessed its options of where to lay. As it was so stationary I moved out of the cover of the gully and decided to chance approaching closer in the hope of getting a better shot. I slunk across the fence and in to the field keeping the bird in sight but avoiding eye contact. I got as close as I dared and snapped a couple more. At this point another cuckoo started calling. Not to be out done a third bird chimed in from some where way up the hill. That was three birds in the same area at the same time. All to soon tho the cuckoo in sight rose to the air with the arrival of a family of raven on the scene. The cuckoo circled before heading in the direction of Happy valley with a second one appearing in hot pursuit. Quite chuffed I moved off as well. Three birds was a first and a male and females was another first as all I have seen up to this point are females.

Keeping an eye out

Following on from Allans post on suspicious activity that might have been eggers up to no good out police wildlife officer Gregor Hay has posted this on orkbird. I thought it was well worth reposting here as it concerns everyboby that loves our wildlife. Please can everybody be vigilant!!


Dear All

Having read this entry with great interest I cannot stress enough the importance in phoning the Police please in the first instance should you see anything or anyone acting suspiciously.

All too often I hear about events sometimes days after they have happened as individuals either did not know what to do or did not want to waste Police time. Believe me when I say that my colleagues and I want to make sure that Orkney nesting birds rear healthy clutches and guilty perpetrators are identified and brought to justice. There will always be individuals who through ignorance disturb nesting birds and at the very least they can be given suitable advice.

I know that some of you may feel more comfortable phoning the RSPB in the first instance and if you wish to do this then feel free, however my cautionary note and I feel sure that Eric and his colleagues will support this, is that by doing so it is delaying any action which the Police may be able to take and causing unnecessary delays which could make all of the difference in relation to evidence gathering.

My knowledge shows that invariably when egg collections are seized there will nearly always be eggs sourced from Orkney which have been stolen from under our noses and believe me this hurts and is a source of much frustration.

If you see something please endeavour to note the following, if you can get into the habit of keeping a pen and paper handy when out and about it will be very helpful.

1. Car registration numbers, colour, make and model.
2. Number of persons involved.
3. What they are wearing start at the top and work your way down.
4. What are they actually doing, if you can pinpoint a grid reference on a map all the better, or give as good a point of reference as possible such as parked in passing place approx one mile north of Bay of Skaill.
5. Lastly if they head off, give a direction of travel.

If you wish to do your Sherlock Holmes bit then the more info the better.

I thank you for your assistance in this matter and hopefully we will have a problem free breeding season.

Regards
Gregor Hay
Wildlife Crime Officer
Tel 01856 872241 (Police Station)

Keeping an eye out!!

This message was posted on orkbird tonight. Could everybody out there please be extra alert and keep an eye out!!

Many species that breed on Orkney are scarce across the UK and occasionally
Orkney can be targeted by folk who do not have the birds' interests at heart.
They could be egg theives, photographers or indeed innocent visitors who don't
happen to realise they are causing disturbance whilst out walking.

With the breeding season now well underway, I have had my first report of
'suspicious behaviour' regarding the potential disturbance of rare breeding
birds at our Birsay Moors reserve this weekend (two individuals apparently
searching an area 20 yards apart in suitable harrier breeding area).

Can I ask you all to be vigilant and report any possible/probable disturbances
to the police (01856 872241) or indeed the RSPB (office and mobile numbers
below) at the time or as soon as possible afterwards.

Many thanks
Alan


Warden - Orkney Mainland Reserves
RSPB Scotland
12 North End Road
Stromness
Orkney
KW16 3AG

01856 850176 or 07887 626327

Twitch alert

Short-toed Eagle in Orkney...Its twitch alert time!!. There has been a report of a Short toed eagle on Rousay tonight on birdguides. This is only the 2nd time ever for this bird in the UK and may well spark some interest if it stays about. I hope it does but we will see!!

Young Raven

Hen harrier action shots

Here are three shots of a Hen harrier hunting over willow shrubs. There is also a film of this with both male and female birds engaged in trying to flush birds out of the scrub and interacting with each other. You can only view this film on the blog facebook page. To get there just click the Facebook link at the top of the side bar.

Loons/ Loch o banks

I had a spin out to the Loons this afternoon in an attempt to re find the otter of the other day. Of course this wasn’t to be but I did see plenty of action from the dab chicks as they guarded their nest sight from all comers, There were some good sights of Reed buntings which kind of makes up for all the Sedgies being so far away this year A different Mallard appeared with six chicks which was nice, the weather wasn’t so good though. A strong breeze blew into the front of the hide and it was cold, draughty and off putting. With little sign of an otter (little surprise there lol) I decided to cut my losses and head off. Heading for Dounby I decided on the spur to go and have a look from the Lochend chalet hide. Its been a while since I had been in there and the short path in was impressively over grown with a big willow fallen over the path baring the way. This passed and I made it to the hide.

Looking now in the opposite direction the wind is behind us with the bank of large willows soaking up the power of the wind. The vista is open and sunny and the hide is warm. There are not so many birds close in here because the pools are separated and very shallow but the view is further than the loons and across the ground all of the local breeding species are kicking about. Every where there are nesting birds, displaying birds, and loafing birds with mischief on their minds. A Herring gull might pass over and set up several wheeling Lapwings or a Curlew might see off some rival with a chase and bubbling call setting off a crescendo of Curlews before things settled down once more. Reed buntings were about and Swallows and House martins hunted over the pools. Snipe were quite evident, not with displays but with short low flights to and from nests to feeding spots. It really must be worth a visit here at sunset to hear the evening chorus, Its got to be about as atmospheric as it gets!! The final scope out before leaving reveals something I had not noticed before. In a field on the hillside just past the Twatt turn at the furthest end of the loch I can see several geese feeding and corralled within them at least seven goslings, the first of the year!

House martins return

House martins arrived back in the neighbourhood two nights ago. After tea tonight I noticed a pair have already started nest building. Interestingly they have chosen a gable end of a brand new build to nest under. This wasn’t even here last year but the first nest is going up on it. I’m hoping there will be at least one other nest on last years site as there were three martins in the air at the same time at one point. The most pleasing thing is it is all visible from the back door….you couldn’t ask for more!!!

An Otter shot

This week just gets better and better!!!

SEO.

This is another shot of the Short eared owl from two days back.

Todays birds

Parafin budgie...Black cap, Blue tit. ARI.

Out west

Evie was the destination of the day all be it a bit late in the day to be finding the reported White tailed sea eagle A good look about lead me north to Costa head where I thought it would be an idea to have a wee look about the head for the way of it. No sea eagles there tho but it did produce my seasons firsts for Arctic Skua and Puffin. There were good numbers of auks and all the rest of the cliff nesters. A nice visible Ravens nest had at least three young all well grown. The parents spent their time chasing the circling flock of Fulmars which led to some nifty aerobatics from the Ravens. It was a stunning bright day with just a hint of cold wind. Dog violets covered the ground in places, grasses were flowering and the first thrift was in flower. Another first was the first predated Guillemots egg so at least they have started to lay. Lets hope the food lasts, at the moment the cliffs don’t very full at all. The road home was kind to me as well with quick stop to catch some film and stills of a Short eared owl….perfect end to a cracking afternoon.

Short eared owl

Willow warbler joins the garden list.

The pre dawn of Mayday was a still calm affair. The brief view I had of it from the front door about four this morning revealed a sheen of frost over the grass, bike and cushions that had been left out on the swing over night. This had all gone buy the time I finally dragged my self out of my pit at a respectable hour!!. It’s a stunning may morning now with the air still and the sun shining. The grass is all cut thanks to Sig and things look fine. Things took an even better turn as I was making the first coffee of the day. In the trees at the bottom of the garden a Willow warbler was in full song. This was a delightful first for the garden. The bird its self was determined to have a sing and a search for a mate. He was unperturbed by the camera and I managed a few shots with the FZ28 before I switched to the digiscope. All in all he managed for forty five minutes of display from various perches before moving off to try his luck else where…..great start to a great looking day!!

midnight tick for the garden list

Its twelve thirty and I have just been out having a look at the stars as it’s a nice night. While I was waiting for my eyes to acclimatise there was a sudden start up of alarm calling from the Breckan pools below the house. Now this was mostly oystercatchers and blackheaded gulls making the usual racket but standing out from this distinctly were the calls of at least one common tern. It’s a long while since I heard any terns calling and this is the first of the year for me and better still since it gets on the garden list as a first spot. Heard birds are all right in my book as the old garden list is quite er wide ranging…...sweet tick!!

The Kame of Corrigall

Today with it being the last day of the holidays I thought I would try a walk up the back track to the Kame of Corrigal. This is a hill top at the back of Dounby. The last time I had been there must have been twenty five years ago in the dirt bike days so it was all kinda new. Twenty five years ago I would have laughed at the thought of me walking in the hills for recreation and now I wouldn’t even consider taking a bike across the hill at this time of year, changed days I suppose. There is a public path that follows peat tracks nearly all the way so its looks to be not to bad going.
On arriving I walk up the track from the road rather than riding up to the wind turbine as there are fields of grazing grass either side. As soon as the helmets off the skylarks are evident from their song and even with a strong fresh breeze blowing it’s a nice bright day and good to be walking. Either side of me has skylarks and meadow pipits. Its all go as I walk through endless territorial disputes, posturing and amours chases. Wheatears begin to appere along the track and soon I have seen two females and a mail. Pairs of geese seem to be every where you go at the moment but theres lapwings seeing of gulls and curlews bubbling. Its is a very pleasant walk up to the moor edge. This approach is dominated by the windmill which grows larger and larger yet is silent whilst the wind is behind us. On the left is a ploughed field . I have been searching ploughed fields for weeks and finding little of migratory interest but in the distance there is a couple of birds just besides an oystercatcher. Looking at hem with the bins they are golden plover , a quick scan across the field reveals a fair old flock of them. They are resting not really feeding mostly hunkered down facing towards the wind. They are on the far side of the narrow field and the wind is side on as I set the scope up. There is a high bank giving excellent cover and the sun is over my shoulder so I have two out of three. Scoping the flock has some of the birds reacting to the big eye passing over with heads looking round and some neck stretching. They may be resting but they are well aware I am over here doing something. The scope is giving up some fairly wobbly views. Getting photos is a bit tricky as the scope feels more like hanging on to a sailboard than any sort of optical instrument but I persevere. Its worth is as the birds are looking superb as they are just finishing moulting in to their summer plumage. When you see them passing through in the autumn they are so often already moulted to their winter plumage so this is the years best opportunity to see them at their stunning and dramatic best. This dry and dusty field must also look the wintering grounds of the wheatear because ther were more wheatears across this ground that I have seen for the last two weeks put together. Cant hang out there any longer tho and I am up and off. The track leads in to the moors proper now with heather spreading out on both sides as far as the eye can see, as long as you don’t look behind that is. Within half a mile the track is running quite deeply cut in the heather. Endless generations have used this peat for fuel carting it out along a long since overgrown and lost network of tracks. Walking along a better maintained track is quite good going as this is the main artery that the traffic on this side of the valley. It is a nice experience the view seems to give a more intimate feel to the heather, pipits and skylarks are les disturbed when you have your eyes at the same level. I think they regard you as less of an intimidating towering giant and more as something they can challenge and respond to. Marching on through pipit world I pas the first marker a track joining from the right. Skirting flooded sections I start looking for a right turn that is to take me to the top of the hill. The marker is a stab with an arrow pointing the way. This is straight up along the face of an old peat bank. Its over grown but passable but I star to struggle with my breath again. I must admit I have had a rest already with some angina. A bit of a rest and some nitro spray. Some times it strikes me that im so full of nitro glycerine that I might fall over and go boom..lol. The heavy going soon stops and the track restablishes its self. A steady tread soon has the views enlarged with a bit of altitude. The heather covered hill sides and vally are spread before me looking rich in the sun. It is surprising that there is such a lack of big birds but apart from my first bonxie of the year and a couple of curlews here and there is very little doing. I would have thought that the amount of pipits and the wind flowing u and over the adjacent hillsides would have been irresistible to a harrier or short eared owl but through out the whole walk none were to be seen. On the final stretch to reach the top of the hill a couple of red grouse shot up from very close making their clucking gargling calls. Finally cresting the rise the view of the west mainland is revealed all be it somewhat disappointingly swathed in a Leary misty haze. Stenness and Harray lochs stretch out with Bosquoy and the Shunan looking really nice. It is an impressive vista and I cant go back without some photos so I crack off a few and retreat out of the wind to enjoy a seat and an apple. It has taken me two hours to get up, retracing my steps back downhill things pass a lot faster. Nothing much was to happen until I was almost out of the moor. Coming towards me there were a couple of walkers with a barking dog having a whale of a time. The dogs commotion put up several pairs of low flying geese. Attracted buy all of this a bonxie swooped between us all looking for some opportunity for something to eat. It was close in and looked sharp and in superb condition. All in al it gave a nice view. As I come out the hill beside the windmill I see the folks car I was just saying hello to thinking that their barky dog would have put up the plovers I am well pleased to find them still there. Walking well down the track to get the sun behind me I settle to sit rest and scope the birds. It is the antics of pewits nesting alongside a small common gull colony that has me watching then in front of this skylarks and wheatears. All of this is on the opposite side to the plover which I now turn my attention. I now set the scope on the plover and am fumbling with the camera in my pocket when sharp single alarm calls ring out, the plovers all take to the air. As I wonder if it was me that spooked them a ringtail fly’s along the fence line slowly looking for prey below. It moves off across the scrub ground an away to the heather, the flock is now split in two circle the field at either end. Looking at the south end I realise the flock there is being intimidated by a Merlin. I have seen them doing this before they have no chance of bringing down a plover but they will get in there and mix it. It is soon gone tho and they once again start to settle on the same field. Conditions are no better for photos so I get a move on once again and finally reach the bike. A nice walk out but its defiantly time for a coffee!!!!Today with it being the last day of the holidays I thought I would try a walk up the back track to the Kame of Corrigal. This is a hill top at the back of Dounby. The last time I had been there must have been twenty five years ago in the dirt bike days so it was all kinda new. Twenty five years ago I would have laughed at the thought of me walking in the hills for recreation and now I wouldn’t even consider taking a bike across the hill at this time of year, changed days I suppose. There is a public path that follows peat tracks nearly all the way so its looks to be not to bad going.
On arriving I walk up the track from the road rather than riding up to the wind turbine as there are fields of grazing grass either side. As soon as the helmets off the skylarks are evident from their song and even with a strong fresh breeze blowing it’s a nice bright day and good to be walking. Either side of me has skylarks and meadow pipits. Its all go as I walk through endless territorial disputes, posturing and amours chases. Wheatears begin to appere along the track and soon I have seen two females and a mail. Pairs of geese seem to be every where you go at the moment but theres lapwings seeing of gulls and curlews bubbling. Its is a very pleasant walk up to the moor edge. This approach is dominated by the windmill which grows larger and larger yet is silent whilst the wind is behind us. On the left is a ploughed field . I have been searching ploughed fields for weeks and finding little of migratory interest but in the distance there is a couple of birds just besides an oystercatcher. Looking at hem with the bins they are golden plover , a quick scan across the field reveals a fair old flock of them. They are resting not really feeding mostly hunkered down facing towards the wind. They are on the far side of the narrow field and the wind is side on as I set the scope up. There is a high bank giving excellent cover and the sun is over my shoulder so I have two out of three. Scoping the flock has some of the birds reacting to the big eye passing over with heads looking round and some neck stretching. They may be resting but they are well aware I am over here doing something. The scope is giving up some fairly wobbly views. Getting photos is a bit tricky as the scope feels more like hanging on to a sailboard than any sort of optical instrument but I persevere. Its worth is as the birds are looking superb as they are just finishing moulting in to their summer plumage. When you see them passing through in the autumn they are so often already moulted to their winter plumage so this is the years best opportunity to see them at their stunning and dramatic best. This dry and dusty field must also look the wintering grounds of the wheatear because ther were more wheatears across this ground that I have seen for the last two weeks put together. Cant hang out there any longer tho and I am up and off. The track leads in to the moors proper now with heather spreading out on both sides as far as the eye can see, as long as you don’t look behind that is. Within half a mile the track is running quite deeply cut in the heather. Endless generations have used this peat for fuel carting it out along a long since overgrown and lost network of tracks. Walking along a better maintained track is quite good going as this is the main artery that the traffic on this side of the valley. It is a nice experience the view seems to give a more intimate feel to the heather, pipits and skylarks are les disturbed when you have your eyes at the same level. I think they regard you as less of an intimidating towering giant and more as something they can challenge and respond to. Marching on through pipit world I pas the first marker a track joining from the right. Skirting flooded sections I start looking for a right turn that is to take me to the top of the hill. The marker is a stab with an arrow pointing the way. This is straight up along the face of an old peat bank. Its over grown but passable but I star to struggle with my breath again. I must admit I have had a rest already with some angina. A bit of a rest and some nitro spray. Some times it strikes me that im so full of nitro glycerine that I might fall over and go boom..lol. The heavy going soon stops and the track restablishes its self. A steady tread soon has the views enlarged with a bit of altitude. The heather covered hill sides and vally are spread before me looking rich in the sun. It is surprising that there is such a lack of big birds but apart from my first bonxie of the year and a couple of curlews here and there is very little doing. I would have thought that the amount of pipits and the wind flowing u and over the adjacent hillsides would have been irresistible to a harrier or short eared owl but through out the whole walk none were to be seen. On the final stretch to reach the top of the hill a couple of red grouse shot up from very close making their clucking gargling calls. Finally cresting the rise the view of the west mainland is revealed all be it somewhat disappointingly swathed in a Leary misty haze. Stenness and Harray lochs stretch out with Bosquoy and the Shunan looking really nice. It is an impressive vista and I cant go back without some photos so I crack off a few and retreat out of the wind to enjoy a seat and an apple. It has taken me two hours to get up, retracing my steps back downhill things pass a lot faster. Nothing much was to happen until I was almost out of the moor. Coming towards me there were a couple of walkers with a barking dog having a whale of a time. The dogs commotion put up several pairs of low flying geese. Attracted buy all of this a bonxie swooped between us all looking for some opportunity for something to eat. It was close in and looked sharp and in superb condition. All in al it gave a nice view. As I come out the hill beside the windmill I see the folks car I was just saying hello to thinking that their barky dog would have put up the plovers I am well pleased to find them still there. Walking well down the track to get the sun behind me I settle to sit rest and scope the birds. It is the antics of pewits nesting alongside a small common gull colony that has me watching then in front of this skylarks and wheatears. All of this is on the opposite side to the plover which I now turn my attention. I now set the scope on the plover and am fumbling with the camera in my pocket when sharp single alarm calls ring out, the plovers all take to the air. As I wonder if it was me that spooked them a ringtail fly’s along the fence line slowly looking for prey below. It moves off across the scrub ground an away to the heather, the flock is now split in two circle the field at either end. Looking at the south end I realise the flock there is being intimidated by a Merlin. I have seen them doing this before they have no chance of bringing down a plover but they will get in there and mix it. It is soon gone tho and they once again start to settle on the same field. Conditions are no better for photos so I get a move on once again and finally reach the bike. A nice walk out but its defiantly time for a coffee!!!!

Just been down the south parish not actualy birding but had swallows in and out
of a shed at the Sands of Wright. A Willow warbler singing in Hestly. Eight more
Swallows at Winnick and Swallows in Harray on our return. The best bit of the day was a couple of male Phesants having a proper dust up at Winnick. i jumped out of the car fumbling with the camera trying to get a shot but unfortunatly my pressence was enough to give the battered one a chance to beat a hasty retreat with the victor running him off down the field!!

Things are hotting up!!

The twitchy community have been very er twitchy with the news of a Subalpine warbler elusively moving about the east side of the mainland. Birds are returning now with Swallow reports coming in. I have had a couple on different days, two appeared at the peedie sea whilst I was dipping on the Little ringed plover that has given so much pleasure to folks. This must be the leading edge of of their migration with House and Sand martin sightings starting to be called as well. It is all exciting stuff!!. There were several wheatears about the hill last night and a good fall was reported in the south parish. There is Hoopoe Shetland and another over in Caithness at Reay. I think the Boneapart gull is still kicking about the same site on the north coast. A Cuckoo was heard at Berridale yesterday and another just further north. Whilst back here a white billed diver was seen off the Row cliffs at Skail yesterday. This birds in moult and may well be the one that’s been seen around North Ron ( I think that’s where it was)…any way things are hotting up and the warm weather south helped along by a gentle S/E air stream looks like it will carry migrating birds towards us. This is the most exciting time of year.

The RSPB have a walk out to see Hen harriers sky dancing this weekend. Last I heard there were a few places left so if you fancy experiencing the spectacle you should give the office a ring and book a place!!!

Wheatears.

There have been Wheatears arriving all week and i have seen them here and there but tonight i found four all together that were nice and obliging in front of the camera. There is film of them on the facebook page if you would like to see some moving pictures!!

Harriers galore

I have been out this morning to try and re find the Wheatear I saw last night at the Corrigal farm museum. There were also 12 to 1500 pinkies in the fields around the dale there but every thing was gone when I returned this morning. I have seen three Kestrels and at least nine different harriers within five miles of the house. This included a pair of males interacting, a male robbing a female of its prey and two good displays of sky dancing. Mippits are everywhere and the air is full of Skylark song…very pleasant!!

Looking for the LRP.

There has been a Little ringed plover on the peedie sea shore yesterday and for some of this morning. Last night I put a lot of effort in to avoiding cooking tea and of course just as it was about 45mins away I was looking through Orkbird to pass the time. On the boards there Morris Rendall had reported finding a Little ringed plover. This was an excellent find and would have been a lifer for me as I have yet to see one, unfortunately it probably would have cost me my life if I had blown out tea to go for a bird (again). It was failing light by the time I was done so I had to hope for a look the morn. By the morn though it was all to late and several pokes about the Peedie sea left me with nothing but a distant view of a ringed plover that might or might not have been the bird in question. Ach well that’s the way it go’s I will have another look tonight before the camera club agm so fingers crossed and never say die!! There were plenty of other birds showing with Mergansers, several White Wagtails and a couple of Swallows. It really is worth looking at Morris Rendalls photo album on Orkbird as it is easily the best personal album on the site and the number of scarce and rare visitors captured in quality photos is just an outstanding testament to the amount of effort that he puts in to the hobby…..its great stuff!



Jackdaw

failing at fishing

It was the first attempt at fishing this year today and a foray down to the south parish saw me arrive too early for the tide this morning. Undeterred though I stuck out to my favourite mark. Low water and a nice bright sky didn’t bode well for fishing with spinners and within twenty casts right enough it was dead!!. I amused my self by changing between spinners then trying a jelly eel. There was little happening except that the number of spinners was steadily dropping. Little was doing and you know your getting bored when your watching and waiting for fulmars to fly past. The arrival of two fishermen brought about a bit of amusement as they started the decent of the cliff to the ledge. This is about a three story drop and they are coming down loaded for bear…or if not for bear then for an overnight stay!!! Eventually they made it to the ledge where I was pleased to find it was an old mate Ian Broch that I hadn’t seen for years. They were out with the shore angling club for a competition and he had chosen our old stopping ground as well. They had set up with bait and were going to play the waiting game. There was another pair of lads along the cliff round the corner. All the activity spurred me on to loose the last spinner before I gave it up for the day. I knew it would be two or three hours till I could fish there and really only if it grew duller. So I said my goodbyes and took the girly route out!! Im not disappointed though after all I had seen an old friend had a fish and a gab and done it all in a t shirt. I even got my first wheatear of the season. Fishing rocks off the rocks!!




Fishing Orkney style!!

Speedwell

I found Speedwell flowering in the garden today. The grand national is done as well it must be nearly summer!!!!

RSPB Orkney bird records for march 2011

Red-throated Divers were back in territory on the Loch of Hundland by 6th while passage of this species saw maxima of 11 off North Ronaldsay on 23rd and 29th. North Ronaldsay also witnessed Great Northern Diver passage with peaks of 15 on 21st and 14 on 29th and, in what is becoming an annual event, a White-billed Diver was found there on 28th. Slavonian Grebes returned to freshwater lochs after disappearing during the ‘freeze-up’; 11 were on the Stenness Loch and 12 on the Harray Loch on 12th. Much more unusual were sightings of Great Crested Grebes on the Stenness Loch on 3rd and the Swannay Loch next day.
Whooper Swans were much in evidence with peaks of 59 on the Loch of Skaill on 29th, 51 on the Loch of Sabiston on 12th, 37 on the Loch of Wasdale on 5th, 29 flying north over Tormiston on 23rd and many reports of up to 20 including up to 10 on the Peedie Sea. Mute Swans also found the Peedie Sea to their liking with 46 there on 21st.
The month saw a strong passage of Pink-footed Geese through the islands with 768 counted around the Harray Loch and 188 at The Loons on 12th, a flock of 200 over Vasa, Shapinsay on 22nd, 200 in seven skeins passing north-west over South Ronaldsay on 23rd and many other reports of up to 100. The Greenland White-fronted Goose flock at The Loons peaked at 55 on 6th while nine were at Tufta, Birsay on 12th and singles in Tankerness on 1st and in Sandwick on 6th; up to five also occurred on North Ronaldsay. Away from South Walls, the only Barnacle Geese reported were up to 33 at the Loch of Skaill (peak on 1st) and three at The Loons on 12th. A single Canada Goose was on Sanday on 30th while a Dark-bellied Brent Goose was at Redland, Stromness on 12th and two Pale-bellied Brent Geese were on Papay the following day.
The peak count of Shelducks in Widewall Bay was 48 on 12th. The vagrant Green-winged Teal was present all month at Mill Dam, Shapinsay. Pintail were quite conspicuous with up to 22 on Sanday, 13 on North Ronaldsay and up to eight on the Lochs of Sabiston and Brockan. 21 Shovelers were on Papay on 13th, 17 on the Brodgar Pools on 6th while, more unusually, nine were on Eday’s Loch of Doomy next day. 640 Tufted Ducks on the Harray Loch on 12th was a good count 72 Scaup being counted there on the same day when 105 were also on the Stenness Loch. The female Common Scoter remained off the Finstown slip all month but Velvet Scoters seemed to be in short supply, the maximum being just five off Rerwick Head on 6th. A spectacular flock of at least 250 Long-tailed Ducks was on Lairo Water, Shapinsay on 20th while 30 Red-breasted Mergansers off the Long Ayre, Tankerness on 22nd was another good count. A drake Goosander was on the Loch of Bosquoy on 12th.
Away from breeding areas, Common Buzzards were noted in Holm, Burray, South Ronaldsay and Eday while a Rough-legged Buzzard was seen in the Dale of Corrigall, Harray on 5th.
The only Water Rail away from known breeding sites was one in Evie on 10th. The great influx of Oystercatchers that began in February, saw a count of 842 around the Stenness Loch on 12th. Golden Plovers, a species that had been driven out by the snow and ice, began to return in some numbers with 600 at Tofts, Sanday on 26th and five other reports of 100-250 as birds of the northern race passed through. There was an unusual count of 10 Grey Plovers on North Ronaldsay on 24th the only other reports being of singles from Deerness and South Ronaldsay. 450 Sanderling at Scuthvie, Sanday on 26th was by far the biggest count of this species although North Ronaldsay logged 48 on 17th. Papay produced an excellent count of 436 Purple Sandpipers on 13th while 280 were on North Ronaldsay on 22nd and there were 128 at Evie Bay on 12th and 65 on the Barrel of Butter,(the first time this locality has been mentioned in one of these reports!) on 28th. Snipe seem to be in very short supply since the harsh weather but one was already drumming over Furrowend, Shapinsay on 15th. The only Jack Snipe were singles at the Stenness loch on 3rd and on North Ronaldsay on 27th. Woodcock, too, were few and far between with only one-two on North Ronaldsay, one on Glimps Holm and a freshly killed bird in Rendall. A single Black-tailed Godwit was at Tofts, Sanday on 26th. The wintering Whimbrel was seen again on Burray on 6th while two early passage birds were on North Ronaldsay on 17th. An most unusual record was of a Grey Phalarope on a small pool at Skelwick, Westray on 7th.
Bonxies began to return with four singles on North Ronaldsay from 22nd, a few on Papay and one at Yesnaby on 31st. An Iceland Gull remained in Stromness all month while others were seen on North Ronaldsay, Shapinsay, the Peedie Sea and South Ronaldsay. Glaucous Gulls were much scarcer, the only records being of an immature at the Peedie Sea on 24th and an adult on North Ronaldsay on 30th. Lesser Black-backed Gulls returned in force so that by 23rd 45 were in territory at Swart Howe, Holm. Kittiwakes are scarce in winter so that a count of 35 off the Finstown slip during the north-easterly gale on 12th was of note. The first Sandwich Terns began to appear with one at Graemeshall on 21st followed by singles on North Ronaldsay on 25th and 28th and two at Scuthvie, Sanday on 27th. Two Puffins had returned to Northside, Birsay on 31st.
170 Wood Pigeons at Weyland, Kirkwall were probably local breeders but one on North Ronaldsay the day before was certainly on passage. A Snowy Owl was reported from Deepdale, Stromness on the morning of 2nd but extensive searches failed to relocate it. Similarly, a report of a Barn Owl near St. Margaret’s Hope on 14th got a few people searching the area to no avail. Short-eared Owls, however, were much in evidence with reports of displaying birds from 17th.
North Ronaldsay saw a marked passage of Skylarks during almost the whole month with a maximum count of 221 on 22nd; elsewhere breeding birds did begin to sing but seemed to be few in number. Meadow Pipits showed a similar pattern with up to 51 on North Ronaldsay (peak on 25th) but very few elsewhere. A Rock Pipit inland on the shore of the Swannay Loch on 11th was strongly suspected of being of the Scandinavian race, littoralis. Pied Wagtails trickled in during the early part of the month and, by 20th, were widespread. However, the only Grey Wagtail, a species notoriously unable to cope with hard winters, was one on the Crantit Burn in mid-month. A very early Sand Martin was at Inganess, St.Ola on 28th.
A few migrant Dunnocks and Robins were on North Ronaldsay from 16th but no more than two of each on any one day. The first Wheatears were noted on North Ronaldsay and Row Head, Sandwick on 24th with two at Rummie, Sanday on 30th. Stonechats are another species hard-hit by severe winters and the only report was of a displaying pair on Burray on 22nd. There was light Blackbird passage though North Ronaldsay with peaks of 21 on 18th and 29th. A Mistle Thrush also occurred there on 17th and two Fieldfares on 18th but no more than three Redwings were logged others being noted in Finstown and at Wideford Burn.
A Goldcrest was in song at the Langskaill Plantation on 6th while what was probably a passage bird was at a nearby Toab locality on 28th. A very unusual visitor to North Ronaldsay on 29th was Great Tit. Rook passage was noted on North Ronaldsay from 22nd but with no more than three per day. Carrion Crows were more conspicuous than normal with a small party frequenting the Stoneyhill Road area, two in Swannay and singles at Scapa, Birsay Links and Bay of Skaill. 130 Jackdaws was a good count at Chrismo, Evie on 5th.
Bramblings were few but up to six were seen in Rendall during the month. The largest Greenfinch flock was that at Herston which numbered 70. Up to12 Goldfinches were in Finstown early in the month, two remaining to the month’s end, one of them in song; other records involved up to five at Glaitness and singles on North Ronaldsay and in Harray. Four Siskins were in Rendall on 1st but all other records came after 18th when up to six were seen in seven localities. Twite flocks dwindled in numbers as birds returned to breeding sites but 154 were still on North Ronaldsay on 14th and 200 at Dale, Costa on 17th. Up to six redpolls in Stromness from 16th were probably Mealy Redpolls as were one-two on North Ronaldsay and singles in South Ronaldsay and in Rendall. One-two Northern Bullfinches remained in Finstown until at least 20th while a Crossbill was in Rendall on 1st.
Only small Snow Bunting flocks were recorded, the largest being 20 at the Howe Brae, Stromness on 10th. Single Lapland Buntings, returning birds from the great autumn invasion, were noted on North Ronaldsay on 10th and 26th-29th.
The annual Bird Race took place on 6th. The winning score of 91 species by the team of Alastair Forsyth, Julian Branscombe and Barrie & Linda Hamill was especially commendable considering the exodus of birds that had occurred earlier in the winter as a result of the hard weather. Many thanks to Dick Matson for once again organising all the logistics of this popular event.
For other RSPB events in Orkney this summer use your Web browser and type in:
www.rspb.org.uk/events/
Eric Meek

An hour at Cottasgarth

The close of the day today saw me at Cottasgarth for a spot of raptor watching. This was the first visit to the dale of the year. The walk up was very pleasing with flocks of Meadow pipits lurking in the grass and heather. Each time you put one up as you walk along several more would appear to chase it off. There were geese in pairs and bubbling Curlews. It really felt the hill was coming back to life. The hide was looking like us all a little rough around the edges as we are getting on but on opening the door it was like being in the presence of an old friend that you haven’t seen for a while, the comfort of familiarity is tinged with the excitement of exploring new doings. I settle in the right side, open the windows and after a scan have a look at the log. Not updated for a while. Movement on the hill took my eye as a male Harrier swooped about the willows down the valley. Looking at it I can see its carrying and wonder what it is. No sooner had I sussed this out and a female had exactly the same idea. She swung about him and it looked like there would be a food pass as they went through the motions. It didn’t happen tho and the pair of them headed up the hill. They still interacted and in one moment there appeared a female Peregrine in the mix, a brief kafuffle saw the Peregrine head up the hill. The Harriers also split with the male landing and immediately start to devour the vole it had, The female cruised the hill side continually turning down wind and gaining altitude before quartering a bit more eventually to disappear over the top of the hill. While I was watching this the male bird had got up and away and was nowhere to be seen. After a couple of minutes the Meadow pipits threat level had dropped and once more they started to emerge and make their presence felt to one another. It wasn’t to last long though because the next two birds were coming up the hill. As I look I think it is a pair of females together.. One is 10 -20 ft above the other looking to flush and pounce, slowly moving they swap positions. Looking at the wings of the topmost one I look to the tail and back to the wing, this is a pair of buzzards!! Buzzards are a bird that have been doing well and expanding their range so it is good to see a pair together

They worked their way up the hill and put on a bit of a show along the ridge. Finally they landed on the horizon and picked at something before heading off over the brow of the hill. The male Harrier appeared heading of towards the flatlands and flew out of view and specks on the horizon now take my attention. Binoculars reveal yet another pair of raptors! This time it’s a pair of Kestrels and as I watch one dives and is followed by the other a short distance away. Both take to the air again. They are not very high above the ground and once again they make twisting dives to the heather. In the scope its great to watch. I don’t know what they were eating but I would bet on caterpillars rather than rodents because they were still at it when I left. I was distracted from all this by a raven cresting the ridge and heading down the hill. Its presence was enough to put up a female Harrier from somewhere behind the big tree. She headed up the hill side in a lack lustre sort of way and landed just above the highest patch of scrub in front of the hide, here she stayed and looked like she was chillin before the roost. It was about seven the hill side was well in shadow now and I had been there for just over an hour so time to head off….happy enough with that for an hours birding