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

What fantastic weather it is, saying that though any spell of dry sun is going to get a good reception at the moment. I have had an enjoyable morning watching bike racing on the telly broken by a quick foray out to pluck daffodils for mothers day. Whilst doing this I heard the first skylarks singing from the garden. This is a good marker for the end of winter. The last few days have had the Meadow pipits return to territories and start to display. Curlews are also getting on song with bubbling being heard from all quarters a couple of hours ago. Its so nice to see Curlews rising above the house and parachuting back to the ground as they fill their wings with wind and perform this graceful decent above their intended territories. Oystercatchers continue to call from below the house and spring is coming on song full bore.
Yesterday I had a spin out west in the search for the first of the Wheatears to return. Unfortunately it wasn’t to be, I did manage several Piedwags but that was about it. The cliffs out west offered up Guillemots, Razorbills and Kittiwakes with birds up on the cliffs and sitting on the sea. This was all very nice to see but wasn’t what I was looking for but never mind. The hide at the loons was also quiet but I had a nice Pintailed duck settle in front of me. I managed to take a few snaps as it moved across the pool like an unstoppable motor boat. Once again I took my eye off the bird and fiddled with the camera only to look up and find the bird gone,…aint that the way of it. Hundreds upon hundreds of golden plovers were in the air in the direction of the windmills and I read a report of lots of them on the ground around Evie village from Tim Woot on orkbird this avo with many of them in their splendid summer plumage.
It’s the back of four now so I think I might have a trip out in a while to look for raptors across the Harray hills and Cottasgarth as a nice way to end the day!