Dipped

I dipped on the Red breasted flycatcher this morning, the willows were bending over big style in the fresh wind and there was no sign of flys let alone flycatchers. I headed down to Hestly next and had a blackcap at the waterfall and a goldcrest in the pines. I just missed a big splash crossing the barriers coming back as well. At least the wind is blowing from a decent direction, hopefully the game will restart refreshed when the blow drops away!

Been a good day today with a wide spread fall of migrants. I had been on the shore to snap shore birds changing plumage but ended up having a look in Grindigar, Deerness. I met a snapper there who had what looked like female piedfly, spotfly,chifchaf.. I managed chifchaf,spotfly,blackcap,robin,chaffinch in a short time The best bird as always is the one I didn’t know, a dull warbler with a single faint yellow wing bar and a faint yellowish supercilium.

On getting in I read there was a Hoopoe at Warbeth this morning so it was back out for a look as I have wanted to see one for ages and didn’t make time last time one was about, Anyway needless to say I didn’t see it so I suppose the moral would be get the finger out and do it while you have the chance!!! With that in mind there is a Red breasted fly catcher in the Cara bushes on South Ron Its been a good day today and might just be another the morn….It would be good to start it with a lifer…

Buff bellied pipit

Buff bellied pipit

Returning to the bike after a particularly good mornings birding I thought everything was about done and I would be riding off for a cup of coffee and a bit of breakfast. The bike is parked at Yesnaby camp carpark A spectacular sight that stands on the edge of rugged cliffs. Parked along from me is the RSPB’s pickup Loaded for a days labour. Looking around I can see Allan Leitch and Lorna an assistant warden waving to me to come across to the cliff edge. I was saying as I approached that I hope its something good like a King Eider and he replied I think its something EVEN better im sure I have just heard a buff bellied pipit!!! He had heard it call as it rose giving off a call somewhat like a wagtail and very un pipit like. So the hunt was on and we slowly moved along the cliff top picking our way through oodles of mippits and rippits. We get well north almost to the bay below the broch turn and head back. Alan heres its call again and then sees it flying and calling. This time it lands on a small promontory and settles in to catching insects along a dark shelf. We get super views if a bit distant. Its all there, the plain mantle, a bit of a bib dark legs, buff colour, Its all breathless excitement and the minutes pass. Lorna is dispatched to the motor to get a phone and in no time at all Eric is out of the office and running along the cliff tops towards us, Hes confirming it as a buff bellied pipit and we are all about as breathless as he is. Alan is about throwing up with excitement. It really dose not get much better than this……what a fantastic ear!! I was some lucky to be passing at the right time!!!

Pectoral sandpiper, Peedie sea.

This has to be the most photographed bird in the isles this week. Unfortunately for me i struggled to get a realy sharp shot in the wind but i did get fantastic views so i cant complain!!

Pectoral Sandpiper in Kirkwall!!

Looking on Orkbird on Sunday I saw a heads up from Tim Dean advising that the peedie sea had a new sluice system and the water level had dropped 40 cm exposing some nice rich mud for feeding waders. Sure enough by Tuesday a sharp eyed Morris Rendell had reported that a Pectoral sandpiper was feeding on the mud below The coop. The Pectoral Sandpiper is a smart and reasonably rare visitor of the wading variety that’s stopping over on its migration. It was even better news that it didn’t seem at all phased by folks walking past on the path. It looked like it was to be there all day giving excellent views. This morning it was reported again still in the same place. So all this seemed to be leading towards a shopping trip to town. Unfortunately it was a day of rain and it was to pour and pour. I arrived on site about the back of four and the bird was still actively feeding. I managed a small watch with the binoculars to check things out, alone amongst a small group of Redshanks to one side and Ringed plovers to the other a very crisp looking Pectoral Sandpiper sieved and probed in the soft mud seldom staying still, often spinning through 360 deg with out removing its bill from the mud. Enjoyable as it was to see such a site within the bounds of Kirkwall it was pouring with rain. I ended snapping a series of ultimately blurry photos before I beat a retreat to enjoy a damp retail experience. This is a beautiful wader and well worth a look. There is a fair chance that it may be there the morn although I suspect it will catch the strengthening northerly winds that are forecast to rise soon. Fingers crossed though it will show, the weather is on side at the moment. With so much rain about most of the usual mud flats are now under water so the fresh feeding to be found on the peedie see must seem an oasis for a bird so needing to get its energy store replenished for the journey ahead.

Pink footed geese

It seems to be a busy day for geese here. When the OH came in from work I was going to show her the white goose from the kitchen. I set up the scope and lo and behold the eyepiece was full of pink footed geese. In the time it took me to say come and see this whilst I got the camera they had taken to the air and were off, leaving me to wonder if I had or hadn’t seen pinkies. Fortunately a wander down the drive revelled twenty or more grazing away isolated from the local greylags with little more than the huge flock of golden plovers for company. It all seemed a bit early for geese but a word from Paul Higson on orkbird told me that there have been a couple of sightings of birds as they were coming in off the sea. These are the first migrating geese I have seen this season and very welcome visitors they are…. Migration rocks!!!

Leucistic goose

From time to time white patches appeared in the feathers of birds. This lack of pigment is called leucisim. This can affect small areas like a single feather to the more extreme of the entire plumage. You would think that having a trait like this would make you vulnerable to predation and I am sure it does to some extent. The surprising thing I find is how well other birds of the same type will accept another that looks so different from the norm.
I was sitting a layby on the side of the road in Caithness enjoying a can of juice one day when a white greenfinch fluttered past carrying food back to a nest. It was shooting back and forth foraging and feeding so it didn’t seem to be a problem for him/her! Last year I helped out the ringing group collaring Orkney bred greylag geese and we had a lucuistic goose that got named blondie. Blondie is doing well last I heard and had avoided Predation by a large array hungry predators ….not to mention the attentions of the professional hunting element. Here is another white goose, I found this greylag today on the Breckan pools ( harray end of the stonyhill) It looks like a first year bird but im not sure. For a moment there was the usual it’s a snow goose it’s a snow goose excitement of the first spot until I got it in the bins. However I suppose its worth a note just for the novelty value of seeing a cool goose, I don’t think this will have the county twitchers out though…lol




EDIT.
After coming back and looking at these images, this one being the clearest, i am not sure that my diagnosis is quite correct here. I keep looking at that overly large looking bill and thinking that this is a domestic goose that has strayed and not a leucistic bird.......mmmm

Northside

I had a spin out west this afternoon, more to take photos than chase birds in the winds. Ending up going up and down the Northside road there were clouds of small birds. The most obvious were the wheatears but there was more than that crossing the road and rising from the bike. It looked like the wind changing to the N/W has made little difference to the amount of migrants resting up on the north west coast. It must be worth an early morning visit to Birsay if the wind drops!!

Rooks on stooks

Sheaves in stooks are a sight you see less and less often in this modern age.

Oot west

An old friend I haven’t seen for ages came around today to try out different binoculars He also came camered up with his new 400mm lens so we just had to go for a scout about after all it would be rude not to!! Conditions were well against us with a gale blowing in from the north west. We wanted to check out some sites and Bosquoy was first on the list. The wind here scoured the surface of the water from one end to the other, white horses rose and fell and it was plainly obvious there was not a lot for Alfies 400mm lens to focus on. Venturing out the car and up the bank produced one small light and tan bird and a couple of meadow pipits. This is a total contrast to a week ago when we had a huge migrant fall at the end of a week of gales and big numbers of local geese mixed with hundreds of tufted, potchard and others filled the wee loch and small birds abounded around the shore and bordering fields feeding and resting after the gales. We moved to the Shunan and it was much the same story here with the wind sweeping the length of the loch in to our faces. We were luckier though for along the track in the lee of the fence thirty or more linnets were intently feeding, Over them a small group of swallows were feeding in the tumbling air. These birds all seemed game to be photographed, the flock of linnets moved up and down the track and the swallows obligingly landed feet away on the fence and were unbothered with the car windows going up and down….a few snaps were taken!!! We mosied on up the road through Dounby past the Loch of Banks. A few mallard sheltered around the bottom but we kept on going to arrive at the loons hide. This fairly bird less expanse is all ready being watched by two of the RSPBs finest. Little is to be seen on the water though and attention is on a hunting type hound running loose in the field below Skorn. Its putting up geese as its sniffing about but it isn’t wasting its energy chasing them. There are a couple of gadwall on the pool whilst overhead we catch a flock of snipe going up round and down. Andy was telling me that there are a lot being reported passing through at the moment. All in all though it’s a wind swept hole so we shift on. Marwick looked like looking in to the teeth of the gale so we turn south at the junction and head to Skail to try for a bird photo. Below the kirk will be the most sheltered and give the best chance. From the hill it looks wild with the waves breaking on Row and being carried over the cliff tops in spectacular fashion. Fortunately the shore at the kirk end of the bay is sheltered from the worst of the wind. We now get a chance to snap ringed plovers as they argued amongst them selves and chased each other in circles. A few turnstones now with their summer plumage mostly gone moved along the ware poking about. On the water Twenty odd dunters paddled about, a common scoter and a winter plumed guilimot added to the count. Two seals slept snouts in the air. A very obvious Whimbrel followed moments later by three more made for some excited oooh oooh look look type shouting in the car. We have about exhausted the possibilities so I jump out and try to digiscope the waves breaking on Row but it’s a bit windy and bumpy out of the cage! A run back past the loch presents little for the the cameras as there’s a small group of geese three quarters of the way across, given that the surface is lifting off like smoke here and there we plod on to have a look at the bird crop of Queena. This crop is on a the top of a small rise with a track beside it and a great place to sit and wait for the flocks to come to you…HA! Not today though. On the roll down the hill towards Brodgar there are a lot of birds feeding in the fields and we manage to get black headed gulls, lapwings and golden plovers in good range. In the lee of a skerry on the loch a small flock of teal were sheltering but once again little was to be seen. Our last stop was a walk up to the russadale quary as Alfie had never been there. This walk produced one blackbird,a meadow pipit, two hoodies and a distant raven so with that less than impressive total and me reassuring him that if he had been here in the spring ect ect we decide to head home, fortunately the rain decided to give a bird less return walk a little spice…..It was good to get out though and renew old friendships, have a nose about and see a DSLR with a big lens in action. Roll on the winter..oh god did I just say that!!...

Golden plover

I have just arived home to find at least three flocks of Golden plover in the fields below the house. Watching the fields every so often a flock will rise and twist about catching the sun and turning en mass from dull brown to a shimmer of gold, like a curtain in the wind before they all land back and resume feeding. Its a real highlight in a day of wind and bluster.

Pied flycatcher

Spotted flycatcher

Spotted flycatcher

Wagtails

I saw a nice gathering of Piedwagtails at the Tormiston end of the Stonyhill Rd last night. There were over thirty moving about in the meadow sweet, field and about hands with the burn.

The rise and rise of the blue butterfly

A couple of years ago I noticed in the height of summer weather one or two blue butterflies. These to me seemed the most exotic of things, vivid blue flashes of colour dancing amongst the dry grasses. The last few years seem to have been marked by an increase in the amounts of common butterflies that are to be seen. Small tortoiseshell, Meadow browns, Red admirals and whites all seem far more common than they used to when I was a youngster…..all those years ago!!! The largest increase seems to be with the Common blue. A couple of years ago they were noticeable last year they seemed quite common, indeed there were loads to be found along the grassy places of the west coast. This year they seem to be fairly abundant, I have seen them all over the mainland in suitable heathland habitat. I am not any sort of expert when it comes to our Lepidoptera! and cant say definitively that numbers are on the increase but it looks like for what ever reason their numbers are on the rise across the county……and a colourful addition they are too!!

Death mask

Thirty+ Meadow pipits on the track down to Rerwick head this afternoon. This is the first gathering flock i have seen this season...a sure sign of how the year is wearing away.

Johnny i have been trying to phone you but all i get is the answer service. Check your messages!!

Chillin at Lochside

I took an early evening stop by lochside tonight It was one of those calm mild nights with the sun shining in ladders over the west side as it spilt through the rifts in the sea fog clouds. It was all looking very attractive as a pair of arctic terns began to fish in the mirror calm lee of the islands. At the burn mouth sixteen tufted ducks moved about feeding with one or two oystercatchers and curlew on the shore. The waters that looked quite empty proved to hold quite a few birds coots called cormorants dried their wings, a pair of male red throated divers displayed noisily for a female. Unfortunately for them she seemed unimpressed and took to the air, the lads showed off for a moment more then decided to save their energy. The black swan drifted in to the picture. I was enjoying this as some Ariel combat took my attention. Three mallards all males were having a right scrap, one dropped away and the other two disappeared headed inland to Harray still pushing each other about.
As is usually the case there the air was filled with the sounds of birds, skylarks and meadow pipits competed with the discordant song of the sedge warblers. Above us Curlew and snipe bubbled and drummed. Along the heather drama was unfolding as well as territorial disputes seemed to be the way of the night, Two male reed buntings had a continuous row going on with the female of the pair joining in as well. In amongst all this furious scolding love bloomed as a pair of amours sedge warblers were getting down to business. Through all of this a pair of twite circled with the male displaying an excellent pink rump. It was a beautiful evening and this is just a taste of all that was seen but time and restaurant bookings wait for no man so I had to say goodnight to fine company and views and shoot off to face the music.

Herring gull......oh yea with a spitfire.

Heading for the brief arctic summer

Striking a pose

Along the north coast last week I saw this Wheatear indulging in some interesting behaviour. There were a pair of males about thirty yards apart, both were jumping repeatedly a foot or so in the air, calling then landing stock still with their tail feathers splayed wide. They would hold this pose for a while before repeating the whole performance. I don’t really know what was going on but I think its maybe less to with protecting territory and more to do with impressing a passing female. It did pass the time very pleasantly whilst the kettle boiled tho!!

Corncrake update

Its good news on the Corncrake front. The bird calling here is unrecorded and new to the RSPB. Last night it was torrential rain but tonight is clear and fine. He has been calling since 23.00. This is fingers crossed that this is a new territory being established. Fingers doubly crossed that he is heard by a female with love on her mind!!

Been a good day today

Scarfie

Gloupy doings

It has been a great day today!!!It was the RSPB boat trip around Mull Head today. We managed to get in to the Gloup all the way into the deep cave at the back. I have allways wanted to do that. It was stunning and i was not disapointed....apart from the quality of the photos that is!!

Corncrake

I have just heard a corncrake calling in the fields beyond the house. The last corncrake in the actual garden here was in 79-80. There is a good drizzle going on but i am going out on the bike and going to try and get a good location and sound recording........yee ha the hunt is on....


(edit)...Soon tracked it down. It is calling like a trooper. Its in deep grass with a fenced off section of wet ground beside it. I couldnt see mutch in the dark but made some thirty second sound recordings. I will post some the morn but be warned watching a black screen to hear a corncrake repeatedly calling may well be taking you in to geeky birdy land...lol

Happy valley cuckoo.

Here are a couple of fuzzy shots of the cuckoo thats hanging out in the Happy valley, Biggswell, Russadale area at the moment. It has been showing realy well and providing plenty of entertainment as it avoids atacks from all the local birds. There are several calling cuckoos at the moment scattered across the mainland but with a bit of paticence and a pair of bins this is one thats resonably easy to see.

Tripping up Trump

I recieved this email today. Please read it and if you feel like joining in and saving some homes then have a wee click!!

Hi,
Have a look at this:
http://www.38degrees.org.uk/the-bunker

Thousands have spoken out against US billionaire Donald Trump's plans to demolish family homes to build his massive golf course. But Trump hasn't given up yet. He's still pushing Aberdeenshire Council to force local families from their homes. We need to up the pressure again.

Tripping Up Trump have bought a piece of land slap bang in the middle of where Trump wants to build. We've found a legal way for thousands of us to sign up as co-owners of the land. That means as well as speaking up on behalf of the local people threatened by Trump, we can stand alongside them as fellow owners of land he wants to get his hands on.

A plot of land owned by thousands of us makes it a much trickier legal job for Trump. But it also sends a powerful message to the council. They'll know that if they do Trump's bidding, they're not just trampling on local residents, they're taking on thousands of us across Scotland and beyond.

It is simple and quick to sign-up to have your name added as a co-owner of the land. And it doesn't cost anything. Just click here:
http://www.38degrees.org.uk/the-bunker

It looks like you may have to copy and paste this link, sorry for the extra effort folks but i cant get the links to work!!!

TEN THOUSAND HITS ! ! !

That is now ten thousand hits on the blog to date. I never thought my feeble musings would be of that much interest. Its all very gratifying and i would like to thank you all for looking in.I hope you all continue to find it enjoyable and interesting. My regards to you all...Daf

Allways nice to be coming home.

Dafs orkney birding is going on the road for a few days. Heading south to explore the north so to speak....back soon.

Sea Eagle.

The big news of the day must surely be thet there has been a Sea eagle seen several times over the last couple of days. Its been seen along the rendall hills north of Finstown. The report on Orkbird this morning was that there were two seen together along the ridge this morning. It has to be worth a look if your out that way. I know i will if i can get the bike up and running !!!
Orkney has a past history of ocupation by sea eagles and with the winter population of grey geese not to mention the summer population then it all ways raises faint hopes that they may once again expand their range and start to occupy the isles.......oooh one day...one day

Old friends

Siskins a garden first!

Siskin’s in the garden this morning were a nice surprise. These are a new garden first for us here. We had three females and one male. They only lasted for a few minutes until they were driven off by a starling and the falling sleet. I shall be keeping a good look out this morning seeing I am indoors and snowed off gardening and enjoying a lazy day….i am a very laxed boss!!!

snow

Here we go theres a good peppering of snow on the hills. Last night the ground and roads were frozen.....seasonal or what!! Come to the sunny north isles!!!

Goslings

I saw my first Greylag goslings being led to the safety of the sea today. Is this a sign that summer is ending....god i hope not its snowing again!!!

Dotterel, its a lifer!!

Today whilst sniffing about the net I happened to check out the all about Orkney site and was pleased to find the blog now included in their new wildlife blogs section. This might account for all the extra hits the counter seems to have been accruing this week. Anyway I returned to the site to show the OH what’s been happening there and to have a look at another local bird blog , Literate herrings, this way…(an excellent blog and my first read of it) when I noticed that orkbird had a notification that there were four Dotterel out in Tankerness. They were in the ploughed field behind the old school just past the tip. This is a bird that I have never seen before so it was a case of jump up and shoot off. I am damn glad I did as well!! There were showers on the way and a good strong wind blowing from the north however I was not going to be put off. On arrival I parked in the yard of the old school house and a quick chat with the owner who was building a new shed soon saw mt tucked away in a corner of his yard out of the weather. It took a moment to find the birds but we were soon both enjoying views of this beautiful and elegant bird. It was a lifer for me and once again orkbird shows it’s worth. The photos struggled a bit in the conditions with distance and bluster I hope you enjoy them. The north wind is going to continue for the next few days so there is a possibility that these excellent birds may remain so if your out and about I would urge you to have a look at these rare visitors whilst they are about!!

Sunset at lochside

The volcanic ash laden sky on the 22 april.

RSPB bird records for april 2010

APRIL 2010


An interesting month with spring migration really getting under way. A Great Crested Grebe was in Widewall Bay on 27th. A strong Fulmar passage involved up to 5000 per hour past Marwick on 1st; a ‘blue’ bird was off Birsay on 16th.

Whooper Swans decided it was time to head back to Iceland; 36 were over the Harray Loch on 9th while seven sat on the sea at Marwick on that date building up their courage! 40 flew out to sea over Birsay on 12th. There was a big movement of Pink-footed Geese as they headed the same way; 2700 passed over North Ronaldsay between 20th-23rd, 600 were over Costa and 600 flew out to sea over Marwick on the latter date while there were many reports of up to 500. The Loons Greenland White-fronted Goose flock held just 32 birds on 4th although one was nearby at Twatt on 22nd and four on Egilsay on 27th; most unusually, 500 moved north over Durkadale in three flocks on 11th. Less common grey geese involved a Bean Goose on North Ronaldsay on 15th and 20th; two Eurasian White-fronted Geese there on 2nd; and two Snow Geese in Sandwick on 27th. Barnacle Geese were conspicuous after 20th with up to 53 on North Ronaldsay, 42 at the Skaill Loch, 24 at Costa, 22 on Burray and 19 at The Loons; 13 remained on Papay all month. During the same period, up to 24 Light-bellied Brent Geese were found at Marwick with six in Birsay Bay, three on Papay and one on North Ronaldsay; the latter island also reported two Dark-bellied Brent Geese on 9th and 27th.

Ever an early breeding species, a Mallard duck accompanied 14 ducklings at Scapa Distillery on 28th. The best Pintail count was 28 at Sanday’s Loch of Rummie on 7th while that for Gadwall was 36 at the Brodgar Pools on 17th. A spectacular drake Mandarin was at Mill Dam, Shapinsay on 17th while North Ronaldsay’s Ring-necked Duck remained there all month. 50 Scaup were on the Skaill Loch on 28th while the Peedie Sea provided an excellent count of 120 Long-tailed Ducks on 21st. A pair of Goosanders were on the Stenness Loch on 5th and one on the Loch of Brockan on 23rd. The Loch of Skaill Smew put in its final appearance of the winter on 11th.

Away from breeding areas, a Buzzard was in the Widewall area all month and, more unusually, one was on North Ronaldsay on 28th. Marsh Harriers put in their customary spring appearance with singles at Loch of Banks on 2nd, in Rendall on 4th and on Rousay and at The Loons on 27th. Goshawks have become more regular in recent years and one was in Rendall on a typical date of 13th.

The first Corncrake was back on Papay on 26th. By far the largest Golden Plover flock was 1300 on Burray but there were many reports of up to 400 as northern race birds prepared to move back to their breeding grounds. The only Knots reported were three singles on North Ronaldsay up to 13th and 19 on Papay on 29th. North Ronaldsay also produced the peak counts of Sanderling (82 on 16th) and Purple Sandpipers (104 on 28th). A single Black-tailed Godwit was at The Shunan from 11th then, from 20th, five flocks of up to 10 were noted. This month saw an especially strong passage of Whimbrels from 18th on, peaking on 27th when small parties were noted in many parts of South Ronaldsay and an amazing flock of 58 was at the Mill Dam of Rango. Three Common Sandpipers had returned to a breeding site at the Loch of Bosquoy by 25th. More unusual waders included Ruff (one at the Skaill Loch on 24th and two at Rango on 28th), Wood Sandpiper (one at The Shunan on 25th), Greenshank (one over Shapinsay on 11th, one at Burwick on 14th and one in Deerness on 29th) and Spotted Redshank (the wintering bird at The Shunan until at least 23rd).

A very early Arctic Skua was seen over Stenness on 11th, one off Marwick on 16th, one on Papay on 17th and two off Shapinsay on 18th then no more until 26th. Common Gulls were already sitting on eggs on Shapinsay by 23rd, an early date. The Stromness Iceland Gull lingered until at least 26th while others were seen in Holm Sound on 12th and at Rennibister on 17th. The only Glaucous Gull was one at Newark Bay, Deerness on 29th. Sandwich Terns became widespread but the first Arctic Tern, typically, was not seen until 25th (Loch of Tankerness) and the first Common Tern on 27th (Rango).

The strange passage of Wood Pigeons through the north isles was again noted with five on Papay on 1st and up to three on North Ronaldsay between 1st-5th and again on North Ronaldsay on 27th/28th. Collared Doves were also noted there with up to three on four dates. A Cuckoo was calling in Rendall from 23rd and another was seen on North Ronaldsay on 27th. What was perhaps the rarest bird of the month was a Hoopoe, on Stronsay, from 6th-10th. A Long-eared Owl was on North Ronaldsay on 12th and a very early Swift over Stromness on 28th.

The first Swallow was noted in Stenness on 11th followed by a scatter of records up to 23rd after which birds became widespread. Sand Martins also first appeared on 11th when five were in Birsay, 18 having gathered there by 25th and others having been seen in four localities. An early House Martin was seen on North Ronaldsay on 7th but then no more until 25th after which birds were seen at five sites. The first White Wagtails were two in Birsay Bay on 25th then 26 were reported there on 30th, possibly an Orkney record count. Grey Wagtails were noted at their breeding site in Kirkwall and in other possible nesting areas at Wideford Burn on 4th and St. Margaret’s Hope on 9th.

Following the first Wheatears in late March, birds became more widespread during early April with, for example, six at Houton on 5th and up to 29 on North Ronaldsay from 9th – 12th; a strong passage was noted on the latter island on 27th when 175 were logged. Single Black Redstarts were seen on Rousay on 7th and North Ronaldsay on 10th while a Ring Ouzel was in Rendall on 10th and three on North Ronaldsay on 28th. Fieldfares were only seen on North Ronaldsay with one on 7th and up to three after 26th. Up to 40 Redwings were seen in Stenness and on North Ronaldsay mid-month while there were several records of singing birds in Rendall, Swannay and Costa. In amongst all this migratory activity, local Blackbirds got on with their business and a fledged brood was noted in Kirkwall as early as 15th.

The first Sedge Warbler was noted at Hestily, South Ronaldsay on 26th followed by others at The Loons and in Costa over the next couple of days. A Grasshopper Warbler was in song in Rendall on 30th. A Blackcap visited a Greeny garden on 7th and two were on North Ronaldsay on 10th. Two others occurred after 25th when one-two Lesser Whitethroats appeared in Evie, Deerness and on North Ronaldsay the latter locality also reporting an early Common Whitethroat. Chiffchaffs were noted in ten localities with up to four on North Ronaldsay and three in Rendall. The first Willow Warblers were two in song at Finstown on 10th, several more arriving on 11th/12th, a maximum seven being recorded on North Ronaldsay on 27th. A Pied Flycatcher was in Deerness on 28th.

A Great Grey Shrike was a good find by a visiting birding group at Whaness, Hoy on 12th. North Ronaldsay reported its usual light spring passage of corvids with a peak of nine Rooks on 9th and six Carrion Crows on 28th; a Rook was also on Papay on 8th.
Bramblings were noted in nine localities with as many as four in Finstown on 25th while one-two Goldfinches were reported from six sites. Similarly, small numbers Siskins passed through with one-two at six sites and up to five in Rendall. Up to three Common Redpolls were on North Ronaldsay on 25th/26th while two Lesser Redpolls were in Rendall on 27th and 30th. A possible Arctic Redpoll was seen in Costa on 21st/22nd. Up to three Crossbills were seen in Rendall with the maximum on 2nd when one was also in Holm; another was found dead on Burray on 19th. The late March arrival of Hawfinches continued into early April with singles reported from Lythes and St. Margaret’s Hope (South Ronaldsay), Stromness, Rendall and North Ronaldsay during 1st – 3rd. Two-three lingering Snow Buntings were noted in three West Mainland localities and on Papay during 15th-28th while single Lapland Buntings were seen on North Ronaldsay on 3rd and 10th.

Eric Meek

Raptors in the hill

I went in to the hill tonight in the early evening. I wasn’t all that far from home and I was really just out for a bit of a leg stretch and a spy about. I’m not going to say just where it was but it was a fairly typical sort of valley, grazed fields giving what to rough grazing and then the heather hill. Several burns run of the hills here and there are stands of scrub willow dotted about the lower slopes. The walk up over the fields had lapwings and oystercatchers mixed with a few greylag geese that have no intention of heading to Iceland. The rough grazing has rabbits scampering around my feet as I pick my way through the clumps of rush grass.
Through the throng of calling meadow pipits and skylarks I here a familiar song! To my delight I can here the descending song of a willow warbler the first this year. I take the opportunity to draw breath and have a look. Before me there are a few spruce trees and beyond that a large clump of willow. Its from in here that the bird is singing. Unfortunately its quite sporadic and doesn’t seem to keen to get up high and sing, its enough to know he is here though. It’s a good job as well because as im standing looking panic is spreading up the valley as birds scatter and warning alarms sound. The reason is almost instantly obvious, a male hen harrier is quartering its way along the burn, swooping about the stands of shrubs as he attempts to put up small birds. This is quite a show but just as quickly he is gone, disappearing over the brow of a low slope. With in moments the sound of birds re-emerges to fill the air. I move on towards the heather edge. I had not been moving for more than five minutes and the male harrier returned to give the burn another look. This time I plonk down the scope and scope the slow moving fella up. It’s a fine twisting plunging display as he pounces a couple of times unsuccessfully until he moves off from sight once again.
A bit of peace falls over the hills side before me and I sit in the lea of a ruined building. I am out of the north wind and am catching the warm rays of the sun. Is so unusual to feel the sun so hot on the skin I think I’m going to get an instant tan…lovely. Looking across the vista before me I see high sloping hillsides covered in heather. You can hear curlews and red grouse from in front as the wind is carrying the sound towards me. The next raptor to arrive is a male short eared owl. I see it on the horizon as crosses and descends, It makes little effort to quarter the ground. It turns and banks then turns again and lands. During this manoeuvre it was giving out a rough barking call. I scope him up as he sits. Its apparent he is sitting looking out making no effort to preen. As minutes pass I look about to see what else is happening returning briefly to the owl to check he is still there. On the third look he was gone! A quick look drawn by the same call put me strait on him. The moment I acquired him in the bins my relieved breath I was about to exude was strangled in the throat as a darker larger female burst from the ground to and I a flurry of wings turn almost inverted and receive a food pass. It was over in seconds and my eye naturally followed on after the male as he moved of horizontally along the hillside. Within seconds I was back to look for the female. She was nowhere to be seen though she hadn’t flown off and was not on the wing anywhere in sight, neither was she insight on the heather. It now dawned on me that I had just seen a food pass to a bird that was sitting on a nest. I had found one of those really hard to find sites a SEO nest site…..excellent. The male eventually crested the horizon and disappeared over the hill top.
Ravens and big gulls moved along the hilltop horizon and the raptors settled down for a bit. With nothing in the air I turned my attention to scanning the heather its self. This proved to be successful almost strait away, on the lower slopes I found a female ringtail casually preening. I put her in the scope and even though she was quite distant and a bit engulfed by the heat haze that was messing up efforts to film and photograph her she was providing a nice enough view. To my surprise though another bird arrived and although this one lifted up it soon settled unperturbed by the new arrival. My thoughts are that these are first year birds and probably related. So with the two of them on the ground I an trying to get them both in frame with the digiscope the male bird comes on the scene. This looks good and the ring tail is rising to the male things really get a head of steam. Screaming into this comes yet another ringtail female. There is a furious strumash of wheeling shrieking birds as the new bird sets about the other two and has them sent on their way quick smart. It is breath taking and dramatic stuff. With the competition gone the pair play and bond with a delight full interaction around the willow stands both will land and the male will preen, this wont last for more than a minute then the female will make him rise and settle again. This goes on for a while and I make some efforts to film the male but its all desperately far for the camera.
As I am doing this I am aware of the owl calls coming from up the valley at the probable nest site. I can see nothing there but sure enough a scan about shows the male short eared owl entering the hill side. He moves along the hillside high up and despite the calls moves over the hill top and disappears…probably foodless. I move back to the hen harriers but they too are up and moving away. I take that as my cue to move away as well. I have only been watching for forty minutes but it’s the sort of forty minutes that make Orkney such a special place.

Want to see it for your self come for a walk…phone 771697…we seldom close.