Facebook the next step forwards

I thought I was immune from the all encompassing Facebook but it seems not so today I am launching a Facebook page for the blog. The page is called Orkney Birding and if you are a facebooker then I hope you will search it down. You will be very welcome!

A poem from Lizz of the Org

Grey Geese

I hear your noisy calls and lift my head towards the sky,
There you are, a V shaped skein that holds the eye.
I watch you fly across the bay to margins where you graze,
To the fields where are gathered numbers that amaze.

I have seen you slip and slide across the frozen loch,
Circle round and land beside the ancient broch.
Watched the sky turn grey above the place you roost,
Each time you gave my heart a boost.

But now it's almost time for you to go,
Back to the lands you left before the winter snow.
Fly straight, be strong and true.
When Autumn comes, I will look again for you.

Greylag goose ringing update

The other day I received an update from Alan Leitch of the Orkney ringing group about the Greylag goose ringing that I had been along to giving a hand out in the summer time. On the 8th of July 09 at the loch of Hundland on the north west of the mainland the ringing group went to work on the moulting flightless flock there. The evening was chosen to try and reduce the effect of the predatory Bonxies that were a present and constant danger to the flightless flock and their youngsters.

On that evening we had captured the birds by means of driving the flightless breeding/moulting flock in to a prepared corral. We succeeded in corralling 191 birds which was about thirty percent of the birds present at the site. Preceding counts on the loch had established that there were at a peak 640 birds on June 30th when 82 broods and a total of 307 goslings giving 3.74 as an average brood were noted. This compares to 08 when a count of 500 birds with 58 broods and 215 goslings giving 3.70 as an average brood size. 25 marked birds from the 08 count were recorded on Hundland loch during this breeding season, many with goslings in tow.

Since July 08 all the sightings of the collared birds have been entered into a data base with some surprising results. about 90 % of the collared birds have been reported within 5km of Hundland loch with the furthest local birds appearing on Shapinsay just 20km away. The only exception to this local pattern have been sightings of birds on the Buckenham Marshes down in Norfolk!

In 08 two of our collared goslings made the 790 km trip to East Anglia. DIS and DIU had somehow managed to head off in an unexpected direction, possibly in the company of other geese This pair managed to return to Orkney to be recorded at RSPB Durkadale close to the ringing site. DIS remained at Durkadale and DIU headed off to Milldam on Shapinsay. Neither bird was seen again until they showed up yet again on Buckenham marshes on the 3rd of Jan!. This time they had a couple of the 09 first year birds in tow HAK and HAJ neither of these had been reported since ringing in july. They have been spending most of their time on the river Yare between Buckenham and Claxton marshes Norfolk since January. The interesting thing here is that these birds are to young to be related. DIS and DIU did not breed in 09 as they were to young. All four birds have been spending time with ‘feral’ Greylag and Canada geese although often reported as only loosely associating with other geese outwith the main group of ten birds. It does make you wonder if all the birds are Orcadian though! Interestingly though another gosling was reported shot to the BTO. This one HFS was shot at Wickhampton Acle Norfolkthis is in the close locality to the Orkney birds and begs the question was it one of the migrating group? But as Allan says we will never really know. Hopefully we will see all of these birds return to The west mainland possibly even on Durkadale come April. The oldest of them will be ready for breeding this year so the story will hopefully continue.

On a darker note the breeding population continues to expand and the pressure to reduce numbers dramatically looks like it is going to happen sooner or later. Different geese scaring methods to keep them from grazing new growing crops are being researched but I think little success is being achieved so they and their youngsters to come may have to take their chances in the future.

In December 09 the Grey goose count for the whole of Orkney revealed a staggering count of 80,538 of which an estimated 10-12000 (11%) currently summer on the islands. It is likely that this amount of birds is affecting other traditional breeders but I don’t think that any real research yet exists to support the idea. Some form of control looks like it will eventually come about though.

Finally there was the leucistic white Greylag known as Blondie or more properly HBF. You may have seen this bird in the photos I posted last July. It was amazing that it had survived the predation from Bonxies and made it to a first year bird. Its more amazing still that it has survived the trophy instincts of local and commercial shooters. Blondie is doing well, alive and kicking and still out west.

My thanks to Alan and the Orkney ringing group for the update and the opportunity to get out and help in the first place.

If anyone has sighting of any of these collared birds anywhere and at any time could you please report them to…alan.leitch@rspb.org.uk

Cheers.

Blondie

Purple sand pipers

SEO.

The first Short eared owl of the spring to get on the garden list was across the garden the other night. It soon headed off to the back field to hunt over the rank grass there quartering for a while before heading off. The Short eared owls are becoming more obvious now as the season progresses. I was on the Bigswell road the other night staking out a sight that may hold a Barn owl when I saw to of them quartering the same ground. They eventually met and a great argument ensued providing some fine but distant views. Eventually the split and went their separate ways…..very entertaining at the time tho!!

Pinkie's

There have been six to eight hundred Pink foots grazing below the house today. Every so often a Hen harrier or Peregrine would have them all up, circle for a bit and back down. They didnt seem to keen to move on, and who can blame them it probably was a long enough flight to get here.

It was cool as any way!!

Bonaparte's Gull

I see on the org tonight theres a Bonaparte's Gull around thurso harbour today. There were a couple of mini buses on the twitch. I wonder if it is there the morn mmmmm.

Movment

Return migration seems to be starting to get a grip. There have been a few reports of pinkfeet passing overhead and more of flocks coming down. We were fortunate enough to have three hundred plus roost below the house two nights ago. Oyster catchers are also returning to the county with a small rise in numbers making them more obvious in the fields. Golden plover flocks are about out east, staging for their onward flight . There are also flocks of redwings dotted about all over feeding as fast as they can before moving. I was up the Biggswell road on Sunday where I saw 150+ take to the air spooked by a sparrow hawk.

There was a report of a barn owl in Harray last week. This is a rare bird for us not to mention elusive. I had a report of a white owl emerging from a derelict property a few days ago and have spent the grimlings in to darkness watching the house and area surrounding it but as yet with no luck. I did briefly have hares boxing yards if front of me last night…..you never know what you are going to see…every thing is about to change with the season once again...I love it!!

Spring seems sprung

What a difference a bit of warm weather makes. On Saturday we like the rest of the UK felt the benefit of the large areas of high pressure that has moved across the country. Things look even better a few days later with the system looking stalled over the entire country every one is experiencing a rush of spring carried on the welcome warm air.
It was much like this for me on Saturday, I didn’t have the opportunity to get out birding tho , my days efforts were to be spent in the garden constructing a rabbit hutch with my ex brother in law. Its amazing what a small hike in temperature makes. The ground beneath the feet was still frozen hard yet soon started to thaw…well at least the top centimetre. More encouraging was the first wren singing. The wrens had been a bit of a concern with the prolonged cold weather but there had been a female skulking about the shrubs for a few days. This welcome return has now been joined by a rather vociferous male who is singing from all the high perches around the houses. I still haven’t seen that many out and about but it looks good for round about at the moment.
The wren wasn’t to be alone though and with in minutes of him singing our first skylark of the year was singing above the house. The delight felt in hearing the song was doubled almost immediately with another bird sparking up before the firsts song cycle had finished. The spring chorus wasn’t going to stop there either and down the fields there was a rich strong sound of birds feeling the spring, several curlew were bubbling away and rising into the air in display. Oystercatchers were also displaying with their heads down and stomping around the sound of their piping calls carried beautifully across the warm open spaces to us.
For so long the dominant bird sound has been the squabbley sounds of greylag geese that the cacophony of spring sounds seemed overwhelming …not to mention very welcome……..birds are returning and its all about to kick off again…magic.

Even though we are only days (apparently) from spring the return of the snow seems to have reinforced the unrelenting grip of winter. I suppose we cant complain though. The last few months have brought some of the calmest winter weather that in can mind on bar none. Its an effect of climate change that we suffer from extremes of weather and this is surely one example. However its an example that will probably get over looked in the general moping about the time the snow was on the ground.
Anyway I was listening to a solitary Lapwing having a good call and display in the sunshine the other afternoon and it brought home to me how much I miss the cacophony of bird song that makes up the background ambiance that we so quickly take for granted when its here. Coincidently this film cropped up whilst I was going through the albums and the sounds brought summer rushing back for a moment. I filmed this on the way home from the summer solstice shenanigans on the opposite side of the loch.

Spooking the geese down the drive

Short warning!!!

The Research Work of the RSPB

There will be a Lunchtime Science Seminar, Wednesday 24th February, at 1.00 pm in the Lecture Room at ICIT, Old Academy, Stromness.

Dr Rowena Langston, Principal Conservation Scientist at the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, will be talking about the RSPB's programme of research in support of the conservation of birds and their habitats.

All welcome!

Outside noo

Outside its one of those sharp, freezing nights when the temperature plummets in the still night air. There had been cloud cover earlier that had kind foiled half a plan for snapping the moon. I did manage a couple before bed tho, taking advantage of the excellent conditions. Best of all my cold fumble fingered efforts were accompanied by the piping of several oystercatchers. Music to my ears tonight

The bearded seal has proved to be quite elusive. Agood scope about found nothing and another go today fared no better. I am sure its still about....somwhere.

Bearded seal

That’s been an excellent lent day today and its only three o’clock!! I was up late watching the halfpipe finals on the Olympics last nigh which was absolutely superb!! Understandably I arose a little late and when the computer eventually went on there was a notice of a Bearded seal hauled out on Finstown slip on Birdforum. Excellent stuff, grabbing a book for some ID I bundled my gear in the wife’s car and frog marched her out to drive whilst I read up on the finer points of identification. My guide for this was the super little book Sillocks Skarfies and Selkies by Chris and Jean Booth. It comprehensively covers all of the vertebrae fauna that has been and may be found across our isles. ( its pocket sized and well recommended)

There have only been four recorded sightings before across Orkney, one in 87 out at Deerness, in 88 one was reported from several areas with one hauling out on the Corn slip Kirkwall on the 16 may. On the 28th aug 2004 another juvenile hauled out on the Cornslip once again and then in march 05 another hauled out on the Ouse at Finstown just over the bay from this feller.

This is an Arctic species and is non migratory hence it is little seen outside of its home waters Its coloured grey with a slightly brownish head and fairly light belly it has a nice flat forehead and of course a magnificent beard of curling whiskers after which it is named. This a rare enough species to attract a few visitors that are in to the rare mammal thing so I am wondering if there will be any seal twitchers dropping in on the isles for a quick tick.

One note of caution though. Bearded seals will not behave like our local seals and take to the water if approached. They tend to stay still and wait out any threat. This may make them seem very tame but this is defiantly not the case. The get very stressed with close approaches and before long will show signs of trembling and shivering. So if you are going for a look please stay at the top of the slip and enjoy the view. PLEASE DO NOT APPROACH IT CLOSLY!! It is worth noting that my photos were taken through the scope from well back in the car park.

Anyway all that said…enjoy!!

I do love to take a photograph and one day I live in hope of taking consistently good shots instead of the occasional lucky one! With this in mind I was over awed by the standard of photos in this years birdguides photo competition. There stunning pictures that really give you something to gasp at. Its quite a reflection of how popular the competition and bird photography are becoming. Its spectacular stuff and well worth a look.
I do love to take a photograph and one day I live in hope of taking consistently good shots instead of the occasional lucky one! With this in mind I was over awed by the standard of photos in this years birdguides photo competition. There stunning pictures that really give you something to gasp at. Its quite a reflection of how popular the competition and bird photography are becoming. Its spectacular stuff and well worth a look. I have had a problem going to the page with the link so click on the photo comp in the banner !! http://www.birdguides.com

ORKNEY BIRD RECORDS FROM THE RSPB.

JANUARY 2010


Up to 12 Red-throated Divers were seen off Marwick with a maximum on 23rd, an unusual location and date for this species. Two Black-throated Divers were offshore from the Whalebone, Birsay on 8th, one in Widewall Bay on 9th and one off Marwick on 23rd. Single Little Grebes were seen in coastal situations at Stromness Harbour, Herston, Water Sound and the Finstown Ouse while the freeze-up forced two over to the Brig o’ Brodgar on 10th. The ice also forced Slavonian Grebes off our freshwater lochs and the Harray Loch held only three on 17th although on the same day, 19 were reported on the sea between No 2 Barrier and Sandoyne.. After a period when very few were seen, Fulmars were passing Marwick at up to 4380 per hour on 17th. The largest concentration of Grey Herons was at the Head of Work where 26 were counted on 3rd, 16 at nearby Carness on 26th doubtless including some of the Work birds. Undoubtedly the bird of the month was the Bittern found in a poor condition on Sanday on 22nd. This extremely rare visitor to Orkney had probably been forced across the North Sea by hard weather on the Continent.

293 Mute Swans were counted on the Harray Loch on 18th while the largest Whooper Swan counts were 69 on Vasa Loch, Shapinsay on 2nd, 46 on Sanday on 16th, 29 in Rendall on 23rd and 20 at the Loch of Skaill, also on 23rd. The Greenland White-fronted Goose flock at The Loons peaked at 64 on 26th, the only other being a single in Deerness on 17th. Two Eurasian White-fronted Geese were on North Ronaldsay all month being joined by a third on 29th. A Pale-bellied Brent Goose and a Dark-bellied Brent Goose were together on Papay on 10th while two pale-bellied were at Barn of Ayre, Deerness on 30th. The maximum December count of Barnacle Geese on South Walls was1560 on 28th the only others, in January, being 11 on Papay on 10th, up to 20 at the Loch of Skaill and singles at Swannay on 3rd and at Ocklester, Holm on 17th. A Canada Goose remained on North Ronaldsay all month while others were at Burwick on 10th and at The Ouse, Shapinsay on 17th.

Shelducks continued to return from their north German sojourn all month, the largest counts being 40 at Mill Sand on 28th and 28 in Widewall Bay on 17th. Ice pushed large numbers of Wigeon onto the shore, an example being 800 below the Hall of Clestrain on 5th. Up to 57 Pintail were at the north end of Sanday mid-moth while 16 remained on the Loch of Brockan from 16th and North Ronaldsay had a maximum of 15 on 27th. Up to six Shovelers continued to find the Finstown Ouse to their liking at least up until 10th. 699 Tufted Ducks had managed to return to the Harray Loch by 18th and 141 Scaup to the Stenness Loch by 17th although three of the latter on Lairo Water, Shapinsay were more unusual. The female Ring-necked Duck was relocated on North Ronaldsay on 18th and remained to 27th. Velvet Scoter numbers remained low with only five off Rerwick, four in Kirkwall Bay, four between Sandoyne and No 2 Barrier on 17th and one in Sandside Bay on 9th. Five Common Scoters were off Herston all month, two in Sandsend Bay, Shapinsay on 17th when one was off Rerwick and another was in the Bay of Carness on 25th/26th. A drake Surf Scoter was in the Bay of Miel on 2nd. The largest concentration of Red-breasted Mergansers was 66 in Veantrow Bay, Shapinsay on 17th. Goosanders remain scarce in Orkney but up to two drakes and two ducks were in the Ayre Loch-Graemeshall Loch area of Holm from 14th. The Smew was relocated on the Loch of Skaill on 17th and 21st.

Several Common Buzzards were resident in the Firth-Rendall-Evie area all month while sightings of single birds also came from Shapinsay, Waulkmill Bay and Widewall. A Rough-legged Buzzard was found at Greenwall, Holm on 7th and what was probably the same bird seen at the Airport on 12th and in St. Andrew’s on 30th. Numbers of Hen Harriers utilising the Durkadale roost have been lower than usual; 12 were there on 18th. What was probably the same Gyr Falcon as was watched arriving off the sea in December was seen again in the Mousland area on 6th.

513 Coot were counted on the Harray Loch on 18th many of which had had to move to the only free water in the county, west of the Brig o’ Brodgar, in the early part of the month. Two Water Rails were re corded on Papay on 10th and another in Rendall on 3rd and 9th while the bird at Dale, Costa performed beautifully to an admiring audience of young Wildlife Explorers on 24th.

There was a suggestion that a few Oystercatchers may have been moving back into the county earlier than usual with 16 on North Ronaldsay on 3rd and 20 on 18th. The only Grey Plovers were singles at Skaill Bay on 23rd and on North Ronaldsay on 31st. Hard weather usually forces Golden Plovers out of the islands altogether but 800 were at Rerwick on 17th and 1500 at Work on 26th, having either stuck it out or quickly returned. By far the highest Purple Sandpiper count was of 175 on Papay on 10th and, as usual, Scuthvie, Sanday provided the biggest Sanderling concentration – 530 on 16th. An unusual sighting involving a Turnstone was of one flying across the face of Marwick Head and landing on a precipitous ledge there on 9th! Woodcocks remained conspicuous with twelve reports of up to four and an amazing 26 still inhabiting the plantations at Hestily, South Ronaldsay on 10th. Ice and snow pushed Snipe into coastal situations with, for example, 95 in Newark Bay, South Ronaldsay on 3rd and 70 in intertidal areas on Burray on 1st; 191 were counted on Papay on 10th. Jack Snipe, too, were forced into more conspicuous situations than normal with four between Sower and Coldomo (Orphir-Stenness) on 5th and five other reports of single birds. The only Black-tailed Godwits were three on North Ronaldsay on 31st. The largest count of Bar-tailed Godwits was of 130 at Heatherhouse, Tankerness on 17th but up to 87 were in Widewall Bay on 17th, 47 at The Ouse, Shapinsay, 45 in Scapa Bay, 41 on North Ronaldsay and 25 on Papay while 31 at Coldomo on 5th were at a site where only single figures are usually recorded. The wintering Whimbrel was seen again on Burray on 9th and 27th while 650 Curlews were in Widewall Bay on 17th when 160 Redshanks were also counted there.

Black-headed Gulls move out of the north isles of Orkney in winter but eight had already returned to North Ronaldsay by 18th. Common Gulls were very conspicuous with flocks numbering 2000 at both Stromness and Evie Sands during the month. Stromness had a virtual monopoly on Iceland Gull records with a first-winter, a second-winter and an adult bird all present there during the month, the second-winter individual remaining until 31st; the only other sightings were of an adult in Rendall and an immature at Skaill House on 31st. Guillemots don’t usually begin returning to their breeding ledges until early spring but on 18th hundreds were watched moving south off Marwick with many also on the sea below the cliffs and a few even ashore on nesting ledges. The largest Rock Dove flocks reported were of 200 at Vestrafiold on 9th, 350 at Evie Sands next day and 200 at Marwick on 25th. Two Long-eared Owls were located at Durkadale on 15th, one remaining until 24th.

100 Skylarks at Widewall on 6th was good winter count. A Grey Wagtail was at Scapa Bay on 9th and another at Stenaday, Finstown on 16th but Pied Wagtails were more conspicuous than usual with as many as four at Howe, Stromness on 20th and ten reports of single birds elsewhere. There were still more Meadow Pipits than usual for mid-winter, the largest concentration being 20 on Shapinsay on 7th and 18 in Costa on 11th. A Rock Pipit was found by the Loch of Clumly, 3 km inland, on 14th while two Waxwings were found by visiting birders at Oglaby, Stromness on 13th.

A Black Redstart was an unseasonable visitor to North Ronaldsay on 29th and there was an unusual small influx of Mistle Thrushes with singles at Bryameadow on 17th, Rendall on 22nd, North Ronaldsay on 24th, South Ronaldsay on 30th and Stromness and North Ronaldsay again on 31st. A Song Thrush feeding in the intertidal area at Marwick on 9th was thought to have been forced there by the weather but it was still present in this unusual situation on 31st. Fieldfares became conspicuous from 17th with up to 150 on Shapinsay and South Ronaldsay, 121 on North Ronaldsay and 100 in Tankerness. In contrast, Redwing numbers remained relatively small, 80 at Widewall on 8th being the largest flock. A cock Blackcap was watched in a Kirkwall garden on 4th while a Chiffchaff was found dead at Hestily on 26th.

As many as 300 Jackdaws were thought to be roosting at Nisthouse, Harray on 23rd while a bird showing the characteristics of the Scandinavian race, Nordic Jackdaw, was at Skaill, Sandwick on 9th. A Carrion Crow was at the Loch of Skaill on 10th and a hybrid Carrion x Hooded Crow at Ness Point, Stromness on 15th. A Tree Sparrow was found at Keigar, Deerness on about 8th, presumably the same bird as was present there last winter.

Up to 40 Chaffinches were utilising the Firth School bird crop, a site also frequented by one of the few Bramblings seen this month, others being on Burray and elsewhere in Finstown. The same crop also attracted large gatherings of Greenfinches (50) and Linnets (50), Dale, Costa also attracting 60 of the latter. Eight Goldfinches were on Burray on 2nd while one-four were also reported from Brodgar, Stenness Manse, The Shunan, Loch of Clumly and Finstown. Two Common Redpolls in Finstown on 31st were the only ones of the month. The amazing flock of Twite near Ocklester, Holm numbered at least 1000 on 17th while 700 were at Dale on 6th, 450 at Evie Sands on 10th and up to 350 at Merkister, 300 at Furrowend, Shapinsay and 238 on Shapinsay. Up to 100 Snow Buntings were at Brodgar during the month (peak on 25th) and 80 at Vasa Loch, Shapinsay on 17th while there were nine other reports of 22-70. Finally, the largest count for Reed Bunting was 120 at Dale on 23rd although the Firth School bird crop reported a respectable 40.


Eric Meek

Having time unexpectedly on my hands this week I managed a bit of a spin about this afternoon. First off was a stop at the loch of Brockan. I don’t know if the stone is called after the loch or the loch is called for the stone circle. I digress tho. The reason to stoop off at Brockan is to have a look for Pintailed ducks. This loch is a bit of a strong hold for pintails and sure enough there are five to be seen moving about. These are ther first I have seen this winter so it’s a special treat. There’s not a lot about on the water and the birds about the fields are very flighty. I spin on around the back of the loch and out to the main road past the Hackland kirk.

Spinning on and I nip down to the beach in Evie. Parking at the west end it doesn’t take much of a scan to see the exposed sand in the distance bare of birds occupied only by dog walkers. Things are better where I am with a female red breasted merganser preening on the old pier. I take a few photos of her before yet another dog walker arrives back in the carpark with a sniffy pooch. A few startled cries of Redshank herald precursor a shore wide jump to the wing. Turnstone with a few Knot, a few Curlew and a couple of Rock pipit all move west on to the rougher shore. Although they have moved a healthy scoping distance up the shore line I see one or two Dunlin in there as well so I move off up the beach after them.

Mostly every thing has come down in a big sandy clearing in the weed strewn shore. I manage a few more shots and things are going well. I slowly close the distance with the birds coming and going but ignoring me. A splashy dog in the sea put paid to all of that though. A bit annoying but its just the way of it. I try not to get het up these days.

A run back over the Birsay moors gives nice views of a very dark slim tailed Henharrier about hands with the Clikmill, Sabiston loch that gem of Dounby looked to have the sun to low across it to be much fun for scanning at Housby . Crossing the crossroads I head off towards the Stenness stones for a look. The fields on the way provided a few Fieldfares but little else. It was surprising that neither the Evie beach bird crop nor the Queena one was to have a single bird put up with the bike passing. All a marked contrast to the flocks of geese. They take to the air with my passing whether I have the engine running or roll past with it switched off.

I make it to the stones for sunset and scan the loch while the gloom gathers. Nothing out of the ordinary here and infact what there is seems quite a distance off, luckily its been a nice calm sort of day and visibility is at a premium. All to soon its time for a couple of those sunset shots and off. I didn’t see a hell of a lot but then again I didn’t make that much effort….nice to be out though.

More bloody snow!

Big garden bird watch

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

52 House sparrows

90 Starlings

1 Song thrush

1 Dunnock

5 Greenfinch

3 Hooded crows

4 Common gulls

1 Redwing

1 Herring gull

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

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

Oot west

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

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

Snow bunting

The mearest hint of love and spring.

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

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

Eclipse on hogmanay

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


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

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

The local weather report

Still bleedin snowing.

A chilly and merry christmas to one and all

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

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

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

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