RSPB Bird Reports

ORKNEY BIRD RECORDS
APRIL 2003

There were some impressive gatherings of Great Northern Divers late in the month with up to 75 off both No 3 and No 4 Barriers and 50 in Clestrain Sound while a rare White-billed Diver was seen off North Ronaldsay on 10th, 20th & 23rd. Few Manx Shearwaters are reported in spring so that one off North Ronaldsay on 23rd followed by three on 25th were of interest.

Most of our wintering Greylag Geese departed mid-month. 75 Pink-footed Geese were in South Ronaldsay on 13th with four late birds on North Ronaldsay on 25th/26th. 40 Greenland White-fronted Geese were still at The Loons on 8th but weren't reported thereafter. The South Walls Barnacle Goose flock that still numbered 1200 birds in early April mostly departed on 9th with the last birds seen two days later; four were also in South Ronaldsay on 13th and on Papay on 16th. The Scaup flock on the Harray Loch at Brodgar was conspicuous with a peak of 170 on 19th. Long-tailed Ducks build up on the east side of Scapa Flow prior to their departure north and 270 were off No 2 Barrier on 26th; the only Velvet Scoters reported were two off Shapinsay on 26th.

The White-tailed Eagle was reported to still be in Tankerness early in the month while one passed through North Ronaldsay on 10th and it or another was on Papay on 19th. Four Marsh Harriers were reported between 18th and 27th. Rendall's wintering Buzzard was last seen on 14th. Water Rails were reported from North Ronaldsay and Shapinsay's Mill Dam while a Corncrake was reported from Westray on 29th

Two Dotterel in the Hoy hills on 28th were early; considerable numbers of Golden Plovers passed through during the month, the largest gathering being 600 in South Ronaldsay on 3rd. 17 Knot were at Dingieshowe on 27th while good counts of Purple Sandpipers were made at Housebay, Stronsay (125 on 13th) and North Ronaldsay (180 on 19th). A single Ruff was on the latter island on 24th while Jack Snipe were seen there on four dates and at Stenness Kirk on 14th. Only one live Woodcock was reported, on North Ronaldsay on 17th, but the remains of several were found as raptor kills in moorland areas. Single Black-tailed Godwits were in two West Mainland localities and on Shapinsay while North Ronaldsay reported up to three. The first Whimbrel was one over Herston on 17th followed by two on Hoy next day; the peak passage over North Ronaldsay involved 13 on 27th. Five Greenshanks were found between 18th and 26th while a Green Sandpiper was on North Ronaldsay on 23rd and 25th and Common Sandpipers there on 24th-26th and at Tingwall on 28th. Turnstones were on the move during the month, the best count being 259 on North Ronaldsay on 24th.

An Arctic Skua was on Stronsay on 13th followed by one in Evie next day but it was another week before numbers began to appear. Bonxie numbers on Rothiesholm, Stronsay had already built up to 25 by 13th. A Mediterranean Gull was seen again on North Ronaldsay on 6th/7th, the only Glaucous Gull was one at Crantit on 3rd and the only Iceland Gull on Papay on10th. A Common Tern appeared in Stromness on 15th with other in Lyness on 21st and South Ronaldsay on 26th. Arctic Terns were first seen on North Ronaldsay on 22nd (2) with a further two at Houton next day.

There was light Wood Pigeon passage through North Ronaldsay peaking at eight on 24th and a Stock Dove was present there from 20th. Long-eared Owls remained conspicuous during the month with up to four in Rendall, two in Birsay on 8th and reports of singles from six other localities.

A Shore Lark was a rare visitor to North Ronaldsay on 19th. The first Sand Martin appeared at Herston on 6th with passage through North Ronaldsay peaking at 11 on 18th and seven on 27th. Following the first Swallow, on North Ronaldsay on 12th, up to three were seen in several localities and as many as 20 were on North Ronaldsay on 27th. The only House Martins were one at Costa Head on 18th and three on North Ronaldsay on 27th. The latter island produced the only Tree Pipit records with one-two after 21st. White Wagtails were reported from North Ronaldsay on 5th and 23rd and from Burwick on 24th and in Firth on 26th.

Single Black Redstarts were on North Ronaldsay on 9th/10th and 22nd-25th but a Whinchat there on 29th had been beaten here by an extremely early bird on Burray on 18th. Stonechats were conspicuous in their moorland breeding haunts throughout the month but sightings on North Ronaldsay between 17th and 25th undoubtedly referred to a migrant. North Ronaldsay saw good numbers of Wheatears with up to 50 on 15th-17th and 223 on 24th. The only Ring Ouzels were also on that island with the first on 22nd and a peak of eight on 26th. Fieldfares were also numerous there with a maximum of 265, also on 26th. Redwings were much less numerous but late birds were still in Stenness (two) on 22nd and in Rendall on 24th. Mistle Thrushes are rather scarce migrants in Orkney so it was rather unusual for one in Harray and two on Hoy on 6th/7th to all be found as raptor kills - five other that appeared on North Ronaldsay and Hoy between 18th and 23rd fared better!

The first Blackcap was one on North Ronaldsay on 9th with numbers peaking at eight there on 23rd; there were five other reports of single birds in South Ronaldsay, Rendall and Deerness 23rd-30th. One - two Chiffchaffs were on North Ronaldsay 15th-17th and five there on 23rd while others were at Herston from 19th and on Papay on 29th. There was a marked influx of Willow Warblers from 16th with one - three at seven localities and up to eight on North Ronaldsay which island also reported the only Pied Flycatcher, from 26th.

A Blue Tit was a most unusual visitor to a Costa garden on 13th while that most superb of migrants, a Great Grey Shrike, was in Hoy the same day. North Ronaldsay reported a light passage of Rooks and Jackdaws during the month while up to seven Rooks at Herston and singles on Hoy and Papay were a little unusual. There were reports of Carrion Crows from four localities with up to four on North Ronaldsay and five at Melsetter.

Bramblings were in short supply until a fall on 23rd/24th brought 84 to North Ronaldsay and 15 to Herston. Between 14th and 25th, one to two Goldfinches were seen on North Ronaldsay, in Finstown and at Herston. Siskins were reported from Herston, Rendall and North Ronaldsay with up to five in the former site while the same two localities also provided the only Redpoll records with as many as eight on North Ronaldsay on 24th. A single Crossbill was at Skara Brae on 10th while, later in the month, two were in Rendall on 23rd and another was found as a raptor kill on Hoy. Single Hawfinches were reported from North Ronaldsay on 23rd and from Herston about the same time. North Ronaldsay also provided the only records of Lapland Bunting (with singles on 9th and 23rd and two on 27th) and of Snow Buntings (up to three).

E.R.Meek

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