RSPB Bird Reports

ORKNEY BIRD RECORDS
APRIL 2005

The largest gathering of Herons involved nine over Stenness on 26th. Most Whooper Swans had moved on and the only flocks were of 12-21 at Cleat, South Ronaldsay, Loch of Skaill and on Shapinsay. Greylag Geese also returned to their Icelandic breeding grounds so that only our local breeders were left by the end of the month. However, there were still some large gatherings of Pink-footed Geese with 120 in Firth on 7th, 700 in Tankerness on 9th and 400 in Deerness on 14th. 80 Greenland White-fronted Geese were still at The Loons, Birsay on 2nd while two were on North Ronaldsay on 8th and 11th. A Snow Goose was seen on Sanday on 7th then, on 15th, a party of six was reported from Tankerness. The largest party of Barnacle Geese reported was 18 at The Loons on 2nd and, of Shelducks, 28 in Wideall Bay on 9th. 80 Scaup were on the Harray Loch at Brodgar on 24th while Long-tailed Ducks gathered in their pre-migration flocks, the largest of which were 130 off Lyness, 100 in Kirkwall Bay and 53 on the Peedie Sea, all on 21st. Up to 20 Velvet Scoters were off Rerwick during the month and were joined by the drake Surf Scoter on 9th. Another concentration of ducks, typical in terms of locality and timing, was of 70 Red-breasted Mergansers south of the Brig o’ Waithe on 29th while a drake Goosander was in the same locality on 23rd. Ruddy Ducks returned to their main breeding site, Shapinay’s Mill Dam, by 12th with four there on 20th; a pair was also at the Tankerness Loch on 9th and two drakes at the Skaill Loch on 28th.

An immature White-tailed Eagle hit the headlines as it commuted between North Ronaldsay and Sanday between 9th and 13th; another was reported in Deerness on 27th. Much rarer still was a Black Kite that drifted south over the Lyde Road, mobbed by every bird in the valley, on 29th. Buzzards were seen in the Firth/Rendall area during the first half of the month and on South Ronaldsay on 13th. Sparrowhawk passage was conspicuous on North Ronaldsay with a maximum of six present on 20 while there was also a steady trickle of Merlins. Two Ospreys were seen over North Ronaldsay on 30th when one was also watched over South Ronaldsay.

A Crane visited Papay on 21st while passage flocks of Northern Golden Plovers were conspicuous in the first half of the month with up to 400 on North Ronaldsay and five reports of flocks of 150-300. Sanderlings were obviously on the move at the end of the month with 300 on North Ronaldasay on 27th and a total of 750 in two localities on Sanday on 29th. The only Jack Snipe was on North Ronaldsay on 2nd. The same date and locality produced a Woodcock, another being seen in Rendall, also on 2nd. Five Black-tailed Godwits were at The Loons on 2nd, two at the Mill Dam on 8th and seven at St.Peter’s Pool on 14th but these were eclipsed by the fine sight of 27 at Twatt, Birsay on 29th. The first Whimbrel was one over Shapinsay on 20th, eight others being reported by the end of the month. Greenshanks were found in Stromness and on North Ronaldsay on the 30th the latter locality also producing a rare spring sighting of a Spotted Redshank on the same date. Common Sandpipers also appeared on 30th, on North Ronaldsay and by the Harray Loch.

There having been no reports at all in March, the first Bonxie finally made it back to our shores, on South Ronaldsay on 2nd with others elsewhere on 6th, 8th and 9th; birds we not, however, widespread before mid-month. Arctic Skuas were seen on South Ronaldsay on 12th and 13th but no others until 26th. Two Little Gulls were in Tankerness on 8th/9th and the adult Mediterranean Gull was seen once more on North Ronaldsay on 7th. The winter invasion of white-winged gulls was reflected in a return passage of both Iceland and Glaucous Gulls, at least ten of the former and eight of the latter being reported, mainly from the Stromness/Sandwick and Rennibister-Quanterness areas of the Mainland. Sandwich Terns were well reported with as many as eight in Deerness on 18th but the first Arctic Terns were not seen until 20th when one was off Burray with as many as 12 in Widewall Bay by 30th; the only Common Terns were two on Stronsay on 27th. The annual spring count of Black Guillemots around North Ronaldsay totalled 566 on 14th.

Collared Doves had fledged young at Herston by 19th while there was a light passage of Wood Pigeons through North Ronaldsay almost all month. A Barn Owl at Redland, Firth was very rare visitor, the fact that it was of the pale-breasted race being even rarer, only one having been seen before in Orkney. The only Long-eared Owls were three in Rendall on 1st and one from 22nd-26th. The first Swallows appeared on 20th when there were three on North Ronaldsay, two in Stromness and one in Rendall; a major influx took place on 30th. A very early Sand Martin was over the Graemesahll Loch on 3rd, the only other being on North Ronaldsay on 28th. A House Martin was in Rendall on 28th with others on North Ronaldsay and South Ronaldsay on 30th. Single Tree Pipits were on North Ronaldsay on 20th and 29th, a White Wagtail having been there on 4th. Grey Wagtails were reported from North Ronaldsay on 1st (two) and 4th with others at two Hoy localities at the same time; another was in St.Ola on 23rd while a notable event was the finding of a nest in Stenness towards the end of the month. A tiny return passage of Waxwings occurred on 27th when two were on North Ronaldsay, one in Rendall and one in Stromness.

Dunnocks passed through North Ronaldsay with up to four early in the month and three trapped and ringed on 21st/22nd. There were several small arrivals of Robins there with maxima of 15 on 1st and 12 on 21st. Also on 21st, four Black Redstarts arrived on the island with singles on three subsequent dates; one-two Common Redstarts were seen there and on South Ronaldsay between 21st and 29th. A single Stonechat on North Ronaldsay on 1st was a migrant while the peak Wheatear count there was 50 on 14th. A marked arrival of Ring Ouzels occurred from 18th, seven being logged on North Ronaldsay the next day and eight others being reported up to 30th. Fieldfares and Song Thrushes were on the move about the same time, North Ronaldsay reporting 204 of the former on 21st and 22 of the latter on 19th. Earlier in the month, peaking about 10th, there had been a a small but noticeable movement of Icelandic Redwings with up to 17 on North Ronaldsay and up to six elsewhere. Mistle Thrushes were reported from North Ronaldsay on 3rd and 18th with two in Stenness on 22nd.

A very early Grasshopper Warbler was at Windwick, South Ronaldsay on 20th and an even earlier Sedge Warbler on Hoy on 19th. A very rare find was of a Subalpine Warbler at Windwick from 20th; this species occasionally overshoots its Mediterranean breeding grounds on its spring migration! Up to three Blackcaps were on North Ronaldsay after 16th with another at Herston on 29th. Chiffchaffs were reported from five localities with a peak of 11 on North Ronaldsay on 27th. However, Willow Warblers were fewer with the first in Finstown on 11th and only six others before the end of the month. A single Wood Warbler was in St.Margaret’s Hope on 28th. The Rendall Blue Tit re-appeared, this time at Feold, on 19th while there were Great Tits at Redland, Firth on 7th and on Sanday mid-month. Two Great Grey Shrikes on North Ronaldsay on 24th and singles on South Ronaldsay on 20th and 25th were on typical dates but a report of a Red-backed Shrike in Tankerness on 22nd was extremely early. A light passage of Rooks (up to six per day) was reported from North Ronaldsay while Carrion Crows peaked at three there on 29th with others at Windwick on 3rd and Stenness on 14th.

Bramblings were noticeable following the fall of Continental migrants on 19th, the largest concentration being 46 on North Ronaldsay on 21st. Single Goldfinches were seen there on 14th and 30th with others in Rendall on 23rd/24th and Stenness on 27th. Siskins were scarce, and apart from ‘a few’ in Finstown on 11th, all other records referred to one-two from five localities. Redpolls were reported from Rendall on 23rd and North Ronaldsay (two) on 28th. A few Northern Bullfinches returned north with one in Rendall on 1st and singles on North Ronaldsay on five dates. Always very scarce migrants, single Hawfinches were on North Roanldsay on 3rd and 19th while another was in St.Ola about 24th. Most Snow Buntings had already departed, the latest reports being of singles on North Ronaldsay on 21st and Burray on 22nd; a single Lapland Bunting being on North Ronaldsay on 13th. Finally, an astonishing report was of a Yellow-browed Bunting at The Loons, Birsay on 5th. This vagrant from Siberia has only been seen on a handful of occasions in Britain and, if confirmed, The Loons sighting would be only the third Orkney record.

Eric Meek

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