RSPB Bird Reports

ORKNEY BIRD RECORDS
DECEMBER 2005

By far the largest count of Great Northern Divers was 85 in Wide Firth on 25th while that of Red-throated Divers, much scarcer in winter, was eight in Widewall Bay on 26th. 21 Slavonian Grebes were in the Bay of Isbister on 25th and a single Red-necked Grebe on the Swannay Loch on 27th. A high count of Herons was of 21 at Walliwall, St.Ola on 2nd while a very scarce visitor, a Little Egret was found at the Loch of Banks on 1st and remained in the Banks – Hundland area all month.

Amongst the large numbers of Greylag Geese were a few less common species. 324 Pink-footed Geese were in Tankerness on 3rd when 45 were at Quanterness. 27 Greenland White-fronted Geese were at The Loons on 27th with singles in Toab on the same date and on Papay on 29th. An injured Tundra Bean Goose was on the Loch of Hundland all month from 6th while a Taiga Bean Goose was at Skeabrae, Sandwick on 27th and a single Barnacle Goose was at the Loch of Skaill on 6th. The first Shelducks to return from their moult migration to northern Germany were two at the Oyce of Isbister on 20th followed by one in the Bay of Firth on 25th, two off Papay on 30th and 23 at Widewall on 31st. A high Teal count involved 270 at the Oyce of Isbister on 7th while Scaup peaked at 390 on the Harray Loch off Brodgar on 29th.19 Velvet Scoters were in Shapinsay Sound on 7th when they were accompanied by a Surf Scoter. 40 Red-breasted Mergansers were counted in the Bay of Firth on 28th but much less common were the Goosanders on the Ayre Loch, St.Mary’s on 4th and at the Finstown Ouse on 17th. A drake Smew remained on the Skaill loch from at least 6th to 27th while the drake Ruddy Duck was seen again on the Quoyloo Brewery pool on 26th.

A Buzzard was in the Binscarth – Heddle area most of the month and it or another at Bu, Orphir on 6th. An impressive tight flock of 400 Coots were on the Harray Loch off Brodgar on 29th while the only Water Rails reported were three at Longhouse, St.Ola on 18th.

A large Golden Plover flock at Hatston peaked at 3200 during the last week of the month. Ringed Plover flocks of 57 at Newark Bay, South Ronaldsay on 6th and 49 at west Scapa on 19th were of note. 75 Purple Sandpipers were at Grit Ness, Evie on 27th while 120 Dunlins were inland on the Skeabrae aerodrome on the same date. Single Ruffs were at The Loons on 1st and at Hatston on 23rd. Most Woodcock have usually moved on by December but there were singles in Russadale on 7th, in Finstown on 18th and at Herston on 25th, two at Holland, Firth on 31st and no fewer than nine at Redland, Firth on 27th. Jack Snipe, too, had mainly gone but lingering birds were located on Papay on 25th and 30th, at Quoyloo on 26th and at the Finstown Ouse on 28th. The largest Bar-tailed Godwit flock was 70 in Widewall Bay on 6th a locality that, on the same date, held 210 Redshanks.

Single Glaucous Gulls were noted at Birsay Bay, Bay of Skaill, Tingwall and the Peedie Sea between 19th and 27th while Iceland Gulls were seen at Carness on 16th and No.1 Barrier on 30th.

Large flocks of Rock Doves concentrated on ‘bird crops’; 400 at Durkadale on 1st, 550 on the Lyde Road on 6th and 800 at Dale, Costa on 17th. Two communal roosts of Long-eared Owls were located; one in St.Ola peaked at nine on 23rd while the other in Rendall held up to three. The largest Skylark flock was of 40 on stubbles at Brodgar on 18th. The great majority of our Pied Wagtails leave for the winter but one was in Stenness on 15th and five were watched going in to roost in Stromness on 31st.

The largest Fieldfare flock numbered 180 at Heddle on 27th while there were two significant Redwing gatherings – 80 at Windwick on 5th and 101 in Rendall on 20th. Blackcaps were noted at Dale, Costa, in Kirkwall and at St.Margaret’s Hope but none lingered after 9th. The only Chiffchaff was one at Newark Bay, South Ronaldsay on 6th. An unusually large gathering of Goldcrests for December was of 25 at Redland, Firth on 27th.

Four Waxwings were in Kirkwall on 5th, one in Costa on 10th/11th, one in Rendall on 28th/29th and another in Finstown on 31st. 71 Jackdaws at Newark Bay, South Ronaldsay on 6th was an impressive gathering of this declining species in Orkney while another corvid of note was a Carrion Crow at the Bay of Skaill on 27th.

50 Greenfinches were in Finstown on 31st where there were also 30 Chaffinches on 4th. The only Bramblings reported were two at Bluebrae, Firth during the month and one at Costa on 25th. A flock of Goldfinches at Redland, Firth peaked at 14 on 20th, perhaps an Orkney record count. A single Northern Bullfinch was in Finstown on 24th. with three the following day. 750 Twite were attracted to the Dale, Costa bird crops with 30 Linnets on Xmas Day but the only Siskins were three in St.Ola on 27th. Up to four Mealy Redpolls were at Dale with the peak on 25th while another was in Rendall on 5th and a very pale bird in South Walls on 14th may have been either a Mealy or an Arctic Redpoll. Snow Buntings declined from their November high but nevertheless remained conspicuous with 200 at East Dam, South Ronaldsay on 1st and 22 – 60 reported from five other localities. By far the largest gathering of Reed Buntings was at Dale, Costa where over 200 were counted on 17th.

Finally could I pass on an appeal by Jim Williams, our County Recorder, to have all 2005 bird records to him by 31st January please? Our aim is to have the 2005 Orkney Bird Report ready by June as it was in 2005.

Eric Meek

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