RSPB Bird Reports

ORKNEY BIRD RECORDS
DECEMBER 2007

An amazing concentration of 41 Black-throated Divers was found off Quanterness on 28th, the only other reported during the month being one off Lyness on 1st.  There were scattered records of Red-throated Divers, the largest party being seven in Widewall Bay on 2nd while a Great Crested Grebe was again in the Bay of Firth on 15th.  A movement of 400 Cormorants from Deer Sound towards Copinsay was witnessed on 2nd while 290 were off Egilsay on the same day.  The Little Egret in the West Mainland remained in the Loch of Hundland area until 14th. 

By far the largest numbers of Whooper Swans were on Shapinsay, peaking at 105 at the Vasa Loch on 3rd although 76 were on Sanday on 9th. The second Greylag Goose census of the winter took place over the week-end of 8th/9th.  The overall total of 67540 surpassed the previous record count (in December 2006) by some 12000;  33152 were counted in the West Mainland and 13829 in the East Mainland. Pink-footed Geese were not as numerous as in recent winters but 346 were in the East Mainland and 258 on Shapinsay.  The Greenland White-fronted Goose flock numbered 80 at The Loons, Birsay on 29th while a single Eurasian White-fronted Goose was in Firth from 8th-16th where a Tundra Bean Goose was also present from 11th and most unusual of all, a Snow Goose remained from 8th to 11th.  The South Walls Barnacle Goose flock numbered 800 on 9th; elsewhere 60 were on Stronsay on 10th, up to 90 at Skaill, Sandwick on 29th and presumably 50 of the latter birds at Tufta, Birsay on 18th.

Shelducks returning from their moulting grounds peaked at 18 in Widewall Bay on 29th when two were also at Brodgar.  Teal were numerous early in the month with 670 on Egilsay on 2nd and 360 at Mill Dam, Shapinsay on 1st.  A Green-winged Teal was among the Shapinsay birds on 10th.  The Stenness Loch remained the main site for Gadwall with 32 on 15th but The Loons hide provided superb views of up to a dozen during the month.  The peak Shoveler count was 25 at Loch of Banks on 29th and of Pintail, 44 on Sanday’s North Loch on 9th.  The Loch of Stenness Scaup flock numbered 202 on 15th but Rousay’s Loch of Wasbister was an unusual locality for two drakes on 15th.  An unusual diving duck found on the Peedie Sea on 2nd was identified as a Tufted Duck x Scaup hybrid and remained throughout the month.  A drake Goosander was on the Harray Loch on 8th while the Smew remained on the Loch of Skaill most of the month visiting the Loch of Clumly on 29th.  A drake Ruddy Duck was again on the Quoyloo Brewery Pool on 31st.

Two Buzzards were at Melsetter on 1st and another in Firth during the first half of the month.  A Rough-legged Buzzard, a rare visitor from Scandinavia, was found at Dingieshowe on 1st and another was in Rendall on 16th/17th.  Two male Sparrowhawks were together at Sultigeo, Stenness on 27th.

Water Rails were reported from Mill Dam, Shapinsay and, more unusually, from the Wasbister Loch, Rousay on 11th.  The largest Golden Plover flock was of just 400 at Dyke End, Orphir on 8th   , while 21 Grey Plovers were on Scuthvie, Sanday on 8th, but 300 Ringed Plovers at Warebeth, Stromness was a much more unusual concentration.  An excellent count of 706 Sanderling was made on Sanday’s eastern extremity between Start and Tofts on 8th while 120 Purple Sandpipers were in the same vicinity on 15th. 12 Knot were at Herston on 10th where a Ruff had been found on 9th.  The lingering Whimbrel was last seen on Burray, also on 9th.  The largest Bar-tailed Godwit flock was 50 at Widewall Bay on 2nd.  Woodcock remained widespread with records of one-two from eight localities.  Jack Snipe became more numerous than earlier in the winter with singles in six sites and two at the Loch of Hundland on 2nd.  A Grey Phalarope was found in Newark Bay, Deerness on 24th and remained until the end of the month. 

An albino Black-headed Gull was again found in Sandwick on 2nd while the elusive Stromness Ring-billed Gull showed itself only on 18th.  Single Iceland Gulls were seen at Lyness on 1st and on Wyre on 11th while Glaucous Gulls were seen on Rousay, North Ronaldsay and Shapinsay as well as in Stromness Harbour.  Small numbers of Little Auks remained from the November arrival but most of these were found dead with 14 corpses taken from Scapa Beach on 2nd-5th when three Puffins were also found. 

640 Rock Doves were on Wyre on 11th.  The only Short-eared Owls reported were singles in Orphir on 5th and Stenness on 27th and the only Long-eared Owls, three in Orphir on 19th.  By far the largest concentration of Meadow Pipits was 21 at Gyre, Orphir on 23rd.  Another inland Rock Pipit was found, this one on Hill of Midland, Orphir on 16th.  Up to three Pied Wagtails were wintering in the Stromness area while a Grey Wagtail was on the St. Margaret’s Hope golf course on 10th.  Small numbers of Fieldfares were widespread, 50 at the Harray Hall on 28th being the largest flock.  Similarly, small parties of up to ten Redwings were noted, several birds, seen well, being of the Icelandic race, coburni.  Single Chiffchaffs were at Herston on 11th and on Burray on 11th.

A Carrion Crow was at Skaill, Sandwick on 1st with a hybrid Carrion x Hooded Crow at Swanbister on 30th.  Jackdaws continued to be conspicuous with 100 on Burray on 8th, 38 in Finstown on 9th, 90 at Furrowend, Shapinsay on 17th and 40 at Tirlot, Westray next day. 

The largest Greenfinch flock was 50 in Finstown on 16th.  Up to three Goldfinches were in Finstown all month with two on Burray on 11th and two in Harray on 28th.  Three Common Redpolls were on Burray on 1st and a Lesser Redpoll in Finstown on 2nd; an unidentified bird was at Widewall on 1st.  Four Siskins were in Rendall on the unusual date of 15th while the largest Twite flocks were 210 on Shapinsay on 10th and 150 at each of Merkister, Harray and Seatter, Deerness on 8th and 17th respectively. 

Up to 200 Snow Buntings were at Furrowend, Shapinsay peaking on 2nd while 180 were on Rousay on 11th and 110 at Tenston, Harray on 8th; there were four other reports of 40-90.  Finally, a single Lapland Bunting was on Egilsay on 2nd.

Eric Meek

Back to RSPB Bird Reports Menu