RSPB Bird Reports
ORKNEY BIRD RECORDS
DECEMBER 2008
Our long-staying rarity, the White-billed Diver was last seen in Water Sound on 14th while the only report of a Black-throated Diver this month was of one off North Ronaldsay around Xmas. Slavonian Grebes were much in evidence with the largest count being 20 in Inganess Bay on 27th; two Red-necked Grebes were at Sandoyne, Holm on the same day. At least 1000 Fulmars were around Harrabrough Head, South Ronaldsay on 29th, many of them paired up and on their breeding ledges. A large gathering of Shags occurred in the area of The String and Inganess Bay, 900 being present on 31st.
The largest Whooper Swan flock was once again on Shapinsay with 47 at Vasa Loch on 4th; elsewhere up to 18 were reported from Peerie Water, Costa and 14 at Burwick. 280 Pink-footed Geese were in Tankerness on 31st when 60 were also at Lochside picnic site. The second Greylag Goose census of the winter took place on the first week-end of the month. The result was a record count of 68349, some 800 up on the previous record set in December 2007. Up to 56 Greenland White-fronted Geese were present at The Loons during the month and up to 29 (probably part of the same flock) at The Swannay Loch; a single bird was also seen in Tankerness on 31st. The South walls Barnacle Goose flock peaked at 1700 during the month while up to 80 were at the Skaill Loch, 13 in Costa and eight in Rendall. The only Brent Geese noted were two in South Walls on 23rd.
Shelducks returning from their moult migration numbered 13 at Widewall Bay on 31st. 141 Teal on North Ronaldsay on 15th was a good count there while a Green-winged Teal, a vagrant from North America, appeared again at the Tankerness Loch on 11th and from 27th. Up to 17 Pintails were on North Ronaldsay and up to five at Ferry Point, Firth on 28th. The largest Tufted Duck count was 323 at the Boardhouse Loch but up to 90 were also on the Peedie Sea. The Loch of Stenness Scaup flock numbered 276 on 19th while the Boardhouse Loch Pochard gathering held 780 on 6th.
150 Long-tailed Ducks were off the Broch of Gurness on 31st. Nine Velvet Scoters in Inganess Bay on 27th were the only ones reported. The same locality also held seven Common Scoters on the same date, five others being in the Bay of Firth next day. Much rarer were the adult male Surf Scoters that were seen in the Inganess Bay/Bay of Meil area on 27th and 31st and off Quanterness, also on 31st. A drake Goosander was on the Harray Loch on 13th while two were on the Wasdale Loch on 18th and, much more unusually, a female was on the Burn of Ore, Hoy on 5th. A ‘red-head’ Smew was on the Skaill Loch on 14th.
Reports of single Buzzards came from the Rendall/Firth area, from Quanterness/Hatston, from Burray/South Ronaldsay, from South Walls and more unusually, from North Ronaldsay.
There was a good count of 80 Ringed Plovers from Birsay Bay on 2nd. The largest Golden Plover flock reported was 500 at Kingsdale, Firth on 6th while two were back, at least temporarily, in breeding territory on Little Billia Fiold, Birsay on 30th. There was a very large gathering of at least 1000 Lapwings in eastern Deerness on 16th. Birsay Bay held the largest Purple Sandpiper flock, 200 being counted there on 5th, up to 90 also being seen at Ness Point, Stromness and on North Ronaldsay. Five Sanderlings on the Stromness Golf Course were an unusual sight on 6th. Four Ruff at the Loch of Banks on 13th included the Dutch colour-ringed bird that has wintered in the area previously. North Ronaldsay had 100 Snipe on 6th but the only Jack Snipe, in a poor winter for this species, were singles at Boardhouse on 6th and Hobbister on 11th. Single Woodcocks were noted at four Mainland sites and on both North Ronaldsay and South Ronaldsay. 44 Bar-tailed Godwits were at Widewall Bay on 12th and two Black-tailed Godwits at Mill Dam of Rango on 14th. The over-wintering Whimbrel on Burray was seen on several occasions during the month and a Greenshank was at Head of Holland on 31st.
The Mediterranean Gull at the Peedie Sea was seen on four dates through to 31st. One-two Iceland Gulls were seen in Stromness Harbour, Sandoyne, Carness, Shapinsay and North Ronaldsay and Glaucous Gulls at Marwick (up to three), the Stromness area (up to two) and North Ronaldsay (three or four). The only Little Auk was one at the Quanterness Skerry on 28th.
The largest gathering of Rock Doves was of 450 at the Dale, Costa bird crops on 18th. The Barn Owl in the northern part of South Ronaldsay was seen again on 1st and 5th while reports of another (white-breasted) bird came from Stronsay from 2nd to 4th.
A single Skylark on the summit of Starling Hill, Birsay on 21st was unusual. A Rock Pipit at Overabist, Birsay on 8th was almost five kilometres from the sea! Single Grey Wagtails were near Lyness on 2nd, Kirkwall on 3rd and Swannay on 8th. A few Waxwings lingered from the November irruption; up to 16 were in a Kirkwall garden early in the month decreasing to just one on 16th; five were in Stromness on 5th; then a small arrival at Xmas brought singles to North Ronaldsay, Deerness and St. Mary’s 25th-29th.
A Desert Wheatear, only the third Orkney record, was found on Stronsay on 18th, part of a notable influx into Britain as a whole. Small numbers of Fieldfares were widespread, the biggest flocks being 101 on North Ronaldsay on 15th and 80 at Herston on 26th. Two Blackcaps were in Stenness on 1st, one remaining until 3rd; another was in Stromness on 10th. A Chiffchaff was in Herston until 4th, one was found dead in Stromness mid-month and singles were on North Ronaldsay on 15th, 25th and 28th.
Single Carrion Crows were at Burn of Ore, Hoy all month, on Burray on 5th and at Fea, Orphir on 14th. The only Brambling reported was at Herston on 4th. Goldfinches were well-reported with nine on Burray on 5th, up to nine in Finstown and one on North Ronaldsay on 25th. The Stenadady, Finstown Greenfinch flock peaked at 70 on 7th and 14th while 50 were at Dale on 14th and 45 at Viewforth, Swannay. An enormous flock of almost 900 Linnets was found at Head of Holland on 31st while, almost as big, was the flock of 700 Twite at Dale on 13th. A few Common Redpolls lingered with four still in Russadale, Stenness on 5th and one at Quoyberstane, St.Ola on 7th. Flocks of 60 Snow Buntings were on North Ronaldsay and at Skaill, Sandwick and there were three reports of 30-40 elsewhere. Finally, 45 Reed Buntings were at Dale on 31st.
Eric Meek
Back to RSPB Bird Reports Menu