RSPB Bird Reports

ORKNEY BIRD RECORDS
JANUARY 2009

The White-billed Diver apparently returned from its sojourn in John o’ Groats and was reported in Hunda Sound after 18th.  The largest concentration of Slavonian Grebes was 18 in Echnaloch Bay on 2nd while, much more unusual, was the Great Crested Grebe in the Bay of Firth on 13th.  450 Shags off Quanterness were of note while 300 Cormorants off the Holm of Aikerness, between Westray and Papay, was a very large concentration. The biggest groups of Grey Herons were 17 at Woodwick on 30th and 11 at Dale Moss, South Ronaldsay next day.

35 Whooper Swans were at the Loch of Brockan on 31st, 30 having been at Vasa Loch, Shapinsay on 24th.  Up to 700 Pink-footed Geese were in Tankerness during the month while amongst the enormous numbers of Greylag Geese, several more unusual goose species were found with a Taiga Bean Goose on Stronsay on 1st and a Tundra Bean Goose at Marwick from 16th to the end of the month.  The largest count of Greenland White-fronted Geese at The Loons was 67 on 14th with 20 at the Swannay Loch on 24th.  However, small numbers were seen in several other localities with nine on Stronsay (where this species has not been seen for several years) on 1st, 18 at Skesquoy on 12th and one-two at five other sites including North Ronaldsay.  A European White-fronted Goose was at Mill Sand on 20th and two at Nutland, Rendall on 25th.  The Barnacle Goose flock on South Walls numbered 1070 on 28th while as many as 250, probably from that flock, frequented South Ronaldsay’s south parish, up to 50 were at the Skaill Loch, 23 on Stronsay and up to 14 at five other localities.  Two Pale-bellied Brent Geese were with the Barnacles in South Walls on 28th, another having been in Tankerness on 7th and a single Canada Goose was on North Ronaldsay on three dates.

The largest Shelduck gatherings were 33 at the Oyce of Quindry on 31st and 24 at Mill Sand on 7th.  A Green-winged Teal was at the Loch of Tankerness on 1st.  Pintail were prominent with 30 on Stronsay, 29 in the Loch of Brochan area and up to 17 on North Ronaldsay.  Papay had the most Shovelers with 26 on 25th although North Ronaldsay recorded 23 on 24th.  The Stenness Loch Scaup flock numbered 255 on 18th.  400 Eiders off the West Fara fish farm on 27th was a large gathering.  There seemed to be three drake Surf Scoters present with birds seen almost simultaneously in the Bay of Meil, in Inganess Bay and off Quanterness; one of these, or yet another, was reported off the Covenanters’ Memorial on 27th.  Six Common Scoters were in the Bay of Firth on 13th and two in Deer Sound on 28th but few Velvet Scoters were reported, four off Rerwick on 28th being the only record submitted.  A count of 225 Red-breasted Mergansers in the Bay of Isbister was very noteworthy while 70 were in Veantrow Bay, Shapinsay next day.   The Smew returned to the Loch of Skaill on 22nd. 

A Buzzard wandered Burray and South Ronaldsay all month while at least two were in Firth-St.Ola area; one was also seen on North Ronaldsay on five dates.  Normally secretive Water Rails showed themselves at Windwick on 3rd, at Stenness Primary School on 6th and at Maeshowe on 17th.

By far the largest Golden Plover flock was 1000 in the Widewall area of South Ronaldsay on 9th; in contrast a pair were seen in territory on Cuffie Hill, Firth on 9th.  Single Grey Plovers were seen on Burray, North Ronaldsay and at the Bay of Skaill during the month.  Very few Knot were reported, seven at Widewall on 13th being the highest count.  North Ronaldsay logged 105 Sanderlings on 10th while 14 were on Papay on 25th with singles at the Bay of Skaill and on Burray.  There were some good counts of Purple Sandpipers with 258 on Papay on 25th, up to 240 at Evie Sands mid-month, 220 on North Ronaldsay on 16th and 100 at the Point of Buckquoy on 17th and on Egilsay on 26th.  One-three Woodcocks were reported from ten localities including a couple on open moorland.  Only three Jack Snipe were seen, in Firth on 1st, Stromness on 17th and Stenness next day.  More unusual waders included the wintering Whimbrel again seen on several dates on Burray and a Ruff recorded at Liddel Loch on 13th.  The largest concentration of Curlews was 650 on Damsay on 13th while Widewall Bay and Mill Sand each recorded 41 Bar-tailed Godwits mid-month. 

The Mediterranean Gull was again seen at the Peedie Sea on several dates while another was found at Mill Sand on 20th.  Two Iceland Gulls frequented Stromness Harbour while single birds were also noted on North Ronaldsay on four dates, and on Papay, Egilsay, Burray and at Carness, Loch of Skaill and Loch of Brockan.  There was remarkable gathering of Glaucous Gulls at Marwick with up to five together and at least one other bird involved, all feeding on the carcass of a dead sheep; others were seen at Breck Ness, Bay of Skaill and the Peedie Sea with two different birds on North Ronaldsay.  Kittiwakes were more prominent than usual for the time of year, the largest gathering being 14 at Tingwall on 21st.  A pale–breasted Barn Owl was reported from South Walls on 22nd while single Long-eared Owls were at Hestily after 17th and at Smoogro on 18th.  Much more spectacular was the Snowy Owl found on Westray on 9th which sadly could not be relocated; another, apparently different, bird was reported from Sandwick on 27th. 

A good scatter of Meadow Pipits was reported the largest gatherings being eight at Garson, Stromness on 9th and seven at Muddisdale on 18th.  A few Rock Pipits again wandered inland the furthest from the sea being one on Mid Hill, Birsay.  A Grey Wagtail was at Crantit on 4th and in The Willows area on 14th and 25th.  Pied Wagtails were certainly more conspicuous than in a normal winter with several reports of up to three and as many as 20 at Kirkwall Marina on 29th and 30th.  Single Waxwings were seen in Evie, Finstown, Stromness, Kirkwall and St. Mary’s during the month.

Although reported regularly from its breeding areas, a Stonechat was an unusual visitor to North Ronaldsay on 1st/2nd.  Even more unusual for the time of year was a Black Redstart on 28th while quite unprecedented was the Ring Ouzel seen there on 17thwhen it should have been in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains!  A late arrival of Fieldfares from the Continent brought over 100 to South Ronaldsay on 21st and to Deerness on 27th with up to 80 reported from eight other localities.  The only Redwing gathering of any size, however, was 50 on Papay on 22nd.  A (perhaps false!) sign of spring was the singing Song Thrush in Kirkwall on 26th that was followed by another in Finstown next day. 

A Blackcap was in St. Margaret’s Hope on 3rd together with a lingering Coal Tit.  A Chiffchaff was on Burray on 6th.  Single Carrion Crows were at Widewall on 2nd and on Egilsay on 26th. 

50 Chaffinches were in a Flotta root field on 27th but the only Bramblings noted were singles at Herston on 3rd and in Finstown from 24th.  60 Greenfinches gathered in Finstown on 31st. Up to nine Goldfinches were seen there during the month with another on North Ronaldsay on 1st and 17th.  Dale, Costa recorded the biggest Twite flock with 450 on 2nd but 180 were at Weethick on 9th, 110 on Egilsay on 26th  and 150 at Haco’s Ness on 14th.  The three Common Redpolls wintering in Russadale were noted on 11th and 25th.  Snow Buntings have been in rather short supply this winter but 60 were at East Heddle on 16th, up to 50 on North Ronaldsay and 30 on Shapinsay on 24th.

Eric Meek

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