RSPB Bird Reports

ORKNEY BIRD RECORDS
JULY 2006

Two Great Northern Divers were found in Papay’s North Wick on 29th June but the only July record was of one off No.1 Barrier on 16th. Sea-watching off North Ronaldsay produced small numbers of Manx Shearwaters (maximum nine on 14th) and was enlivened by a Cory’s Shearwater on 14th and three Sooty Shearwaters on 21st. Breeding Storm Petrels were located on the Muckle Skerry (at least five calling birds) and Swona (one calling bird) while a predated individual was found at Mull Head, Deerness; trapping on North Ronaldsay produced good numbers with a peak of 114 on 28th and eight Leach’s Petrels were also caught there during the month. The Gannet colony on Westray’s Noup Cliffs goes from strength to strength and 43 nests have been located there this summer.

A Long-tailed Duck in Echnaloch Bay on 16th was very out-of-season while the only Ruddy Duck reported was a drake on the Mill Dam, Shapinsay on 15th.

Some interesting raptors were noted; Ospreys were seen over the Harray Loch on 2nd and in Hoy on 8th/9th; a Honey Buzzard visited North Ronaldsay on 24th but was trumped by the sighting of a young male Red-footed Falcon in Evie the following day; finally, a female Marsh Harrier was in the Widewall area of South Ronaldsay on 27th and 30th. One Spotted Crake was calling on North Ronaldsay on 8th.

Golden Plovers begin to gather from now on and the largest flock was of 662 on North Ronaldsay on 12th. The only Grey Plover was one calling over Stenness on 27th. North Ronaldsay was also the locality for peak numbers of other waders with 700 Ringed Plovers there on 20th, 73 Knot on 27th and 162 Sanderling on 27th and 64 Turnstones on 2nd. The largest Curlew gathering was of 250 at Sandside, Deerness on 27th. Return passage of Whimbrels was noted all month with a peak in the last week when, on North Ronaldsay, there were three day-counts of 22 – 25. The Brodgar pools continued to attract Black-tailed Godwits with a maximum of 31 on 6th, others being seen on North Ronaldsay (max. eight on 7th) and Swanbister (one on 12th). Common Sandpiper is a decidedly scarce breeding species in Orkney so a count of no fewer than ten breeding territories around the Boardhouse Loch was very noteworthy. The first returning Purple Sandpiper was on North Ronaldsay on 8th and a peak of six was noted there on 29th. A Ruff was at the Brodgar pools on 6th and another on North Ronaldsay on 1st the latter locality also producing single Curlew Sandpipers between 6th – 13th and on 26th and 29th. Green Sandpipers are fine waders to see on passage; one was at Finstown on 6th and three in the Evie area on 25th/26th. Also on the latter date, single Greenshanks visited North Ronaldsay and the Hundland Loch. Rarest of all amongst the waders, however, was a White-rumped Sandpiper, a Canadian breeder, on North Ronaldsay on 31st.

A Pomarine Skua was off North Ronaldsay on 12th and single Little Gulls were noted there on five dates between 3rd and 13th and hawking flies high over the Brodgar pools on 15th. Three pairs of Little Terns were very active at their south isles breeding site throughout the month but no fledged young have yet been noted.

Wood Pigeons are scarce visitors to Papay but one was there on 6th and three on 29th while a Cuckoo visited that island on 31st. Swifts were seen over North Ronaldsay on 1st (four) and 6th while four were at Herston on 16th. Last month’s suspicions that Grey Wagtails may again be breeding at Ireland was confirmed when birds were feeding at least one fledged chick there on 16th; another was seen on Evie’s Woodwick Burn on 25th. The only Sand Martin reported was at Durkadale on 31st. Lesser Whitethroats appear to be breeding again at Stenaday, Finstown with sightings there on 6th and 12th. 29 Ravens at Hamars Hill, Evie was an unusually large gathering for the time of year. However, perhaps the most unusual sighting of the month was the Treecreeper that appeared at Herston on 19th; very scarce visitors to Orkney, we suspect that most are vagrants from Continental Europe but the early date of this individual perhaps suggests a mainland Scotland origin.

Eric Meek

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