RSPB Bird Reports
ORKNEY BIRD RECORDS
JULY 2008
No fewer than 54 Red-throated Divers in a single flock were counted in the Gutter Sound area of Scapa Flow during a boat-based survey on 17th while as many as 50 Great Northern Divers were found over a wider area of the Flow on the same date. Much rarer, and even more spectacular, was the summer-plumaged White-billed Diver that remained in Water Sound from 2nd to 22nd, delighting many observers. Up to 19 Manx Shearwaters per day were passing North Ronaldsay especially in the second half of the month with 20 in the Flow on 4th and smaller numbers elsewhere. Sooty Shearwaters were seen only from North Ronaldsay with up to six per day after 18th. North Ronaldsay recorded 164 Storm Petrels on 17th when 100 were also seen in the Flow; smaller numbers were reported elsewhere with seven passing No.2 Barrier on 15th. Two Leach’s Petrels were in the Flow on 4th and one on 17th while two passed No.2 Barrier on 15th and singles were at North Ronaldsay on 18th and 23rd.
A family party of Garganey, comprising a duck with three fledged young, were on North Ronaldsay on 24th and 26th and are assumed to have been locally bred. A drake Goldeneye was off St.Margaret’s Hope on 8th and a drake Long-tailed Duck in Echnaloch Bay on 15th. A male and female Velvet Scoter also frequented Echnaloch Bay for most of the month.
A Red-footed Falcon was reported from Stronsay on 1st while an immature male Goshawk was at Nisthouse on the Germiston Road on 2nd. Less unusual was a Common Buzzard over Akla in the Orphir Hills on 8th.
Single Quails called on Stronsay on 7th and at Cara, South Ronaldsay on 13th. 160 Coot at the Bosquoy Loch on 27th was a good count for the time of year. Golden Plover numbers built up to 250 on Stronsay by 25th and to over 1000 on North Ronaldsay by 27th when a great rarity a Pacific Golden Plover, was also found there. The count of Knot reached 191 on North Ronaldsay by 17th with 50 on Stronsay by 25th but it was Sanday that claimed the highest Sanderling count with 181 at Scuthvie on 27th. A Little Stint arrived on North Ronaldsay on 7th being joined by a second on 8th/9th and other singles occurring on Stronsay from 25th-27th and on Westray on 31st. The only Purple Sandpipers were seen on North Ronaldsay with peaks of 22 on 8th and 16 on 21st, the same island also having the highest Dunlin count of 122 on 28th. North Ronaldsay also provided all the Ruff records with one-two on five dates. 230 Bar-tailed Godwits were at Black Rock, Sanday on 3rd while passage of Black-tailed Godwits began in earnest with up to 13 on North Ronaldsay (peak on 24th) and 23 in Stenness on 30th. Post-breeding flocks of Curlews were conspicuous with 300 at Rango the largest count. Movement of Whimbrels was noticeable as early as 8th but was more evident after mid-month with, for example, 13 on Flotta on 22nd, 14 on North Ronaldsay on 26th and 11 on Stronsay on 27th. An early Greenshank was on Burray on 8th but there were no others until one on Stronsay on 27th and four on North Ronaldsay on 29th. Green Sandpipers appeared on Swona, at Durkadale and on North Ronaldsay (up to three) between 2nd - 9th with one-two, again on North Ronaldsay, after 25th when a single Common Sandpiper was also present there. Turnstones were reported from several localities but by far the highest count was of 242 on North Ronaldsay on 26th.
A Pomarine Skua passed North Ronaldsay on 23rd. An adult Little Gull was on Stronsay on 23rd and single Iceland Gulls in Evie on 2nd and at the Peedie Sea on 9th but the most unusual gull of the month was the Yellow-legged Gull that was seen, also in Evie on 2nd. Even scarcer these days was the beautiful adult Roseate Tern that was watched off St. Mary’s on 14th. Arctic Terns have suffered almost total breeding failure this summer but there were gatherings of 480 on the Barrel of Butter on 17th and 60 in Widewall Bay on 14th.
Migrant Wood Pigeons occurred on Stronsay on 3rd and on North Ronaldsay on 7th and 10th while the latter island also reported a Collared Dove on 1st. A fabulous find was the Bee-eater that was hawking insects over the Stromness oatcake factory on the evening of 29th, the second record this year of this rare visitor from southern Europe. Small numbers of Swifts occurred in several localities especially between 2nd-4th and again after 24th; six over No 3 Barrier on 2nd was the highest count. The North Ronaldsay Short-toed Lark remained there on 1st but wasn’t seen thereafter. Sand Martins have bred at two west coast sites and up to three were seen at five other sites. North Ronaldsay has no breeding House Martins so that singles there on 4th and 31st were undoubtedly migrants. The only Grey Wagtail of the month was one on North Ronaldsay on 8th.
A Black Redstart was on North Ronaldsay on 28th, an unusual date, although this species has a habit of turning up at odd times! A Mistle Thrush in Stenness on 2nd was also a most unusual record in terms of its date. However, a Fieldfare on North Ronaldsay from 28th was a typical late summer record for this species. A migrant Sedge Warbler was on North Ronaldsay, where the species does not nest, on 8th while single Whitethroats sang at Herston on 2nd/3rd and at Swannay up to 7th. The only Chiffchaffs were four singles on North Ronaldsay that island also providing an unusual record of a Pied Flycatcher on 29th.
This summer will be remembered for the unprecedented arrival of Rose-coloured Starlings, those in June being followed by others on Stronsay on 1st, St. Margaret’s Hope up to 8th, Kirkwall up to 2nd, Costa on 4th and at Mull Head, Deerness on 14th and 28th. The other irruptive species that made news last month was Crossbill and arrivals continued during July with up to 15 on North Ronaldsay, 11 in Russadale, Stenness and up to nine at eleven other sites. As sometimes happens during irruptions of this species, they were joined by a few of the much rarer Two-barred Crossbills with a male at Dale, Costa on 20th and females at Mull Head, Deerness on 28th, in Rendall from 29th and in Stenness, also on 29th. The latter bird struck a window but was allowed to recuperate overnight and successfully released next day in Firth where it remained until at least 31st. Two Siskins were on North Ronaldsay on 1st the only others occurring in Costa on 4th and 29th. Two Lesser Redpolls were at Hestily, South Ronaldsay on 2nd while nine, believed to be Lessers, were over Kirkwall on 8th. 11 Twite were on North Ronaldsay on 5th, an unusual number for this island and perhaps more unusual than the lovely adult male Scarlet Rosefinch that was there on 10th.
Eric MeekBack to RSPB Bird Reports Menu