RSPB Bird Reports
ORKNEY BIRD RECORDS
JULY 2009
The big news in the bird world has been the successful breeding season for seabirds, something that we haven’t seen for many years. As their food supplies have diminished, species such as Arctic Terns, Kittiwakes, Guillemots and Arctic Skuas have struggled to survive themselves, never mind be able to rear any young. This summer, however, the sandeel supplies, so vital as seabird food, have remained available all summer rather than disappearing in early June. As a consequence, all the species mentioned have reared chicks this year although the population, of course, still remains at a low ebb.
The only Great Northern Divers reported were singles off Hunda on 10th and North Ronaldsay on 14th. The Loch of Bosquoy Red-necked Grebe re-appeared, being seen on 12th and 19th. One of the birds of the month was the Great White Egret that arrived at the Graemeshall Loch on 5th and stayed for about a week. A notable occurrence in the seabird world was the establishment of a new Cormorant colony, on Little Linga, where some 60 breeding adults were counted from the ferry.
Up to 41 Manx Shearwaters per day were seen from North Ronaldsay but the only others were five off the Black Craig on 30th; surprisingly, no Sooty Shearwaters were noted anywhere. Up to 19 Storm Petrels per day were recorded on North Ronaldsay while 33 were trapped and ringed at the Birsay Whalebone towards the end of the month. Four Leach’s Petrels were noted on North Ronaldsay between 5th-12th and another was trapped at the Whalebone on 28th.
Two Whooper Swans were on North Ronaldsay all month and another at the Loch of Skaill on 12th while an injured bird remained on Papay throughout. An unusual occurrence on Sanday was the interbreeding of a Greylag Goose and a Canada Goose, the liaison producing two goslings! A North American Green-winged Teal was at the Graemeshall Loch on 2nd. Another notable event in the wildfowl world was the breeding of Pochard at the Loch of Bosquoy; a duck there accompanied a brood of four on 19th, the only other nesting sites for this species in the county being North Ronaldsay and Shapinsay.
A Honey Buzzard passing south over Hoy on 14th was a scarce visitor as was a Hobby on North Ronaldsay on 7th. A Quail called on North Ronaldsay all month.
North Ronaldsay recorded the largest gathering of Golden Plovers with a peak of 657 on 19th although 109 were on Papay on 12th; six Grey Plovers were at the Start, Sanday on 28th. The only Knot were up to 14 on North Ronaldsay but Sanderling numbers were more impressive with 220 at Scuthvie, Sanday on 22nd and a peak of 200 on North Ronaldsay a week later. Returning Purple Sandpipers involved up to five on North Ronaldsay and two on Papay while more unusual visitors to North Ronaldsay involved a Pectoral Sandpiper on 1st, two single Curlew Sandpipers during the first half of the month and a Ruff on 22nd. Whimbrel passage began to get under way with up to eight on North Ronaldsay (peak on 19th), five over Finstown on 9th and one-two elsewhere. Bar-tailed Godwit numbers were rather low with no more than 14 on North Ronaldsay and 13 on Sanday while the only Black-tailed Godwits were two on North Ronaldsay on 4th and three there on 29th. The occurrence of Greenshanks in the islands is a sure sign of autumn migration getting under way and two duly put in an appearance at the Loch of Banks on 11th with one-two on North Ronaldsay after 14th. Another early migrant is Green Sandpiper, one arriving on North Ronaldsay on 22nd to be followed by another at Durkadale on 28th with four there on 30th. Common Sandpipers don’t breed on North Ronaldsay so that one there on 19th was on passage. North Ronaldsay also produced the highest Turnstone count with 115 on 23rd but it was the East Mainland’s turn to produce the best wader of the month, a Red-necked Phalarope being seen briefly at Eve’s Howe on 10th.
The rarity of the month was undoubtedly the Franklin’s Gull that was found at the Graemeshall Loch on 12th and remained in Holm, heavily in the moult, until the end of the month. This is the first Orkney record of this gull that nests in the North American prairies. A Mediterranean Gull was found in the same area, at Biggings, on 19th. Up to 13 Little Terns were noted at their south isles breeding site but their breeding success is not known; two others were on North Ronaldsay on 1st.
North Ronaldsay produced another Nightjar, one being present there from 6th-14th. The same locality saw up to 17 Swifts (peak on 1st), singles being noted in three other localities. The Graemeshall Loch Swallow roost was attracting up to 400 birds by 30th while, away from their two breeding sites, Sand Martins were noted on North Ronaldsay (up to five) and at Inganess (two on 18th). Grey Wagtails were reported from Rackwick on 3rd, Kirkwall Harbour on 5th and over Finstown on several occasions.
One-two Chiffchaffs were seen on North Ronaldsay on many dates during the month while a migrant Willow Warbler was on Papay on 21st. Two Red-backed Shrikes were unusual visitors for July, one on North Ronaldsay from 19th and one in Deerness next day.
The Crossbill irruption continued with a magnificent 144 on North Ronaldsay on 4th and up to 42 there on other dates. Peak counts elsewhere involved 22 on Eday on 1st, 14 in Sandwick on 4th, 12 on Hoxa on 6th and several reports of up to ten, mainly during the first week of the month. Numbers petered out thereafter but 20, in Rackwick on 28th perhaps heralded a further influx.
Siskins were reported only from Finstown where occasional birds were heard passing over. Other notable finches involved a Scarlet Rosefinch on North Ronaldsay on 3rd and a Hawfinch in a Stromness garden on 3rd/4th.
Eric MeekBack to RSPB Bird Reports Menu