RSPB Bird Reports

ORKNEY BIRD RECORDS
MARCH 2007

The only Black-throated Diver reported was one in summer plumage off Aikerness, Evie on 21st.  A large concentration of 178 Great Northern Divers was present off Quanterness on 31st when 41 Slavonian Grebes were also present.  Kirkwall’s Peedie Sea was an unusual location for a Little Grebe on 13th.  Undoubtedly the bird of the month was a Great White Egret found at the Loch of Banks on 28th and present until the month’s end; this was only the third Orkney record of this stately heron. 

Small parties of Whooper Swans passed through during the month but none exceeded 22 birds.  Away from South Walls, the only Barnacle Geese reported were six at The Loons, Birsay on 28th.  The Loons also held up to 82 Greenland White-fronted Geese and the Snow Goose was found there again on 23rd.  1530 Pink-footed Geese in Tankerness on 11th was a large count while 47 Shelducks were in Widewall Bay on 21st.  Two North American ducks were found during the month with an American Wigeon in North Bay, Hoy on 1st and a Green-winged Teal at the Brodgar Pools on 28th-29th.  The Stenness Loch Scaup flock numbered 260 on 20th while Long-tailed Ducks began to concentrate in favoured areas, 125 being counted in Wide Firth on 22nd and 142 off the Brough of Gurness on 24th.  The very calm conditions on 31st allowed a count of 85 Velvet Scoters to be made off Quanterness on 31st when the drake Surf Scoter was found with them.

There were seven sightings of single Buzzards during the month in the usual areas although one flying from Evie to Rousay on 31st was of note. 

The Avocet found at Mill Sand last month remained until at least 11th.  The largest Golden Plover flocks were 750 on North Ronaldsay on 7th and 1000 at Loch of Banks on 28th.  Knot were few and far between the only reports being of five at Herston on 2nd and up to three on North Ronaldsay.  150 Sanderlings were at Scuthvie, Sanday on 4th while the largest Purple Sandpiper flocks were of 122 in Evie Bay on 4th and 103 on North Ronaldsay on 24th.  The only Woodcock was one on Gruf Hill, Orphir on 31st.  Peak counts of other waders included 33 Bar-tailed Godwits in Widewall Bay on 2nd, 500 Curlews at the same locality on 3rd and 136 Redshanks on Evie Beach on 4th. 

A Bonxie off Houton, Orphir on 28th was the only record.    An albino Black-headed Gull, perhaps the bird reported earlier this winter in the West Mainland, was at Crantit, St.Ola on 8th.  One-two Iceland Gulls were seen in Stromness, Kirkwall, at Kirk Hope and at Lyness, Hoy and on Evie Sands but the only Glaucous Gulls were singles at Skaill, Sandwick and Crantit.  Three early Sandwich Terns were in Evie Bay on 10th with another there on 24th. 

Light Wood Pigeon passage was noted on North Ronaldsay (singles on six dates between 7th and 22nd) and at Herston (single from 1st-7th and on 12th) and a flock of 250 Rock Doves was at Dale, Costa on 11th.  However, the most startling dove record was of a Turtle Dove at Quoyangry, South Ronaldsay on 29th, a full month earlier than this species has ever been seen in Orkney before.  Short-eared Owls, always inconspicuous in winter, became much more noticeable during the last week of the month.  Long-eared Owls remained scarce with only singles at Lyde Road (11th), Durkadale (17th) and Linnadale, Orphir (27th).

Numbers in wintering Skylark flocks hardly exceeded 20 but passage birds on North Ronaldsay were more numerous with a peak of 74 on 24th.  The first Meadow Pipit song was reported at Cruland, Sandwick on 21st but was widespread within a few days.  Up to 50 Pied Wagtails roosted at Kirkwall Harbour from 10th to the end of the month; elsewhere they remained scarce during the first half of the month but became much more numerous after about 19th.  The only White Wagtail reported was one on North Ronaldsay on 25th/26th and the only Grey Wagtail was one in Kirkwall until 8th.    A Waxwing was on North Ronaldsay on 22nd, one of the very few sightings this winter. 

Single Stonechats occurred on North Ronaldsay on four dates while the first (and only) Wheatear was seen there on 28th.  A Fieldfare influx was apparent in South Ronaldsay on 2nd when the largest flock was one of 38 at Graemston Loch; the North Ronaldsay maximum was 33 on 12th.  North Ronaldsay provided the only Mistle Thrush sighting with two on 2nd.  The only Chiffchaff was one at Crantit from 12th-14th.

Up to 101 Ravens continued to roost on Hamars Hill, Evie throughout the month while single Carrion Crows were seen at Loch of Skaill, Birsay Links and Heddle, Firth between 17th – 29th.  Single Rooks passed though North Ronaldsay on 12th and 24th and three Jackdaws were there on 28th. 

Siskins were seen at Herston on 13th and after 25th while Mealy Redpolls involved up to four on North Ronaldsay during the first week and four at Dale, Costa on 2nd while an unidentified redpoll was at Herston on 13th.  By far the largest Twite flock was of 130 at Evie Sands on 26th.  A Goldfinch was seen in Finstown on 16th perhaps a remnant from the small party that has over-wintered there.  A single Lapland Bunting was on North Ronaldsay from 9th-11th while two were there on 28th.  Snow Buntings became a little more noticeable during the month but the peak count was still only 55 near Dale, Costa; there were six other reports of 15-37.  The largest Reed Bunting flock was of 40 at Dale on 11th while song was first heard from this species, in Stenness, on 23rd.

Eric Meek

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