RSPB Bird Reports

ORKNEY BIRD RECORDS
March 2008

The largest Whooper Swan gathering was 39 on Sanday’s Bea Loch.  Pink-footed Geese were conspicuous amongst all our Greylags during the month with 150 in Harray on 3rd, 520 over Tankerness and 400 in Deerness on 4th and 500 on Shapinsay on 14th.  Passage got under way later in the month when 300 were at The Loons, Birsay and four other flocks of up to 65 passed through on 26th/27th.  The Greenland White-fronted Goose flock at The Loons peaked at 85 on 2nd while single birds were at Swanbister on 13th and on North Ronaldsay on 17th/18th.  The Snow Goose disappeared from the Quanterness area but what was probably the same bird was found in the Tormiston area, Stenness on 28th/29th.  Up to 700 Barnacle Geese were seen in the South Walls and Switha areas during the month.  The Canada Goose was seen again on Papay on 9th with another on North Ronaldsay on 16th and 18th while a party of five were in Deerness on 28th.  Also in Deerness on that date was a Pale-bellied Brent Goose another on North Ronaldsay being seen on five dates.

There were some big counts of Shelducks as birds returned to their pre-breeding gathering grounds; on 4th 77 were on Mill Sand and 71 at Rennibister with 41 at Widewall on 7th.  Shovelers were conspicuous with up to 19 at Brodgar, 18 at The Loons, 17 on North Ronaldsay and 16 on the Sabiston Loch.  Pintails, too, were well recorded with 16 at The Loons, 15 at Loch of Banks, 13 on North Ronaldsay and 12 the Oyce of Isbister.  The dabbling duck that hit the headlines, however, was Green-winged Teal, normally a very rare visitor from North America but with no fewer than four being found during the month – at the Loch of Tankerness from 9th-19th, the Loch of Brockan and Oyce of Isbister area from 9th –26th, Mill Dam, Shapinsay on 12th/13th and Wester Sand, Holm on 18th.  The Scaup flock on the Stenness Loch numbered 196 on 11th, others being seen on the Loch of Skaill (maximum four on 16th) and Lairo Water, Shapinsay (a drake on 9th).  Good numbers of Long-tailed Ducks began to gather prior to their departure with 250 at Lyness and 165 at Quanterness Skerry on 26th/27th.  Their numbers were, however, outstripped by Eiders which numbered 800 in the Lyness area on 27th with 110 off Avelshay, Rousay on 12th and 150 at Quanterness Skerry on 26th.  83 Velvet Scoters in Deer Sound on 7th was a very good count.  A red-head Goosander remained on the Isbister Loch for most of the month and the elusive Skaill Loch Smew was seen again there on 16th.

There were 44 Great Northern Divers in Swanbister Bay on 26th while Black-throated Divers were reported from Lyness (five on 27th) and off Cava (one on 7th).  Little Grebes were well reported with the biggest concentrations being four at both Liddel Loch and on North Ronaldsay.  16 Slavonian Grebes were in Swanbister Bay on 26th a tight party of seven having been seen off No.1 Barrier thee days earlier.  A strong passage of Fulmars took place off Costa Head on 9th with up to 2760 per hour.  Buzzards were noted in the Firth area (with at least four on 16th) and at Ward Hill, South Ronaldsay one on 9th).  The Rendall Rough-legged Buzzard remained until at least 9th and what may have been the same bird was at Scorradale, Orphir on 19th.  Water Rails were seen at The Loons on 13th and at Wideford Burn on 16th.

The biggest Golden Plover flock numbered 600 at The Loons on 9th and 13th while a single Grey Plover was in Widewall Bay on 6th/7th.  There were 60 Knot at Mill Sand on 16th and up to 41 at The Ouse, Shapinsay up to 12th.  Purple Sandpipers peaked at 325 on Papay on 9th and at 160 on North Ronaldsay and 164 at Scuthvie, Sanday, both on 11th.  A single Ruff was at Loch of Banks on 2nd but the most unusual wader record of the month was of a very early Curlew Sandpiper on Papay on 9th.  A Jack Snipe was at Hobbister on 18th then North Ronaldsay recorded one on 23rd and seven the next day; three were on Burray on 26th.  Single Woodcock were noted at five widespread localities The wintering Whimbrel was noted on Burray on three dates on one of which it paid a fleeting visit to South Ronaldsay; another, presumably an early migrant, was at Rummie, Sanday on 27th. Bar-tailed Godwit flocks comprised 100 at Mill Sand on 16th, 85 at The Ouse, Shapinsay on 12th and 74 in Widewall Bay on 7th.  There was a single Black-tailed Godwit with the Shapinsay birds on 9th and 12th and two at Rummie, Sanday on 25th.

The first Bonxie of the spring (and the only one of the month) was at the Broch of Gurness on 16th.  The Kirkwall Mediterranean Gull was seen again on 22nd while another was on North Ronaldsay on 10th/11th.  Lesser Black-backed Gulls poured back into the county from their southern wintering grounds during the month.  From the other direction, we retained at least eight Iceland Gulls (including up to four at the Carness salmon cages) and at least four Glaucous Gulls.  The first Sandwich Tern was seen off North Ronaldsay on 27th.

Single Wood Pigeons passed through North Ronaldsay on 18th and 24th-26th.  Skylark passage was noticeable with up to 160 on North Ronaldsay on 8th and 23rd , 120 at Scuthvie, Sanday on 23rd and over 100 at Herston on 25th.  The only Grey Wagtail reported was at The Willows, Kirkwall on 11th.  The communal roost of Pied Wagtails at Kirkwall Harbour numbered 50 on 19th. 

On North Ronaldsay single Dunnocks were noted on six dates from 12th and Robins on four dates 11th-19th; another Robin was at Windwick on 27th.  March is the classic month to see migrant Stonechats, North Ronaldsay recording singles on 11th and 14th   and Sanday, three at Stove on 9th.  Only very small numbers of Fieldfares and Redwings were noted during the month but Blackbirds were more conspicuous with a maximum of 35 on North Ronaldsay on 23rd and many also on Papay.  A single Goldcrest was on North Ronaldsay on 13th/14th while one of our resident birds was in song at Binscarth.

An Orphir Ravens’ nest had two small chicks by 23rd.  The largest Jackdaw flock numbered 80 over Burray on 6th while an interesting sighting involved a party of 20 flying low over the sea from Hoy to Stromness.  March often sees a small passage of Rooks through the islands and one was on Papay on 14th followed by two-three in Burray, Herston and Winwick on 26th/27th.  A Carrion Crow was at Crockness, Hoy on 6th and a Hybrid Crow at Toy Ness, Orphir on 22nd. 

A single migrant Chaffinch was on North Ronaldsay on 8th.  Goldfinches were present in Finstown all month, peaking at 10 on 16th; two were also in Kirkwall on 12th.  Small numbers of Siskins passed through during the first half of the month with one-four at seven localities up to 14th.  The largest Twite flocks were 200 at Hackland Hill, Rendall on 6th, 120 at Dale, Costa on 25th and 100 at Aikers, south Ronaldsay on 4th.  A flock of six Crossbills was a surprise find in Rendall on 19th.  Snow Buntings were very conspicuous during the month with 250 flying north-west over Rendall on 6th, 200 at Hundland, Birsay on 7th up to 130 at Dale 6th-14th, a maximum of 120 on North Ronaldsay on 18th and many other reports of flocks of up to 90.  Finally, a single Lapland Bunting was on North Ronaldsay on 6th.

Eric Meek

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