RSPB Bird Reports

ORKNEY BIRD RECORDS
MAY 2006

The usual pre-departure gathering of Great Northern Divers numbered 147 in Clestrain Sound on 1st. The first Manx Shearwaters of the year were two off North Ronaldsay on 14th followed by five off the Brough of Birsay on 26th; two Storm Petrels were also see from North Ronaldsay on 14th. The newly-established Gannet colony on Westray’s Noup cliffs increased to 36 nests. The rarity of the month was a Black Stork on North Ronaldsay on 10th, only the third time this species has been seen in Orkney.

A few Whooper Swans lingered with one – three at five sites the latest being on Rousay on 29th. The injured Pink-footed Goose and Tundra Bean Goose remained on the Hundland Loch while a single White-fronted Goose was on North Ronaldsay on 7th and a Pale-bellied Brent Goose at Marwick the next day. There were four records of up to eight Barnacle Geese during the month, the latest being one on Shapinsay’s Mill Dam on 28th. The Mill Dam, was also the place to see Shovelers, 14 pairs being present. Between 7th and 20th there were five records of Garganey from North Ronaldsay, Papay, Westray and Holm while Brodgar produced the rarest ducks in the form of a Blue-winged Teal between 2nd and 7th (last year’s bird returning?) and a Green-winged Teal on 5th (probably last month’s bird from Loch of Banks). Moulting concentrations of drake Eiders included 320 off Thieve’s Holm and 500 in Hoy’s Orr Bay. Five drake Ruddy Ducks were at the Mill Dam during the month.

A White-tailed Eagle was seen in the Stenness hills on 3rd and one was reported from Rousay on 9th.One of the birds of the month was the Red Kite that wandered Holm on 5th causing panic amongst the gull colonies there. A Buzzard was at Widewall on 23rd, Marsh Harriers at three localities between 10th and 23rd and Ospreys at four localities between 10th and 19th. A white-phase Gyr Falcon was seen at Burwick on 23rd while a Saker, presumably an escaped falconry bird, was in Birsay next day.

A Red-legged Partridge was in Tankerness on 14th and a Quail nearby on 30th. Two Dotterel remained on North Ronaldsay between 5th and 7th and that island recorded peaks of 69 Knot on 14th (up to 120 were on Papay later in the month), 60 Purple Sandpipers on 11th and 340 Sanderling on 23rd, 300 having been counted on Sanday on 20th when a single Curlew Sandpiper was also present. Single Ruff were on North Ronaldsay and in Evie on 3rd while lingering Woodcock were in Rendall on 4th and the Orphir moors (two) on 26th. One-three Black-tailed Godwits were on North Ronaldsay and at Brodgar 3rd – 5th with two more on North Ronaldsay 21st-25th. Brodgar was an unusual locality for one-two Bar-tailed Godwits 4th-6th. Small numbers of Whimbrel continued to pass through almost all month with a peak count of nine over Shapinsay on 20th. Single Greenshanks were noted at Brodgar on 3rd and on North Ronaldsay on 6th and single Wood Sandpipers on North Ronaldsay on 7th and Loch of Banks on 8th. The highest Turnstone count was of 248 on North Ronaldsay on 23rd as high Arctic birds continued to pass through en route north.

A passage of Pomarine and Long-tailed Skuas has long been known to occur off the Western Isles and Shetland in May but birds are rarely seen in Orkney perhaps because we lie too far to the east of their flight line. However, this May a total of 60 Long-tailed Skuas were seen at four localities , all but one on 22nd. Pomarine Skuas were less numerous but still involved one-six at six sites after 20th. Single Glaucous Gulls were seen on North Ronaldsay on 18th and in Birsay on 26th while Little Terns returned to two of their south isles breeding sites mid-month. A remarkable total of 5176 Puffins were noted off North Ronaldsay on 14th.

A Stock Dove was a scarce visitor to North Ronaldsay while 90 Rock Doves on Papay on 13th was a high count for that island. Cuckoos were reported from four localities, three on the Mainland and one on Hoy. A late Long-eared Owl was in Tankerness on 9th. The two Bee-eaters that perched on wires at Scorradale, Orphir on 19th must have been a fine sight but they did not linger. Small numbers of Swifts were reported after 5th but all were singles except for three at Herston on 18th and 23rd. A Shore Lark was on North Ronaldsay from 6th-9th. Small numbers of Sand Martins passed through, the largest party being eight in Stenness on 3rd; a peak of nine House Martins was noted on North Ronaldsay on 18th. Tree Pipits are usually a North Ronaldsay speciality and a maximum of five occurred there on 9th; another was, however, found at Windwick on 7th. One-two Yellow Wagtails were on North Ronaldsay 5th-19th and a Grey Wagtail there on 9th while two White Wagtails were also there on 4th and another on Hoy on 20th. Spring Waxwings are unusual so that one in Finstown on 25th was of note.

On 9th two Bluethroats arrived on North Ronaldsay with others on Wyre and at Marwick; another was on North Ronaldsay on 14th. The latter island also recorded the only Black Redstarts on 5th and 9th and also up to eight Common Redstarts with a peak on 8th; others were in Toab, South Ronaldsay and Marwick 13th-17th. Whinchats occurred in similar numbers with up to three on North Ronladsay and others in South Ronaldsay and Holm. A Stonechat on North Ronaldsay 7th-9th was late fro a spring migrant. Four single Ring Ouzels were noted on North Ronaldsay, on Hoy and in Rendall 4th-19th, a Fieldfare at the first site 5th-7th and five Redwings were noted up to 18th.

A Grasshopper Warbler reeled in Firth on 3rd/4th and Sedge Warblers arrived in numbers after the first, in St.Ola, on 1st. A Reed Warbler was found in Sanday in 20th while Russadale, Stenness was an unusual locality for an Icterine Warbler on 16th. A Subalpine Warbler was a rare visitor to North Ronaldsay on 11th. Up to five Lesser Whitethroats occurred there, peaking on 8th, while others were found in Rendall and Tankerness. Common Whitethroats also peaked at five on North Ronaldsay on 8th with others on Hoy on 4th and 20th and on Papay on 18th. One-two Garden Warblers were also on North Ronaldsay with singles in Rendall on 10th and Finstown on 15th but Blackcaps were more common with up to seven on North Ronaldsay and eight others at five sites. North Ronaldsay recorded a maximum of 11 Willow Warblers on 9th and a peak of six Chiffchaffs the following day, others occurring at Herston and in Orphir. Single Wood Warblers were on North Ronaldsay on 8th and 10th, on South Ronaldsay on 17th and on Rousay on 25th. There were seven reports of Spotted Flycatchers between 9th and 20th while up to four Pied Flycatchers occurred on North Ronaldsay with others on South Ronaldsay and in Rendall.

Red-backed Shrikes were seen on North Ronaldsay from 8th, in Tankerness on 17th and on Burray on 26th but, much rarer, was a Woodchat Shrike on North Ronaldsay on 6th. North Ronaldsay again recorded a significant Carrion Crow passage with a peak of nine on 10th, one – two also being seen in South Ronaldsay, Birsay and Evie. 45 Ravens on Hammars Hill, Evie was a notable concentration.

One-three Bramblings were noted at four sites up to 12th while Goldfinches occurred at five localities, the most being three in Cosat on 7th/8th. Seven Siskins were in Berriedale, Hoy on 5th others being seen at six sites. Common Redpolls were noted in eight localities with eight at Binscarth on 5th and seven in Costa on 1st being the largest groups. A Lesser Redpoll was in Finstown on at least 3rd and 7th. Single Hawfinches were on North Ronaldsay on 1st/2nd and in Rendall on 10th and late Snow Buntings were on Westray on 23rd and on North Ronaldsay on 25th (two) and 29th.

Eric Meek

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