RSPB Bird Reports

ORKNEY BIRD RECORDS
MAY 2007

Wintering divers became less conspicuous during the month but there were still 60 Great Northern Divers off Orakirk, Orphir on 3rd and two Black-throated Divers in Hunda Sound during the first week of the month.  A Black-necked Grebe was reported from the Barnhouse Hide, Harray Loch on 31st.

The newly established Gannet colony on The Noup, Westray goes from strength to strength – there were at least 167 nests there on 11th.    The only Manx Shearwaters were 11 off North Ronaldsay on 11th and the only Storm Petrel, one off the same locality on 22nd.  A Great White Egret appeared on North Ronaldsay on 14th and moved from there to Eday (17th) and Sanday (17th-21st).

A Whooper Swan remained on North Ronaldsay until 7th; others in Stenness, at the Sabiston Loch and on Papay were probably injured birds.  Late wintering geese included five Barnacle Geese on North Ronaldsay on 1st and one at The Loons on 3rd when 15 Pink-footed Geese were also present at that site.  Gadwall are really increasing as a breeding species in Orkney and nine were at Graemeshall Loch on 9th  and 19 at Brodgar on 11th.  Single Garganeys were on North Ronaldsay and Egilsay on 21st and at The Loons on 31st.  Three Scaup lingered at the Loch of Skaill on 17th and another at Loch of Bosquoy on 31st – all were drakes.  There was the usual build-up of Long-tailed Ducks at Lyness early in the month with 200 present on 9th while 40 had been counted at each of Echnaloch Bay and The String during the first week; one was still at No. 4 Barrier on 31st.  Three Common Scoters were off North Ronaldsay on 1st and one on 5th while two flew north past Papay on 21st.  A female Goosander was at the Brig o’ Waithe on 12th while two drake Ruddy Ducks were at the Quoyloo Brewery pool on 31st.

The month provided some interesting raptor records.  A Marsh Harrier was seen over the East Mainland moors on 3rd while others were on North Ronaldsay on 5th and 22nd.  Records of Ospreys came from Wasbister, Rousay on 29th April and, during May, from the Hundland Loch on 12th, North Ronaldsay on 16th and Rackwick on 20th.  Away from breeding areas, the only Buzzard reported was one in the Burn of Ore, Hoy on 16th while on the same day, North Ronaldsay logged a Rough-legged Buzzard.  An immature Golden Eagle sailed over Binga Fea, Hoy on 21st, working the local Merlin up into a frenzy of mobbing!

A Crane was a stately visitor to North Ronaldsay on 5th.  That island also recorded two Dotterels on 7th and three on 13th; another was on Egilsay on 26th.  The latter part of the month saw some interesting concentrations of waders en route to High Arctic breeding grounds.  A flock of 250 Ringed Plovers was counted on a newly-sown field at Mirkady, Deerness on 23rd while, on 26th, there were 100 on Papay and 70 on Egilsay.  250 Dunlins were also in Papay’s North Wick on 26th along with 170 Sanderlings although larger flocks of the latter had been seen on both Sanday (270 and 140) and North Ronaldsay (240) in mid-month.  The latter island logged a maximum of 150 Purple Sandpipers on 16th.  40 Knot were on the Tankerness Loch on 14th and, also on that date, North Ronaldsay reported a Pectoral Sandpiper, an unusual record for the spring.  A Ruff at the Loch of Banks on 14th was the only one reported.  One-two Black-tailed Godwits were on North Ronaldsay, Papay and Egilsay between 12th and 24th while a single Bar-tailed Godwit was in an unusual locality at The Shunan, Harray on 31st.  There was a steady passage of Whimbrels in the first week of the month with up to six on North Ronaldsay and a party of seven over Kirkwall with stragglers occurring up to 27th.  Summer-plumaged Spotted Redshanks were at Mill Sand on 14th and Egilsay on 20th while Greenshanks were on North Ronaldsay on 10th and at Durkadale on 13th.  Common Sandpipers moved into their breeding areas from 5th while passage birds were on North Ronaldsay on 10th (2) and from 29th-31st (up to 3).  The highest Turnstone count was of 444 on North Ronaldsay on 5th.

A Pomarine Skua was off North Ronaldsay on 11th while seven others were seen off Marwick Head on 20th.  A Long-tailed Skua was at No. 1 Barrier on 28th.  Two Little Gulls were on North Ronaldsay o 9th and another on 23rd.  Late Iceland Gulls lingered at Marwick until 19th while one was in Stromness Harbour on 11th with two there on 27th.  A Black Tern was a rare visitor to Tankerness on 24th.

Up to 336 Rock Doves flocked at Widewall early in the month, an unusual number for the time of year.  Light Wood Pigeon passage continued with one-two at five sites away from breeding areas up to 26th.  Up to four Collared Doves were on North Ronaldsay up to 9th and again from 18th-23rd while another was on Papay on 3rd but the only Turtle Dove was one on Egilsay on 26th.  It was a good month for Cuckoos; after one at Hestily, South Ronaldsay on 5th, others were seen at eight localities between 12th and 31st.  The first Swift appeared over North Ronaldsay on 18th then between 25th and 31st, one-two were reported from three sites.  Single Wrynecks were found on North Ronaldsay on 1st, 4th and 9th.

Single Shore Larks were unusual visitors to North Ronaldsay on 1st/2nd and 7th.  Up to four Sand Martins occurred there during the month the only other report being of two at Echnaloch on 28th.  These same localities produced the highest Swallow counts with 61 on North Ronaldsay on 21st and 42 at Echnaloch on 28th.  House Martins arrived in Holm on 5th and were settling down to breed shortly afterwards; up to five occurred on North Ronaldsay, Papay and at Echnaloch late in the month but the most remarkable concentration was of 43 at Graemeshall Loch on 28th.  A Tree Pipit was on North Ronaldsay on 31st.  Grey Wagtails were reported from North Ronaldsay on three dates while likely breeding birds were reported from Mill Burn, Hoy (in song) on 16th, Berriedale, Hoy (2) on 27th and at Cottascarth the same day. 

Robins were reported feeding young in St. Margaret’s hope, not a regular breeding locality.  Redstarts appeared on North Ronaldsay on 15th and 31st while on the latter date there were also a Black Redstart and a Whinchat there.  A male Red-spotted Bluethroat delighted a few lucky observers as it foraged in a South Ronaldsay garden on 24th.  Ring Ouzels were on North Ronaldsay on 3rd/4th and at Hestily,  South Ronaldsay on 16th, the same localities recording single Fieldfares on virtually the same dates.  A Redwing was in Rendall on 1st and up to four on North Ronaldsay until 6th with a late individual there on 23rd. 

A Grasshopper Warbler reeled at Hestily from 13th on while Sedge Warblers became established at their regular sites during the month.  The Subalpine Warbler caught on North Ronaldsay in April remained there until 11th.  No fewer than six Icterine Warblers arrived on North Ronaldsay on 31st.  A Lesser Whitethroat was on North Ronaldsay on 3rd/4th and others there and on Papay on 31st.  The arrival on the last day of the month also brought a Common Whitethroat, two Blackcaps and nine Garden Warblers to North Ronaldsay; other Blackcaps had been in Rendall from 6th-8th (in song) and on Egilsay on 26th.  Single Wood Warblers occurred on North Ronaldsay on 5th and 14th.  Chiffchaffs were reported from North Ronaldsay (up to four) until 12th with others at St, Margaret’s Hope on 8th, Stenness on 9th and in Rendall 10th-12th.  Willow Warblers seemed quite numerous in their breeding sites while migrants occurred at Tuquoy, Westray on 11th, at Herston on 27th and on North Ronaldsay with a maximum of seven on 31st.  Pied Flycatchers were watched at Noltland, Westray on 11th and on North Ronaldsay on 13th.  The latter island also produced a Red-breasted Flycatcher on 13th with another on 29th/30th.  The ‘fall’ on 31st brought nine Spotted Flycatchers and two Red-backed Shrikes to that locality too.

Six Carrion Crows were on North Ronaldsay on 2nd some remaining until 25th while four Jackdaws were seen there on 26th.  A Tree Sparrow was a very scarce visitor to Crantit on 1st.  Two Goldfinches were logged on North Ronaldsay on 13th and one on 18th.  A Lesser Redpoll was in Rendall on 8th while Common Redpolls occurred on North Ronaldsay on 1st (2) and 5th ; unidentified redpolls were on Papay on 24th and Rendall on 31st.  The largest party of Siskins was five at Herston on 14th, up to three also being reported from North Ronaldsay and Rendall.  A classic scarce migrant at the end of May is Scarlet Rosefinch and, right on cue, one appeared on North Ronaldsay on 31st.  A late Snow Bunting was found dead at Dounby on 2nd others lingering on North Ronaldsay as late as 15th.  Finally, and perhaps the bird of the month, a fine male Rustic Bunting paid a brief visit to North Ronaldsay on 18th.

Eric Meek

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