RSPB Bird Reports

ORKNEY BIRD RECORDS
November 2006

The month’s rarest bird was sadly found dead – an oiled White-billed Diver in Rack Wick on Westray’s north coast on 29th. Another good diver sighting was of 15 Black-throated Divers off Fara on 7th. A late Storm Petrel was in Scapa Flow on 7th while, on 14th, a Leach’s Petrel flew low across fields in Sandwick as it tried to find its way back to the sea. A count of 240 Cormorants off Pierowall, Westray on 6th was most unusual.

By far the largest Whooper Swan flock was one of up to 150 on Shapinsay during the month. The annual census of our wintering Greylag Goose population took place on the week-end of 17th/18th and produced a record count of 50937 of which 22577 were in the West Mainland and 11074 were in the East Mainland. Pink-footed Geese were not as numerous as in previous years with a maximum of only 220 in Tankerness on 17th. Up to 50 Greenland White-fronted Geese had gathered at The Loons, Birsay by mid-month while a single bird was on Westray on 12th. A single Taiga Bean Goose was on Stronsay on 11th and a Tundra Bean Goose at the Loch of Sabiston on 25th while even more unusual was a Snow Goose in Deerness on 23rd and 28th. The South Walls Barnacle Goose flock numbered 550 by 12th when 38 were at the Loch of Skaill; on 22nd three additional parties were found with 35 at Rango, 25 at The Loons and four near Stromness. A Pale-bellied Brent Goose was at Herston for a few days up to 17th.

The Loch of Stenness Scaup flock continues to grow; 429 were counted there on 15th. The only Velvet Scoters reported were two in Echnaloch Bay on 8th while other interesting duck records involved a red-head Smew at the Sabiston Loch from 17th to the end of the month and a drake Ruddy Duck at the Quoyloo Brewery pool on 12th.

There were single Buzzard sightings in the Firth and Orphir areas on four dates. The only Water Rail seen away from known breeding sites was one found dead in Evie on 12th. Golden Plovers are the subject of a national survey this winter and Orkney hosted some large flocks: 1600 were at Housegarth, Sandwick on 22nd, 1100 at Grind, Deerness on 23rd, 1000 at The Loons on 26th , 900 at Rango on 22nd, 840 at Carness on 25th and 800 at Kirkwall Auction Mart on 7th. The largest Knot flock was 200 in Toab on 28th while a maximum of 106 Sanderling were on North Ronaldsay on 12th. Two Ruff at Twatt on 1st were unusual. There were six sightings of one-two Jack Snipe, four in the West Mainland, one on Shapinsay and one on Westray. Woodcocks were quite widespread with singles in 11 localities throughout the month; several were found on open moorland. The largest flock of Bar-tailed Godwits was 150 in Toab on 25th.

A late Bonxie was in Orphir on 8th. The Ring-billed Gull returned to its favourite locality on the Stromness Golf Course on 27th; this bird is known to now be 20 years old! An immature Mediterranean Gull was also in Stromness the following day while an immature Iceland Gull was also there on 27th/28th perhaps the same bird as had been found on 22nd at Cumminess, Stenness; another young Iceland Gull was on North Ronaldsay on 30th. Glaucous Gulls were seen on North Ronaldsay (3rd), Birsay Bay (18th), Orphir Village (22nd) and on Westray (two) on 29th/30th. A tight flock of 40 Little Auks winging their way past Stanger Head, Westray on 3rd must have made a fine sight; others were seen alive in Scapa Flow on 7th and at Herston on 25th and 29th while six were found dead in the Scapa area in the first part of the month.

Short-eared Owls become very inconspicuous at this time of year and there were only three sightings of single birds in Stenness, Orphir and Deerness. Long-eared Owls have been decidedly scarce this autumn and the month produced only two records, on North Ronaldsay from 8th-10th and at Herston on 10th.

Single Grey Wagtails were seen or heard in Kirkwall on several dates. Two Black Redstarts enlivened the Lyness landscape on 7th while another was on North Ronaldsay from 12th-18th. A very late Reed Warbler was at Crantit on 2nd. One-three Blackcaps were noted at seven localities during the month with six in Lyness on 7th being the highest count. Single Chiffchaffs were on North Ronalsdsay and at Crantit on 2nd with another at Herston on 6th. Herston also hosted a Red-breasted Flycatcher on the latter date.

The Hammars Hill (Evie) Raven roost numbered 150 on 9th while Carrion Crows were noted at Lyness on 7th, Heddle on 17th and Toab (two) on 28th. The only Bramblings reported were two at Herston on 1st. The largest Linnet Flocks were of 120 at Brodgar on 11th and 200 at Bu, Orphir on 22nd while 200 Twite were at Biggings, Toab on 3rd. Snow Buntings were in rather short supply the largest flocks being of only 23 on Evie’s Hillside Road on 8th and 32 on North Ronaldsay on 15th.

E.R.Meek

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