RSPB Bird Reports

ORKNEY BIRD RECORDS
OCTOBER 2003

Slavonian Grebes began to return to their wintering areas and 39 in the Bay of Firth was a notable count. Three Great Crested Grebes in Echnaloch Bay was an unprecedented gathering of this scarce visitor to the islands but a sighting of a single Red-necked Grebe off St. Mary's was more usual.

Visiting birders had astonishingly good luck when they saw a Black-browed Albatross off Rerwick Head in Tankerness. Since the disappearance of the bird that resided in Shetland for many years, sightings in Scottish waters have been few and far between. Shearwater passage dwindled during the month but there were 194 Sooty Shearwaters and 14 Manx Shearwaters off North Ronaldsay on 5th with a single Leach's Petrel in the Pentland Firth on 9th and a Storm Petrel at the Brough of Birsay on 12th.

Wildfowl arrived in force during the month. The best Whooper Swan counts were 45 on Shapinsay on 12th and 50 in Holm on 18th. The main Pink-footed Goose passage occurs in late September but there were still 200 at Hundland on 11th and 160 at The Loons on 13th.

The Birsay flock of Greenland White-fronted Geese held 93 (at The Loons) on 13th. A heavy passage of Greylag Geese was noted on 10th and although numbers have not yet peaked a census on 17th/18th revealed 9000 in the West Mainland, 1100 in the East Mainland and 800 on Shapinsay. Passage of Barnacle Geese was more conspicuous than usual, especially around 4th/5th when some 500 passed over North Ronaldsay and smaller numbers elsewhere; by later in the month the South Walls flock numbered an unprecedented 1800 although this later declined to a more usual 1200. Single Brent Geese were seen on four days on North Ronaldsay and a Pale-bellied bird on Sanday on 16th but the most unusual report was of a Dark-bellied bird forced to the ground in Hoy's Rackwick valley by two hunting Peregrines on 5th. 23 Gadwall on the Stenness Loch on 11th was a high count while 133 Scaup had returned to the Harray Loch on 12th and 50 Long-tailed Ducks to Hunda Sound by 18th. Common Scoters were reported from North Ronaldsay (11 on 2nd and one on 12th) and the Bay of Skaill (one on 21st) but the only Velvet Scoters were two in Echnaloch Bay and two off Shapinsay. A Goosander frequented the Ayre Loch at St.Mary's while eight Ruddy Ducks were at the Loch of Bosquoy on 12th by which date Coot numbers on the Harray Loch had built up to 330.

Following this summer's successful breeding, single Marsh Harriers were reported from several West Mainland localities. Reports of Buzzards were confined to the usual areas of Hoy and Firth/Rendall except for one on Shapinsay on 16th. Goshawks are a rare visitor to the islands so that two in the month, on Hoy on 5th and in Toab on 12th, was most unusual. A Hobby was watched in Holm on 3rd.

Large flocks of Golden Plover were conspicuous especially early in the month with a peak of 742 on North Ronaldsay on 2nd and almost 1000 in Birsay on 10th. An American Golden Plover was found amongst the latter on that date. 280 Sanderling were on Sanday on 15th but outstripped by a huge count of 770 on North Ronaldsay on 28th. It has been a poor year for Little Stint and Curlew Sandpiper passage but singles of each were in Birsay Bay on 11th/12th. The late September Buff-breasted Sandpiper remained on North Ronaldsay until 1st while a Ruff was there next day with another at St. Peter's Pool on 20th. Jack Snipe were widely reported with a peak of six on North Ronaldsay on 13th, three on Papay on 5th and singles at five other localities. North Ronaldsay logged no fewer than 505 Common Snipe on 11th. Woodcocks peaked at five on the latter island on 14th while elsewhere one-two were reported from five sites. 860 Bar-tailed Godwits were counted on Sanday on 15th and 153 Redshanks in Birsay Bay on 11th but the only Whimbrel was one in Stenness on 3rd and the only Greenshanks, two on Papay on 5th. A single Grey Phalarope passed North Ronaldsay on 9th.

A few late Arctic Skuas were reported from North Ronaldsay until 13th but they were outnumbered by the much scarcer Pomarine Skua with two on 3rd, seven on 5th and one on 9th. Iceland Gulls were logged on North Ronaldsay on 5th, 6th and 8th and Glaucous Gulls on 8th and 11th with another on Shapinsay on 10th. A late Arctic Tern was on North Ronaldsay on 1st and a Sandwich Tern off Deerness on 19th. The only reports of Little Auks came from North Ronaldsay (four on 5th and three on 9th) and St.Mary's (three on 26th).

The largest Wood Pigeon flock was 66 at Crantit on 7th while a single Stock Dove was on North Ronaldsay from 19th. Five Short-eared Owls on Sanday on 14th was a good count but the only Long-eared Owl of the month was one on North Ronaldsay on the same date.

As in September, songbird migration was characterised by a dearth of common species and a wealth of rarities or semi-rarities, the same phenomenon being reported throughout eastern Britain. Some of North Ronaldsay's late September rarities remained into October with Little Bunting, Blyth's Reed Warbler and Sykes's Warbler until 1st and Citrine Wagtail until 11th. Also on North Ronaldsay there was a Tree Pipit on 16th, a Yellow Wagtail on 19th and a Grey Wagtail on 30th with others of the last species in Finstown on 20th and at Herston on 29th. From 20th, a notable irruption of Waxwings began with reports of up to 50 in Kirkwall and up to ten in ten other localities; as usual Cotoneaster berries proved to be their favourite food. Robins peaked at 24 on North Ronaldsay during easterly weather on 16th/17th but only two Redstarts were logged all month. Black Redstarts were in South Ronaldsay on 18th and North Ronaldsay on 26th and a Bluethroat on the latter island up to 11th. Late Whinchats were on North Ronaldsay on 20th and 29th with one on South Ronaldsay on 18th, Wheatears exhibiting a similar picture with lingering birds on North Ronaldsay on 17th and 28th and one in Birsay on 11th. Orkney's second-ever White's Thrush, a superb vagrant from Central Siberia, was on North Ronaldsay from 17th-19th and attracted many admirers as it skulked beneath the bushes in the Holland House garden. Migration of the commoner thrush species peaked in mid-month when large flocks of Redwings and Fieldfares arrived and Blackbirds and Song Thrushes reached maxima of 220 and 150 respectively on North Ronaldsay. One-two Ring Ouzels were reported from five sites at this time and a Mistle Thrush was on North Ronaldsay on 23rd.

A Marsh Warbler was on North Ronaldsay on 17th and up to three Barred Warblers were there until 9th, other Barreds being reported from Rendall, Costa (two) and Sanday. Lesser Whitethroats were noticeably scarce with only singles at four sites up to 24th. However, one that was found on North Ronaldsay on 17th showed characteristics of a Desert Lesser Whitethroat, a form that nests in the arid areas of Central Asia. North Ronaldsay reported no Garden Warblers after 2nd and the only other record was of one in Costa on 22nd. Blackcaps were incredibly scarce with a maximum of only seven on North Ronaldsay on 17th , only four all month in Rendall and a peak of three at Herston after mid-month. A few late Willow Warblers lingered on North Ronaldsay with the last on 18th. October is usually the month for Chiffchaff passage but very few were reported with a peak of 16 on North Ronaldsay on 14th, only one in Rendall all month, up to three at Herston mainly after mid-month and two in Finstown on 26th. Amazingly, Chiffchaffs were almost outnumbered by the semi-rarity, Yellow-browed Warbler from Siberia - no fewer than twelve individuals occurred at localities as scattered as North Ronaldsay, Herston, Tankerness, Rendall and Outertown in Stromness! That rarer and even more beautiful gem, Pallas's Warbler was seen only on North Ronaldsay with two on 13th/14th and another on 18th. Goldcrests are usually another feature of October birding but away from North Ronaldsay where numbers peaked at 73 on 14th no more than 15 were reported from any one site. However, a Firecrest at Dounby on 21st provided compensation! A late Spotted Flycatcher was on Sanday on 16th and a Red-breasted Flycatcher on North Ronaldsay on 14th. Sanday provided another late migrant in the form of a Red-backed Shrike on 14th while there were three records of Great Grey Shrikes, on North Ronaldsay on 14th, at Lyness on 18th and at Crantit next day.

Flocks of up to 70 Bramblings were reported from North Ronaldsay, Finstown and Stenness after mid-month while a few Goldfinches arrived from 15th with up to three in Stenness and two on North Ronaldsay. By far the largest Twite flock was of 500 in Costa while there was a scatter of Common Redpoll records from North Ronaldsay and a few Lesser Redpolls reported from Evie and Rendall. A Scarlet Rosefinch lingered on North Ronaldsay until 3rd while another provided a super addition to an observer's garden list in Kirkwall from 5th to 9th! Hawfinches were reported from St.Ola on 18th and Stromness next day while single Bullfinches characteristically appeared in the last few days of the month on North Ronaldsay from 26th and Kirkwall on 28th.

Up to nine Lapland Buntings were on North Ronaldsay until 16th with the only other on papay on 5th. Snow Buntings peaked at 116 on North Ronaldsay on 1st but 200 were on Sanday on 14th, 55 on Papay on 5th and 60 in Stenness on 30th. The largest Reed Bunting gathering was 70 in Costa 17th-20th and the only Yellowhammer, one at Brodgar on 6th. Following North Ronaldsay's dominance in the rarity field this autumn, it is nice to be able to report that the Mainland struck back on the very last day of the month! On that date, a delightful Yellow-rumped Warbler, a North American breeder appeared in Costa and performed beautifully as it fed on spiked apples alongside a Barred Warbler.

E.R.Meek

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