RSPB Bird Reports
ORKNEY BIRD RECORDS
October 2009
As Great Northern Divers began to be seen with increasing frequency, a remarkable concentration of Black-throated Divers built up to 34 on 19th off the west coast of Holm. A White-billed Diver, perhaps last year’s returning bird, was seen in Hunda Sound on 5th. Some high counts of Slavonian Grebes were made with 45 on the Harray Loch on 18th, 37 in Inganess Bay 5th, 21 in Echnaloch Bay on 17th and 21 in the Deer Sound area on 5th. Great Crested Grebes are very scarce visitors to Orkney; one was on the southern part of the Harray Loch from 5th to 11th.
Fulmars were on the move on many days especially early in the month; 13 blue birds, of Arctic origin, were amongst them off North Ronaldsay on 2nd with one next day while one off Birsay on 4th was considered to be a ‘double-dark’ bird. Sooty Shearwater passage extended into the first half of the month with 27 off North Ronaldsay on 1st and 11 on 3rd (when three were off Birsay); the last were two on 19th. Similarly, Manx Shearwaters were noted off North Ronaldsay but only between 1st-3rd with a peak of 76 on 2nd; a late bird was off Marwick Head on 29th. Also off Marwick Head on that date, and very much rarer, was a Cory’s Shearwater.
The largest count of Grey Herons was of 15 at Graemeshall Loch on 19th. A Little Egret on North Ronaldsay on 17th was, surprisingly, the first record for that island.
There was a lot of Whooper Swan activity from 9th onwards; there 11 reports of parties of up to 23. Greylag Geese began to arrive in quantity with flocks, for example, of 2250 on the Loch of Skaill on 9th and 1100 on Shapinsay’s Mill Dam on 28th. Pink-footed Geese were also commonly recorded with 3500 on the Bea Loch, Sanday on 1st, 2000 at Eve’s Howe, Deerness on 5th but many of these birds moved on further south. Two Taiga Bean Geese were found in the unusual location of Gairsay on 28th. Barnacle Geese began to build in number on South Walls while elsewhere there were 30 on Sanday on 16th, 10 on Papay on 28th and a few other reports of up to four. A single Canada Goose was at The Loons, Birsay on 12th. Two Brent Geese were on the Holm of Papay on 9th while two at St. Peter’s Pool on 24th increased to six by 31st.
The biggest Teal flocks were 466 at The Loons on 18th and 252 at The Shunan on 31st. A vagrant Green-winged Teal was found on North Ronaldsay on 28th. The Harray Loch attracted 1184 Pochard on 18th, more than for many years. The Scaup flock on the same loch numbered 149 also on 18th; up to five were also seen on the Peedie Sea. All scoter records came from the Inganess Bay area with 12 Velvet Scoter counted there on 22nd, a Common Scoter on the same date and single drake Surf Scoters on 5th and 17th. There were some high counts of Red-breasted Mergansers with 111 in Echnaloch Bay on 13th, 75 in Hunda Sound on 5th and 68 on the Stenness Loch on 12th.
A Red Kite on North Ronaldsay on 10th was another new species for that island; what was possibly the same bird was at Hestily, South Ronaldsay on 12th. Hen Harriers roost communally outside the breeding season; 14 were counted at Durkadale on 18th and seven at a newly discovered South Ronaldsay roost on the same date; a little later in the month eight were watched going to roost together on North Ronaldsay, the first time such activity has been noted there. An immature Marsh Harrier was watched at the Loch of Swannay on 1st. Up to three Buzzards frequented the Rendall-Firth area with others in Orphir on several dates and on Westray mid-month. The only other raptor of note was a Hobby in Holm on 16th.
Water Rails were reported from several sites but one at Dale, Costa was probably a migrant. Several Golden Plover flocks of over 1000 were reported while that in Deerness held as many as 3000 on 13th. The amazing run of American Golden Plovers in the same area continued. Although neither of the two adults that had been seen in September remained, the juvenile that had joined them stayed until 18th and was followed by another from 21st to 29th. Four Grey Plovers were noted at Sanday’s Little Sea on 23rd with one-two at four other sites. 200 Snipe were counted on Egilsay on 3rd but North Ronaldsay’s peak came later in the month with 296 on 14th. Up to six Jack Snipe were seen on North Ronaldsay (Peak on 26th) but apart from two in Stenness on 29th, only two other singles were seen. The first Woodcocks were singles on North Ronaldsay and at Hestily on 10th but few others were seen before an influx on 24th/25th brought 12 to Hestily and 11 to Redland, Firth. A further influx from 28th brought 45 to North Ronaldsay 18 to both Redland and Hestily, and up to six to a number of other localities.
200 Bar-tailed Godwits were at Little Sea, Sanday on 23rd and 80 at St.Peter’s Pool on 12th but the only Black-tailed Godwits were 13 by the Harray Loch on 18th. The regular Whimbrel was seen on Burray during the month on 4th and 23rd. Late Greenshanks were noted on Shapinsay from 2nd to 9th and at The Loons on 18th while a similarly late Green Sandpiper was at Mill Dam, Shapinsay on 16th. A Wood Sandpiper on North Ronaldsay on 26th was most unusual but a real rarity was the Spotted Sandpiper on Birsay beach on 5th, the latter being only the third record for Orkney.
The last Arctic Skua was seen from North Ronaldsay on 19th but Bonxies linger later and birds were seen off the Green Holms on 23rd and over Russadale, Stenness on 28th. Pomarine Skuas were seen off North Ronaldsay on 1st and 2nd (two) with another off Marwick on 12th.
A Mediterranean Gull was at the Brig of Waithe on 5th with another at Wester Sand, Holm on 18th. The Franklin’s Gull first found in Holm in July was relocated at Mill Sand, Tankerness on 16th. A very late Lesser Black-backed Gull was off Birsay on 3rd. No Sandwich Terns were reported after 4th but single Arctic Terns were seen off Shapinsay on 7th and in Scapa Flow on 26th. 96 Guillemots were in Scapa Bay on 11th but appeared healthy and no wreck ensued.
Stock Dove remains a very scarce migrant in Orkney but three were on North Ronaldsay on 23rd. Single Long-eared Owls were on North Ronaldsay on three dates with others in Deerness on 12th and 31st and in Rendall on 30th. A Hoopoe put in a brief appearance at Tomb of the Eagles on 22nd while a Wryneck remained on North Ronaldsay until 2nd. A Short-toed Lark was on North Ronaldsay on 19th and, even rarer, was a Woodlark there on 31st. House Martins were not reported after 14th (in Burray) but three Swallows lingered there until 26th and there were even two over Stromness on 28th.
A late Tree Pipit was on North Ronaldsay on 14th and a Richard’s Pipit, a vagrant from the Siberian steppes, there on 28th. Pied Wagtails remained conspicuous early in the month with as many as 35 in Finstown on 3rd. There were three White Wagtails in Birsay on 5th with one still present on 31st; another was in Holm on 11th. Grey Wagtails were noted from five localities, all singles, except two in Finstown on 31st. A Citrine Wagtail was on North Ronaldsay on 18th and an unraced Yellow Wagtail there on 31st. A Waxwing was found in Stromness on the last day of the month raising hopes of another irruption.
Single Common Redstarts were reported from seven sites during the month while Black Redstarts appeared on Burray and North Ronaldsay (up to five). North Ronaldsay logged 33 Robins on 26th but by that time numerous birds had taken up winter territories throughout the islands. A Bluethroat was on North Ronaldsay on 12th and late Whinchats there on 17th and 31st. Similarly late Wheatears were in Stenness on 24th and on Shapinsay on 31st.
North Ronaldsay reported four Ring Ouzels on 6th but then an influx on 10th brought seven to that island, 11 to Burwick, three to Hestily and on-two to eight other localities; on 26th others arrived on North Ronaldsay and in Russadale. Major arrivals of Redwings occurred on 6th (2256 logged on North Ronaldsay) and on 10th with 3155 on North Ronaldsay, 1000 over Finstown, 800 at Hestily and 750 at Burwick. Birds were passing over Flotta all night on 14th/15th and lots more arrived on 20th and 1000 were counted in the Heddle area on 29th. The main Fieldfare arrival was, as usual, somewhat later though 500 passed over South Ronaldsay on 18th; lots arrived on 20th so that by late in the month, 1000 were at Hestily on 25th, 3500 in Deerness on 29th, 1046 on North Ronaldsay on 28th and 1200 in Stenness on 31st. Blackbirds became very conspicuous late in the month the largest count being 491 on North Ronaldsay on 28th. However, most excitement was reserved for a stunning Eye-browed Thrush that was on North Ronaldsay on 5th/6th, only the second time this vagrant from central Siberia has been seen in Orkney.
Another very rare visitor from Siberia, a Lanceolated Warbler, was trapped and ringed on North Ronaldsay on 12th. Single Barred Warblers were found at Burra House, Hoy on 16th and near Stromness next day. Up to four Lesser Whitethroats were seen on North Ronaldsay up to mid-month with others in four localities, the latest at Rackwick on 20th. Blackcaps, often a common migrant in October, were scarce until the last few days of the month when up to 15 were on North Ronaldsay, six in Stromness, four in Binscarth and single in many localities. Three single Garden Warblers were seen before 15th and a late individual, in Toab, on 28th. Chiffchaffs, another often common migrant, were also rather scarce with North Ronaldsay’s maximum being eight on 28th and no more than three at other sites. Three Willow Warblers were noted before 15th then two very late birds were on North Ronaldsay on 28th. There was a good influx of Yellow-browed Warblers, a tiny waif that comes from no nearer than the Ural Mountains; 17 birds were noted from 13 different localities. From even further east came a Pallas’s Warbler to Binscarth on 23rd and from further east still, a Dusky Warbler to Stronsay on about 28th. Goldcrests are often a conspicuous feature of late autumn and they were commonest mid-month when 18 were on North Ronaldsay, ‘lots’ were on Sanday and 10-12 at two other sites. A Firecrest on South Ronaldsay on 23rd was part of a wider influx of this rare species into eastern Scotland.
Late Pied Flycatchers were in Deerness on 4th and at Burwick on 13th, the autumn’s only Red-breasted Flycatcher in Evie on 19th and a very late Spotted Flycatcher was found dead in Toab on 31st. A Coal Tit was a rare visitor to the Wee Fea Plantation on Hoy on 1st. A Great Grey Shrike was at Sandside, Deerness on 10th and another on North Ronaldsay on 31st. The Birsay Rose-coloured Starling of September was relocated there on 5th while another adult appeared on Shapinsay on 15th and remained until at least 29th; a juvenile put in a brief appearance in Finstown on 18th.
Vying with the Eye-browed Thrush for ‘bird-of-the-month’ was the Red-eyed Vireo found in the Langskaill Plantation, Toab on 2nd. This was the first Orkney record of this small North American species that does regularly manage to cross the Atlantic in autumn.
Over 100 Chaffinches passed over Rummie, Sanday on 19th and there were many reports of smaller numbers. There were also lots of reports of Bramblings from 7th on, with up to 12 in some 26 localities. The largest Greenfinch flock was at Dale, Costa and peaked at 100 on 26th. Five Goldfinches were on Shapinsay on 16th with singles on North Ronaldsay on 28th and in Finstown on 31st. Four Siskins were in Rendall on 7th but then no more until up to 10 occurred at the end of the month; others were at Burwick on 11th and at Bu, Orphir on 31st. 270 Linnets were at Dale on 4th but thereafter it was Twite flocks that caught the attention – 500 were at Skaill, Deerness on 2nd, 350 at Dale on 8th, 200 at Brodgar from 28th and 120 on North Ronaldsay, a locality where they are usually scarce, on 28th. Common Redpolls were reported from eight localities. Most were of the north western race including eight on North Ronaldsay on 2nd but birds in Deerness on 11th and in Finstown on 31st were reported as the nominate race, Mealy Redpoll. Another with two north-western birds, in Russadale on 26th was a very pale bird which may have been a Coue’s Arctic Redpoll. Definite Arctic Redpolls of the Greenland/Baffin Island race, Hornemann’s Arctic Redpoll, were seen on North Ronaldsay on 2nd/3rd (two) and 17th. Single Scarlet Rosefinches were seen on North Ronaldsay on 12th and in Stromness on 28th. One-two Crossbills were at Durkadale, Rendall and Hestily 9th-19th then five appeared in Rendall on 28th and a flock of 40 passed over Finstown on 31st.
By far the largest Snow Bunting flock was on North Ronaldsay peaking at 220 on 28th; elsewhere, 25-35 were noted an four sites and smaller numbers elsewhere. The only Lapland Buntings were on North Ronaldsay with four on 1st and two on 19th. Likewise, North Ronaldsay provided the only Yellowhammer record (on 24th) and two of the three Little Bunting records (28th & 30th), the other being at Sandside, Deerness on 5th.
Eric Meek
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