RSPB Bird Reports
ORKNEY BIRD RECORDS
September 2009
An amazing month with interest centred round a run of very rare vagrants from across the Atlantic plus a couple of very good birds of south-easterly origin.
Great Northern Divers began arriving from 12th when one passed Birsay, five being seen from North Ronaldsay on 14th. Single Black-throated Divers were in Inganess Bay on 26th and passed Birsay next day. Slavonian Grebes were seen from 5th and, by 26th, had built up to 11 in Inganess Bay and eight at Sand of Essenquoy. A Little Grebe had returned to the Brig o’ Waithe wintering site by 24th.
Amongst large numbers of passing Fulmars, ‘blue’ birds were noted off Birsay on 12th, Copinsay on 13th,Birsay again on 27th (a ‘double dark’ bird) and off North Ronaldsay (three) on 30th. Gannets were also seen from sea-watching points in large numbers but the most unusual record was of two flying west into a gale past inland Stenness Village on 8th. Good numbers of Sooty Shearwaters were seen from North Ronaldsay with peaks of 97 on 14th and 74 on 30th; elsewhere, the highest number reported was 11 off the Brough of Birsay on 12th. Manx Shearwaters were also on the move with North Ronaldsay’s peaks being 87 on 1st, 118 on 4th and 106 on 29th while 21 passed the Brough of Birsay on 9th was the best of the rest. North Ronaldsay also monopolised the rarer seabirds with Great Shearwaters on 14th, 17th (two), 18th and 30th; a Cory’s Shearwater on 14th and a Balearic Shearwater on 30th. Storm Petrels were only seen from North Ronaldsay with up to 10 per day, especially early in the month. Leach’s Petrels were, however, a little more widespread with birds off Birsay on 9th (four) and 16th, off North Ronaldsay on 14th and off Lamb Holm on 24th. An influx of Grey Herons occurred from 14th when 13 were at the Brig o’ Waithe, five passing high over Finstown that evening and 11 being counted at the Finstown Ouse on 16th.
Whooper Swan arrivals began on 22nd with four on North Ronaldsay; between then and the end of the month up to 45 were noted on North Loch, Sanday and there had been seven other reports of up to 22. Two early Pink-footed Geese were at The Shunan on 9th but it was after mid-month before birds began passing in numbers; the biggest gatherings were 3500 on Bea Loch, Sanday and the same number at Swart Howe, Holm on 29th with 800 at Heatherhouse, Tankerness next day. A Snow Goose spent most of the month in the East Mainland and was seen on Copinsay on 5th/6th. The first few Barnacle Geese involved four on North Ronaldsay, two in Costa and one at the Loch of Skaill, all on 29th. Three Pale-bellied Brent Geese were on North Ronaldsay on9th-11th with two on 22nd. Two Dark-bellied Brent Geese were at St. Peter’s Pool on 22nd while nine flew west at the Brough of Birsay on 27th.
Wigeon numbers soared during the month with up to 1750 at Mill Dam, Shapinsay, 1500 at North Loch, Sanday and 928 on the Loch of Tankerness. The Mill Dam again provided the biggest Teal count with 400 on 1st while North Loch proved to be the favourite site for Pintail with 70 on 28th. Two Long-tailed Ducks remained in Echnaloch Bay all month as did a Goldeneye on the nearby loch, another being seen on the Loch of Skaill on 29th. A Velvet Scoter was in Echnaloch Bay on 20th by which time 21 had gathered in Inganess Bay. Also at the latter site was a Common Scoter on 26th while a drake Surf Scoter returned to the site by 18th to be joined by another from 20th. Inganess also provided the biggest Red-breasted Merganser count with 66 on 19th; Echnaloch Bay held 40 on 5th , a female Goosander being seen there on 10th.
It was a poor month for unusual raptors, only Buzzards at Burwick on 5th and near the Kirkwall Airport on 19th and a Hobby at Hestily, South Ronaldsay on 16th/17th being of note. A Quail was seen at Burwick on 15th while a good count of 210 Coots was made at Loch of Bosquoy on 6th. However, the birding event of the month was the finding of a Sandhill Crane in the Burwick-Banks area of South Ronaldsay on 22nd. This bird was only the third of its kind ever to reach Britain from its Canadian Arctic breeding grounds. It settled into a pattern of roosting at the Liddel Loch and feeding near Hestily before it left in the good weather of 29th and was followed down the Scottish east coast as far as Invergordon.
Some very large Golden Plover flocks built up, the largest being 3000 on the east side of the Harray Loch on 13th but with four other reports of 800-1300. The North Ronaldsay flock was joined by an American Golden Plover on 24th/25th and the Deerness flock was joined by one from 20th, two from 24th and three on 30th! Grey Plovers were scarce with only one-two on North Ronaldsay and up to three on Sanday. 110 Ringed Plovers at North Loch, Sanday was the largest flock of the month.
North Ronaldsay recorded 102 Knot on 13th nowhere else seeing more than seven. As usual, the biggest Sanderling numbers were on North Ronaldsay (114 on 10th) and at Scuthvie, Sanday (100 on 20th). There were very few Little Stints (two at The Shunan on 2nd and one North Ronaldsay on 28th) or Curlew Sandpipers (two Evie Sands on 11th). North Ronaldsay produced two Pectoral Sandpipers on 14th and was the only island to report Purple Sandpipers with a maximum of 15 on 30th. One – five Ruffs were reported from seven localities throughout the month. Snipe passage was evident with counts from North Ronaldsay of 117 on 10th and 120 on 27th but the only Jack Snipe was one there on 18th. Black-tailed Godwits were noted at eight localities, most being seen at Start, Sanday (21 on 3rd), Shapinsay’s Mill Dam (max 33 on 3rd and 26 on 20th) and at Mill Sand (25 on 7th). The largest Bar-tailed Godwit gathering was of 180 at Cata Sand on 20th although 96 were at St.Peter’s Pool on 26th. 480 Curlews gathered at Marwick on 11th but Whimbrels were few, one-four being seen at seven sites before 16th and one in Birsay on 29th. Green Sandpipers were noted on Eday on 1st, on the Stenness Loch on 13th and in Deerness on 22nd and one-two Greenshanks were seen at six localities. A Grey Phalarope fed in the surf near St.Mary’s on 24th.
Small numbers of Arctic Skuas continued to be recorded until the month’s end while single Pomarine Skuas were seen off Marwick Head on 11th and off North Ronaldsay on 24th and 28th. The Franklin’s Gull that caused such a stir last month was relocated in Deerness on 10th and at the Loch of Tankerness on 13th while an immature Mediterranean Gull was found at Mill Sand on 26th. Common Gull flocks were a feature of the month with the biggest, up to 2000 strong, at Harray’s Lochside Viewpoint early in the month and 1000 in Birsay on 20th. Lesser Black-backed Gulls leave early so that one still on North Ronaldsay 23rd-29th was unusual. Sandwich Terns, however, seem to be staying later and later, 14 being at Stove, Sanday on 20th and 12 at Mill Sand on 23rd. Three late juvenile Arctic Terns passed the Brough of Birsay on 27th. An adult Black Tern was an unusual visitor to North Ronaldsay on 11th.
A photograph of an ‘unusual Cuckoo-like bird’ on the ‘Orkbird’ website on 25th sparked off a dash to The Gloup, Deerness as it was immediately recognised as a Yellow-billed Cuckoo from North America, only the fourth to be seen in Orkney. A Great Spotted Woodpecker at Bryameadow, Sandwick on 6th was probably the same bird as was seen at nearby Twatt two days later when it was watched climbing up the observer’s window frames! A Wryneck that arrived on North Ronaldsay on 9th strangely remained all month and was joined by a second bird on 22nd.
A strong movement of Skylarks was noted from 26th when several hundred were noted in Tankerness and Deerness, over 60 being seen at Northside, Birsay on 29th. The Swallow roost at The Loons didn’t reach its previous heights but still contained over 800 birds on 14th; 125 were counted in the Heddle Road area of Finstown on 19th. One-four Sand Martins were noted at four sites during the month. A great find at Breckan, Deerness on 13th was Orkney’s third Tawny Pipit; unfortunately, this vagrant from southern Europe could not be re-found. The only Tree Pipits were two on North Ronaldsay on 4th and the only Yellow Wagtail, one in Deerness next day. One-three Grey Wagtails were noted at five regular haunts with one on Copinsay on 5th being a little more unusual. Pied Wagtails continued to be conspicuous with 50 at Burwick on 19th, 49 in Birsay next day, 35 at Firth School on 27th and many other reports of up to 26. White Wagtails continued to be found amongst the Pieds with seven at Stromness Golf Course and five at Stenness School being the largest parties from some ten localities.
Small numbers of Robins began to appear from 2nd but especially after mid-month. The only Redstarts were one-two on North Ronaldsay on four dates and one on Sanday on 6th. Up to seven Whinchats occurred on North Ronaldsay (peak on 4th) with others on Burray on 6th and in Deerness on 13th. Stonechats were unusual visitors to North Ronaldsay on 14th/15th and 25th. Wheatear passage continued all month (for example 59 on North Ronaldsay on 4th), many being the larger north-western birds. The first Redwings were nine at Widewall on 25th the only others being two on North Ronaldsay on 30th.
The last Sedge Warbler was one at The Loons on 5th while single Reed Warblers were trapped on North Ronaldsay on 5th, at Graemeshall next day and seen in Deerness on 26th. Up to three Barred Warblers were seen on North Ronaldsay and Stronsay and one at Hestily, all before mid-month. Lesser Whitethroats were confined to North Ronaldsay where up to three were noted. Single Common Whitethroats were also seen there on 4th/5th and 14th while a bird that had summered at Muddisdale, St.Ola was last seen on 5th. A Garden Warbler summered in the same locality and was also last seen on 5th others being reported from North Ronaldsay (max seven on 5th) and Hestily (one on 14th). One-three Blackcaps were seen on North Ronaldsay with others on Copinsay on 5th/6th and Widewall on 17th. Yellow-browed Warblers failed to live up to their growing reputation with the only sightings being of birds on North Ronaldsay on 26th/27th and at Binscarth on 27th. The only Wood Warbler was one in Stromness on 5th. One-two Chiffchaffs were reported from five sites but Willow Warblers were somewhat commoner with as many as 11 on North Ronaldsay on 4th, 12 on Copinsay on 5th and one-two at six other sites.
Up to eight Pied Flycatchers occurred on North Ronaldsay (max on 4th) with two on Burray on 5th and one in Deerness next day. The only Spotted Flycatcher was one in Deerness on 5th. All three of the Red-backed Shrikes that were seen during the month were in the West Mainland with one in Outertown, Stromness on 6th, one on North End Road, Stromness on 10th and one at Evie from 16th. An adult Rose-coloured Starling was a good find on Birsay beach on 20th. A Carrion Crow on North Ronaldsay on 29th was the only one of the month while 50 Jackdaws near Stromness on 7th was a good count.
The biggest House Sparrow flock was 180 at Crantit on 12th and that of Greenfinches, 50 at Firth School on 27th. Linnets were plentiful with 500 at Greenwall, Holm on 26th and 250 nearby at Craebreck next day when 200 were at Dale, Costa. North Ronaldsay recorded a Common Redpoll on 13th and another on 29th when the bird was identified as being of the Greenland race. Also from Greenland, or possibly Baffin Island, was a Hornemann’s Arctic Redpoll, also on North Ronaldsay on 29th/30th. The Crossbill irruption continued to be apparent until 13th with 15 over Dounby on 1st, 11-12 in Stromness on 6th/7th and one – six in three other localities. Scarlet Rosefinches occurred on North Ronaldsay on 1st and 18th/19th ;that island also having a monopoly on Lapland Buntings with up to three on many dates after 8th. The first Snow Buntings (two) were found on North Ronaldsay on 15th and had increased to 106 by 30th; elsewhere, however, they were seen only in Deerness (three on 25th) and at Marwick Head (one on 29th). To complete a very interesting month, a Little Bunting was on North Ronaldsay on 26th and a Yellowhammer at Brodgar on 9thEric Meek
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