Literate herring, this way.

Kumlien's?

2012-01-28T12:33:00.001Z

I'm reliably informed that the criteria for Kumlien's Gull has changed and that some birds are now being called, "brown winged" Iceland. These are the individuals with the venetian blind like effect in their wings, I think.

I snapped the two birds below at Bay of Skaill this morning. One is clearly Kumlien's but the other one appeared to be an Iceland Gull, but then in flight its tail would surely make it Kumlien's????

Don't think anyone would argue with this as Kumlien's (3cy)

This one looks like Iceland (3cy) though

...but that's a tail bar isn't it? Kumlien's then?

The brute was slightly more straightforward

There were 10 Iceland (type) Gulls in the bay this morning, with two Glaucous, on the loch there were two more Glaucous.

Awesome sky

2012-01-26T20:06:00.002Z

Having dipped severely on the aurora the other night, saw the glow in the sky and didn't bother to check it properly, dow! Then having two evenings when we thought it was buzzing but the cloud prevented a view, it was neat this morning to awake to a clear sky to the south. Of late the morning sky to the south has been at best misty. Mars shone brightly to the SW, but best of all was Saturn low to the south with its rings showing really well at x 45. Then just around 7:00 a.m. the ISS passed under it, very neat.

A little later as I went out to the car to de-ice it (that is not to scrape off Iceland Gulls you understand) a Woodcock circled the house and garden.

Yesterday, to and from Kirkwall to a meeting, a 3cy Iceland Gull on the PDC and then a 3cy and an adult west of Finstown plodding around in a field near Binscarth, didn't even bother to stop to use the bins, well they're trash birds now (only kidding, honest).

More ice in a hooley

2012-01-21T18:55:00.004Z

Iceland Gull in a storm

Went out to Marwick briefly today. Almost impossible to go birding, even from the car it was pretty tricky due to the wind blowing somewhere near a Force 9. I staggered out to Sand Geo and beyond where there were about 30 or so Iceland Gulls, including at least three Kumlien's, mostly identified by naked eye as using the bins was tricky, due to the wind, rain and blowing foam. It was like being in a storm of needles. Sheltering in the fishermen's huts provided some respite.

By the Choin at Marwick there were at least six more Iceland types and a 2cy Kumlien's, Also there two adult and one more Glaucous. Inland a bit and there were three more Glaucous on the Marwick pools.

Adult Glaucous Gull

At home today Tree Sparrow, two or three Chaffinch and a male Hen Harrier; a little way up the fields there were 50 Fieldfare and by The Shunan 100 Redwings and four Moorhens.

American Herring Gull-maybe

2012-01-17T00:00:00.001Z

New photographs taken today, as the bird was refound, are much more convincing. I will request permission to post them here. The bird now does look chunky and "aggressive" enough and there are a range of other features that are encouraging.....

Post-script

Killian Mullarney has looked at the photos and pronounced the gulll an argenteus, So spot on ID Stewart.

It's still a white out

2012-01-15T21:12:00.004Z

Stayed at home for the first part of the day and managed to get Glaucous Gull on the "from the garden" list as a 1stW flew by. Other highlights were two Peregrines having a spat, two Hen Harriers, four Golden Plover, 250 Curlew by The Shunan and of course the Tree Sparrow.

In the afternoon I went back to Marwick to look again at the ww gulls. But look at this...

Could this be a Yank HG?

Answering my own question, probably not. I've had a look at the Lonergan and Mullarney paper and also had a comment or two. The bird does not look big and bulky enough for AHG. In particular the bill looks too slight and as Stewart has pointed out the head isn't bulky enough, nor is it the correct shape, it should be longer and flatter I think. I'm also concerned that the tail pattern wouldn't be correct for an AHG of this age. The shade of grey of the mantle and back are not too far off Iceland, and it should be darker. So probably good try but no bananas.... However, what it actually is is quite another question as I don't think its a Herring Gull.

More pictures of the interesting gull. Many thanks to Alastair Skene for his permission to post these.

These five photos, thanks to Alastair Skene who took them today at Sand Geo.

All comments gratefully received.

Gull videos

2012-01-15T17:10:00.000Z

Videos from Sand Geo, Marwick, West Mainland.

Gull blizzard

2012-01-14T21:17:00.000Z

A quick post, I reckon to have seen about 90 WW gulls today. I took over 400 pix but will sort them out and post tomorrow.

Selection box

Glaucous Gull

Selection box up

Kumlien's Gull, juvenile

Iceland Gull adult

Iceland, 2nd winter

Adult Iceland and 2nd W Kumlien's

Glaucous Gull

2nd W Kumlien's Gull

Skaill Bay and loch c 11:30 3 Kumlien's; 12 Iceland and 11 Glaucous (probably a
few more Glaucous but I couldn't be in two places at once...)

Iceland and Kumlien's Gulls, sorting exercise

Adult Kumlien;s Gull, a rather distinctive one

Kumlien's Gull, 2nd W

Sand Geo, the fishing huts at Marwick; 3 Kumlien's (at least) but including two
smart and obvious adults; 45 Iceland Gulls (that's an estimate) and 7 Glaucous.
There's a large amount of decaying whale in the geo, the wwgs think it's a
bonanza.

The Choin, Marwick, 12 Iceland and 3 Glaucous.

Didn't have time to get to Birsay or anywhere else.

On the back of Skaill beach from the car there was a small flock of 8 or so
buntings that didn't show any white. Unfortunately I didn't hear them and was
driving at the time, rather suspected that they were laps.

At home the Tree Sparrow was present and a Woodcock flew through the garden at dusk. Also at dusk a hunting hen harrier and Short-eared Owl.

Home sunsets, including Venus

Rain, tens of white-winged gulls, more rain

2012-01-08T17:47:00.000Z

I got to Skaill a little later than ideal and the tide was falling, High tide would be best probably. However, at the loch birds were still flying in, so too early in the morn, when you can't see anyway, would perhaps not be so good.

I saw a minimum of 25 Iceland and 11 Glaucous Gulls today - I know AL counted more than me at Skaill (27), but at one point I managed 21 between the loch and the beach. I think there were at least 8 different Glaucous Gulls at Skaill. There was some evidence that birds were moving though south with birds at Marwick (4 Iceland) disappearing in that direction around 2 or so. However, a short sea watch at Pt of Buckquoy did not reveal any white winged gulls on the move there, there was just a single 3cy Glaucous looking miserable on the Palace beach. There were two Glaucous at Marwick as well.

I think this is Kumlein's

Very dark Glaucous Gull

WWGs on Skaill beach

Great photos as usual, although it was slinging it down all day, barely got light

Of the 21 birds I saw at Skaill I think two were Kumlein's but I may be wrong, I have limited field experience of this form (just one I think). The first initially appeared to be an adult, but when I saw it again on the beach, initially thinking it was a different bird, I realised it was not a full adult. The basal 50% of the bill was a murky, pinkish grey, the tip 50% straw yellow with an indistinct red spot. The eye was dark. There appeared to be very feint grey smudges in the primaries, very indistinct. This was a petite bird compared to many of the others present. I don't believe glaucoides can have this combination of bill, eye colour can it? The other bird was a 3cy and had some grey in the mantle, a dark tipped greenish bill, a dark eye and distinct brownish smudges in the primaries, across all primaries, again I don't think this is a combination that's ok for glaucoides but I'll be happy to be corrected. I did see the eyes well at fairly close range and viewed with the scope.

A fantastic spectacle at Skaill, just brilliant, if a little damp in the continuous rain today.

Alastair

Bad weather

2012-01-04T18:16:00.001Z

A lot of rain today, and hail;ouch! It caught me outside.

Seawatch early afternoon produced a Red-throated Diver, a Kittiwake, two Gannets, an auk, an Eider and 143 Fulmars west with 14 east. There were a few Shags and Fulmars hanging out as well.

The Tree Sparrow was in the garden during one of the brief periods it was possible to see outside.

Ring of Brodgar

2012-01-03T12:43:00.004Z

On New Year's Day I went and had a mooch about by the Ring to see if I could find AL's warbler. He saw it in the bird crop but not so far away there are quite a few bushes by the loch side. Anyway, to no avail.

Woodcock flew from the fields by The Shunan around the house and garden and into the rookery somewhere, the Tree Sparrow showed first thing. First bird was a Hoodie, heard, and first seen was Blackbird.

Rook diary

2012-01-03T11:30:00.000Z

I'm now publishing a diary of our rookery as a seperate blog, here.

2011 post-script

2012-01-01T09:44:00.002Z

A tantalising lifer was found on 30th December and the site is within view of the kitchen, problem is it's across the sea. A Gyr Falcon was found by members of Orkney Climbing Club on the top of Ward Hill, Hoy; there's a photo, it looks good. On the same day a possible Hume's was in crop at the Ring of Brogdar, also within view of the kitchen; somehow I missed the posting on this or I would have looked for it yesterday.

The last bird of 2011 was a Short-eared Owl flushed from the ditch by the track as we returned yesterday evening, there was another as well around the byres, but I missed it.

Gyr Falcon or Hume's would be a nice kick-off for 2012, let's see what the year brings. Happy New Year and good birding to regular readers, and others who stubble across this blog.

Cold

2011-12-30T22:16:00.003Z

The snow fall of yesterday had frozen this morn. Looking out from the kitchen we're white but its all green the other side of the Harray Loch.

Various jobs to do today but I did find time to go gull hunting. The sea was still mighty at Skaill and Marwick.

There were two Whoopers by the road at Skara Brae.

I managed to locate two 1st CY Glaucous. The first one was at Marwick and it then followed me down the coast, unless there are two with the same missing secondary, where it found a friend.

Winter seawatch

2011-12-27T21:05:00.000Z

Point of Buckquoy is not a bad seawatch place, a bit low and the Brough does force some birds out but sitting in the car means that concentration is better. In a strong wind it can act like a trap, especially for petrels, although the danger is that birds will cut across the fields behind the car park.

Today the wind was not so high and there were Fulmars and Kitts passing at about 2km + and gulls close in and behind me. It was a toss up, look for the close in Ivory Gull or scan with the scope for the Wanderer. I kind of compromised and was lucky to get on to a mid range Sooty which showed well, bit late mate! The Fulmars were shifting at about 2000+ / hour and there were a good few Kitts. The close in gull passage was predominantly of Common Gulls but there were about 100 GB-bGulls in the hour as well as 60 Herring Gulls, loads will have gone behind me as well. Other bonus birds were one Little Auk and two Blue Fulmars. There was also three Red-throated Divers and a few Eider. Other things included a Grey Plover and Snow Buntings were heard.

I had a look at Marwick where there were a few gulls.

Then on to Skaill where was a nice 1cy Glaucous Gull, loads of waders and gulls and a Merlin.

Back at the ranch we had woken to the sound of Whooper Swans. The Tree Sparrow was present, a Grey Heron flew by and a female Hen Harrier was hunting most of the day. Louise found three Shorties between the stables and home. There are still Redwings about and at roost time there were three or four with the Blackbirds (17) and another 15 down at the Shunan. The Greenfinch record was shattered with an epic 47 at the feeders.

Iceland Gull

2011-12-26T20:39:00.001Z

Amidst the mighty waves a white-winged gull approached the Brough of Birsay car park from the east this morning. Unfortunately, instead of sailing past 20 metres from my position it cut inland across the fields and headed for Marwick. Subsequent searching failed to reveal it. No doubt it was a 1cy with its rusty tones on upper wing coverts body and tail. At first I thought it looked huge, but it was a predominantly white bird against a grey background and thus bound to look big. The arm and especially the hand were long, the wings looked elegant, slender for a bird of this size, and the flight was graceful. The under body showed no sign of the dark grey tones that a Glaucous Gull might sport. It was too far away to see any detail on the bill, but would the characteristic and distinct Glaucous bill pattern of a 1cy have been discernible at that range (about 600metres or so).

My new found caution with this species pair left me initially to hum and ha. The buffeting of the breeze (ha, ha), the distance and the brevity of the view didn't help but it had to be an Iceland Gull.

We then contemplated a walk and I went around the back of the car to hold the door whilst Louise got the waterproofs out. Open door, Louise flails as waterproofs get out all on their own and head rapidly in a gangly, airwalk towards the ocean. Subsequent good fielding by Louise recovered two pairs and slightly mad wave dodging on the beach below the cliff captured the last unruly legs.

I've slowly been reading The Sound Approach since I borrowed a copy (thanks JB) and then was given it last summer. It took me a while to locate my old CD Walkman, ideal for listening as you read. (No don't try putting all the files on your iPod, totally hopeless - shuffle Floyd, Lupe, Kate, Golden Plover, The Stones, Willow Tit etc.) For Christmas Louise bought me Birding from the Hip. Now I've never been a fan of Birdwatch magazine so I was entirely ignorant of Anthony McGeehan's articles in that publication. This is just such a good read, and listen. The use of the CDs to make a kind of birders' Radio 4 is brilliant. This is the best book about birders and birding, and our obsession's impact on our nearest and dearest that you'll read; highly recommended.

Christmas morning

2011-12-25T10:53:00.000Z

How is it that I'm blogging on such a morn?

Presents are opened, and more of that in a peedie minute. The usual awakening was delayed until six, a bit of a triumph that; having been banned from waking us until seven, offspring delayed the usual rousing until quite a reasonable hour. However, Louise is still in a sleep deprived state as eldest was too excited to sleep until around two or so and insisted on Louise sharing the spare room bed whilst she wriggled, talked etc, etc. Cooking, cooking is pretty much done, yesterday as the south-westerly blew and the rain deluged. So why not birding?

The picture makes it look better than it really is, its barely light at eleven.

And then it blew a hooley. Managed to prevent the garage doors disappearing into the distance, hadn't noticed that the last storm had damaged the hinges a well as the bolt, one is bent and knackered. Anyway emergency repairs done. Tree Sparrow on the feeders, Sparrowhawk under them, but no small body so it must have missed its prey. The breeze has eased a bit now, its possible to walk in the garden rather than just get blown about...

Have a cool Christmas maaaan (play it loud)

2011-12-22T18:28:00.001Z

Garden birds

2011-12-10T18:12:00.001Z

The neeps field next door

Mooched about the garden today, cold and calm, following the storm on Thursday evening. Our only damage was a broken bolt on the garage door which the wind had got behind and forced open, bending the bolt as it went, fortunately I found this soon after it had happened and recovered the door and wedged it shut.

Sorting out, and finding the feeders was a job for this morn. They are all now back in place.

33 Greenfinch is a record I think, 12 Chaffinch is also a high number and there are still fair numbers of Blackbirds about, 18. The Tree Sparrow remains.

Seawatching (quite well)

2011-11-27T22:04:00.001Z

Sea on Saturday at Point of Buckquoy, Birsay

The wind was up so I went for an hour's watch at Birsay on Saturday at midday, a 1cy Glaucous Gull was a fair reward. There were three Red-throated Divers west as well. Kittiwakes were moving through a bit with a trickle but I didn't see a single Fulmar.

View from the garden, yeserday p.m, calm before the hooley

It really blew last night, up to Storm Force 11 (yes the greenhouse was still there this morn).JB and I had seen the forecast so arranged to meet at Pt of Buckquoy at 8 or so. It was quite entertaining, I missed the best bird, a Pom, somehow it evaded me but 8 Blue Fulmars and 18 Red-throated Divers was a fair reward. In the first hour there were 124 Kittiwakes, nearly all adults (10 juv) and just 37 Fulmar. In the second hour there were about 50 Kittiwakes and 3000 Fulmars, all west. Also one each of GND, LtD, RbM, Wigeon, and two Common Scoter.

Back at the ranch the moving of horse poo was the task but there were also 18 Fieldfare over south, a few Redwings, 15 Blackbirds, 2 Robins, 6 Chaffinch, 2 reed Buntings, 100 Teal, a Sproghawk and a Kestrel. The Tree Sparrow is still present.

Lost keys found

2011-11-20T20:52:00.001Z

Yeserday I went to Costa to try to see the putative Hume's Warbler but without much luck. However, there were a lot of Twite there, maybe 300 or so. Dick talked to me about bird crop and apple feeders, so we now have Waxwing bait hung securely out of reach of the fruit guzzling Blackbird hordes.

Fodder Beet and Barley are the main food stuff here

Twite, not especially enjoying the Sproghawk's attentions

Good use for a fat ball feeder, there's now one of these in our garden, sans the Blackcap though

There was a large fall of Blackbirds yesterday with flocks in the fields, probably 35 around home and The Shunan. Thrush numbers were buoyant today with about 300 Fieldfare and 200 redwing around The Shunan.

The worst part of today was the car key catastrophe, though. Taking the mischievous hound to Marwick Bay she decided to misbehave outrageously which required emergency lead application. Back at the car after half an hour or so, no keys. When I'd pulled the lead out of the pocket the car keys and come along too. Were they on the hound's collar? Nope! So to add to the lack of peaceful swift hunting, we were now locked out 10 miles from home, no mobile signal and anyway Louise amd Mollie were away in Kirkwall doing horsey stuff. Once we were both able to search, no other people around for the hound to molest, we scoured pathway and beach. Eventually, down near the tideline Ellen felt something strange underfoot, car keys! Phew.

We elected to have a quiet afternoon at home and as further track repairs are pressing we trudged down the hill. A close encounter with a Peregrine was rather startling. The Lapwings were up and eventually I got onto the Peregrine coming my way at head height, straight my way like a bullet..Through the bins I didn't realise just how close it got until I heard the "Whoosh!" of its wings as it pulled up and arced back south. Next up were excellent views of two Shorties which ended up having a spat. Then a Merlin went across the fields after the thrushes, no doubt why there was all this activity in the first place. It did that Merlin accelerator thing that they do when hunting, upping the pace as they close in with high power wing beats, I didn't see if it was successful but it caused considerable panic.

Track repairers

One of the two Shorties, notice the diagnostic underwing pattern

We sat in the garden having tea at dusk watching the Rooks and a few Jackdaws heading off past our roost to other trees somewhere. They hang around the trees for much of the day but at the moment they are not roosting here.

Other birds today were a Brambling, eight or so Chaffinch and the Tree Sparrow. Ellen and I finally got around to concreting the feeder pole in place so it will no longer need various lumps of wood driven into the ground to prop it up, hopefully.

Harray and Scapa

2011-11-13T20:04:00.001Z

At home this morning I nearly trod on a Woodcock that was hiding in the back bushes. There were plenty of Chaffinch, probably 12 and at least 7 Reed Buntings. A Brambling was heard to call. Fieldfares trickled SE with a 10, a 3 and a 42 and there were a fair few Redwing about, fewer Blackbirds today though. A Sparrowhawk did the drop from the sky trick, I was down the track repairing a hole or two and noticed the Starlings do their protective flock thing, above and behind them a Sparrowhawk was homing in on the trees, she got there and just folded her wings and dropped, levellling out just a foot above the ground to go for the spuggies. A male and a female Hen Harrier came through the garden and just beyond early afternoon. The Tree Sparrow is still here. On The Shunan there were Teal and Wigeon and a good few Lapwings around the periphery.

Scapa Bay from the pier yesterday morning - the white building to the left is the Scapa distillery, origin of my favourite (but rather expensive) malt.

Scapa this afternoon was stuffed with gulls, many, many more than yesterday morning. I managed to get pretty good views of problem bird number two (the lower pix yesterday). Looks to me like a very pale 1cy Iceland Gull, quite a large one so maybe that's why the legs looked long. No sign of the other bird unfortunately.

Bonus bird was a Great-crested Grebe which I found on the edge of the gull scrum. This is quite an uncommon bird on Orkney, I think this will be just the third record this year. An Orkney tick for me.

Those gulls again, with pix

2011-11-12T21:56:00.001Z

Photos courtesy Morris Rendall

This is the bird that it has been argued is a 2CY Iceland Gull. To my eye it looks more like a Glaucous except that the eye looks far too big. Any opinion would be welcomed.

Photos courtesy Gerry Cannon

It was originally argued that this bird was not an Iceland Gull but might be a leucistic Herring Gull. General opinion now is that it is indeed an Iceland Gull but it continues to pose some interesting questions. The bill colour and dark eye would lead to the conclusion it is 1stCY but the plumage looks much more like 2nd CY. From Olsen and Larsson I found that 2CY Kumlien's can have an all dark bill. Could this bird be a 2nd CY Kumlien's, albiet a very pale one? The tibia and overall leg length looks long to my eye, is this a problem?

Here are a couple more pictures.

Photos courtesy Morris Rendall

Any opinions will be very gratefully received, some reasons for any ID would be handy, thanks.

Gull ID - aaaagggghhhhh, help!

2011-11-08T23:30:00.001Z

Strange things are happening in gull world. Back in October I was rather chuffed to find three different white-winged gulls in four days. I was happy with their ID, it was pretty much an auto-pilot job to be honest, maybe that's the trouble. I got pix of two of them and another observer saw one of them as well. But now .... I'm struggling for my sanity. Perhaps its a hang-over from all the shannanigans with the wheatear.

A careful look at my photos of the Tesco Corner Iceland of 22nd October leads me to realise I mis-aged it, bill colour is the reliable factor, so despite its whiteness it has to be a first winter.

Have a look on Orkbird at these two pix. Here's the first one - click - This one can't be as labelled can it? That's just got to be hyperboreus.

But then there's this one - click - that's not right either, is it? Legs are too long, especially the tibia, bill is too long, head and body shape is wonky. It has been suggested that this one is a leucistic Herring Gull, I'm not sure and I'd like to see it in the flesh but I'd be surprised if it is an Iceland Gull.

Please post your ideas in the comments ....

Extra - here's a bit more on the gulls, I'm changing my mind again....

Martin,

I'll make comments in amongst your text about this second gull, -A-

--- In Orkbird@yahoogroups.com, "Martin" wrote:

> The bill shape speaks of Iceland, a bit less robust than Herring with an even
curve down to the tip. Quite unlike the sharp drop to the tip of Glaucous and
also lacking the length and parallel-sided (chisel) build of that species.

- A - I disagree with some of this analysis. There is a need to be wary because
of the angle the shot is taken at. Bill shape looks good for Glaucous to my eye,
it may fit some Iceland Gulls though. However bill length looks better for
Iceland, that could be a product of the angle though.

>
> Colour of the basal 2/3rds of the bill being bluey/grey is not a Glaucous
feature at any age., it would show pinky/fleshy bill tones around this age.

- A - But that colour doesn't really fit Iceland too well either. In Glaucous
the brightness of the pink fades from first year (I do agree this is a 2nd CY).
Colour could be a product of water on the bill, gunk on the bill or photographic
aberration... If its real I think its more problematic for Glaucous than Iceland
but its still problematic.

>
> The image where the head is concealed shows a very long forewing from bend to
tip, seems better for Iceland.

- A - I completely disagree, wing shape, both the breadth of the hand and the
arm and length look better for Glaucous but caution again... angle of shot.

>
> Into the realms of the subjective, the head shape and facial expression have a
slight benign quality rather than the angular shape and scowling glare of
Glaucous.

- A - Disagree, looks like it would murder your granny - better for Glaucous.
However, for me the eye is too big in proportion to the bill and head for
Glaucous, much more like Iceland.

>
> So sorry again Alastair, not denying this one yet.

- A - I also don't like the body shape for Iceland, it looks too heavy and big
chested, but maybe its just had a heavy meal.

I will go down there and try and look for this bird when I can, maybe Saturday.
As I said I really don't like id just from photos because I know I'm **** at it.
I think this bird is problematic from the two pictures.

>
> Back in the winter of 1982-83 Orkney experienced an amazing influx of Iceland
Gulls. Both Kirkwall and Stromness harbours held double figures of birds; they
were everywhere. Eric and I spent a great many hours sifting through these,
armed only with the topical writings of the late Peter Grant, the Poyser 'Gull
Identification'. This remains a standard reference today. What became obvious
that winter was the myth that Iceland Gulls are the most effeminate looking of
large gull species was starting to unravel. We found plenty of very large
Icelands and even one corpse which had biometrics indicating either a huge
Iceland or a tiny Glaucous.

- A - I learnt a lot of my birding with Peter (Dungeness). Actually when he
wrote the book he hadn't seen that many Iceland Gulls if I remember correctly.
I've even got a picture published in the book (and its not even blurry, 1st CY
Med). But Olsen and Larsson is the business, to be somewhat disloyal, (as long
as you have the corrected reprint).

>
> That was a long while ago but I carried those memories with me during 15
summers working in the high Arctic and especially when in Greenland. I visited
the east coast more often and here found rather few mostly our slightly built
familiar winter visitors which I called the 'Jessies'. I had to wait until the
summer of 2006 to get into West Greenland and here they were, lots of them, the
'Bruisers'. One of the highlights of my life was sitting in my boat just off
Iqqaluit, West Greenland, throwing fish to a flock of 300 Icelands, great muckle
brutes all. This anecdote suggests to me that the Jessies and the Bruisers come
from different shores of Greenland. My own homespun guess is that the British
Isles is within the routine wintering range of Jessies but not Bruisers. They
only reach us after severe weather (as in 82-83) and as part of a noticeable
influx. Now, of course I know this is back-of-a-fag-packet research but it seems
to work most of the time.

-A- Never been there and never seen any Icelands that look like that. I have
looked at a lot of pix though. Also if Western Greenland Icelands are bigger why
aren't kumlieni bigger?

Anyway, maybe I was hasty, but to suggest this 2nd bird is "undeniably Iceland"
is a touch forward in my view. It could be Glaucous, and brief discussions I've
had with others suggest that there is a body of opinion that thinks that may
well be the case. I like some of your argument, my opinion (for what its worth)
is currently "possibly Iceland". Other opinion, with reasoning, would be very
helpful.

As for the first bird I think there are still issues and I need to see it, the
tibia was well long for Iceland. It's very pale to have a black bill. There is a
suggestion that it is more likely a pale kumlieni and I'm still not 100% on it
being a 1st CY, some 2nd CY kumlieni apparently have black bills, I'm not really
happy to identify this bird until I've seen it. I would value other opinions.

I do find all this stuff fascinating and educative, thanks to both Morris and
Gerry for getting the pix and to Martin for stirring it up.

Alastair

Goose count day

2011-11-06T23:25:00.001Z

That's a lot of geese. In the end I counted 5,825 Greylags and about 80 Pink-feet. Loch of Tankerness was a bit of a challenge though.

During the day I came across a very nice drake Surf Scoter with 23 Velvets and 9 Commons; 37 Great Northerns, 7 Red-throated Divers, 10 Slavonian Grebes, a duck Goosander and a Snow Bunting or two. I heard a Coal Tit and maybe heard a Blue Tit too but they proved elusive in the conifers.

There were a few hundred Fieldfare around but the bright clear weather has encouraged many to push off south

Snow Buntings

2011-11-05T23:21:00.002Z

I wandered out fairly early on a beautiful still, sunny day. A male Merlin was terrorising The Shunan amd environs. I elected not to go OBP hunting near the airport as it was clear last night.... Probably the reason that despite the initial warmth the moth trap was devoid of moths, although a Small Tortoiseshell was on the wing around midday. Walking back up from searching through the 250 odd Teal for a more interesting duck two Snow Buntings flew over heading south, a new species for the tetrad for me and only 100m short of being a garden tick.

Plenty of thrushes around today with Fieldfare and Redwing around home and Fieldfare being especially evident on Hillside Rd when we drove over to Evie mid afternoon. At Evie there were two Great Northern Divers and a Velvet Scoter. Plenty of gulls but I couldn't weedle an interesting one out of the roost. Waders included three Purps and a single Sanderling.

Other species in and around the garden today were Brambling, probably 8 or so round and about, Reed Bunting, perhaps 6, Robin, 4, Chaffinch, 4, Blackbird perhaps 20. Most frustrating was the brief view of a chat which paused in full view against the light momentarily, it may have been Black Red or even something much more exciting but unfortunately it didn't show again.

Tomorrow is goose count day so I'm off to the East Mainland, it will be a whole day job.

Even more Desert Wheatear stuff

2011-11-01T21:53:00.001Z

Folk were obviously far too polite. Nobody mentioned I was so, so wrong about ageing the bird....
Birds like this are very educative, I now know about wheatear moult. The following is my latest Orkbird post. Posts on here on previous days were also just cut and paste jobs. I did miss out a bit of a disagreement - but it added nothing to the argument.

According to Lewington / Alstrom Desert Wheatear cannot be reliably aged in the field except in early juvenile plumage. So is there any reason (e.g. moult) why our bird couldn't be an adult female? Probably from the pix it may be possible to see..."primaries more worn"; not especially helpful, I thought they looked quite fresh with those neat tips but other opinion would be handy (that would make it an adult)..."a moult contrast can often be seen among the greater coverts" Anyone note anything there? My edition of Svensson doesn't help.

What about the race of our bird? Jonsson mentions three races of which atrogularis of Central Asia is the darkest. Few Scottish records have been assigned to subspecies although Forrester and Andrews suggest that an Eastern origin is most likely for our autumn birds. When I finally signed up to Bird Forum to read the discussion there yesterday there was a suggestion that the rump colour, and therefore maybe the overall colouration, might be caused by reasons other than race, it might be erythritic.

Desert Wheatear again

2011-10-30T22:50:00.002Z

I went back and had another look at the bird this afternoon. There are now many more photographs available to view as well (on Orkbird).

Here's an update on my thinking re this bird.

Age: pale edges to the primary and greater coverts, to the2aries and pale tips to the primaries lead me to a bird in its first calendaryear.

Sex: this afternoon I noted a brownish tinge to the earcoverts, in all three species that would make it a female.

I made comments about the bird’s structure yesterday which Iwon’t repeat but they point to Desert Wheatear. Additionally, I noted today theconstant tail wagging which is a feature of Desert Wheatear but I don’t know ifthe other two species do this to the same degree (Northern Wheatear for exampledoes not). The bird often has a rather supine as opposed to upright posture.

The tail pattern seems to be the feature that is causingmost confusion and leading to identifications other than Desert Wheatear.However, my view would be that Lee is entirely correct because:

The extent of black on the tail from the tip up towards thebase is consistent with Desert Wheatear and not consistent with Red-tailedwhich, according to the photos I’ve looked at does not have black extending sofar up the tail as the bird we have, it would be about 50% less for thatspecies from photos. Red-rumped Wheatear would not be eliminated on thisfeature however (but it is eliminated on a host of other plumage features, e.g.rufous brown crown) (Mullarney et al)

Red-tailed Wheatear should have a Northern Wheatear like Tof black in the tail but our bird does not have that feature. I think that Tshould be formed by black extending further up the two central tail feathers, 6and 7 (I’m numbering from left to right) (Svensson). Our bird appears to havesome additional black extending up the edges of tail feathers 5 and 8 inparticular. Our bird also appears to have dark centres to two of the centralupper tail coverts. I believe these features are combining to give animpression of a T which does not actually exist.

I do agree that this bird is unlike typical DesertWheatears, it is rather drab and grey and is not so contrasting in its plumagebut to my eye I can’t see any reason for it to be anything else. I wouldreiterate that I am no expert and I’m making these judgements on availablereliable references and a fairly brief review of easily available photographsas well as the few hours I’ve spent in the field examining the beast.

I’ll be very happy to be proven incorrect but none of thereasons put forward to this point have convinced me to change my opinion. Convinceaway….

And on to other things...
Thanks to the heads up from AL I headed to Langskaill later this afternoon. First bird I saw was a Yellow- browed but that was not the quarry. The give away call could be heard softly. A Chiffchaff showed and showed, then a Goldcrest. Eventually after 15 minutes of perseverence, joy, Long-tailed Tit!

Then a nip to Scapa and two Little Auks in the fading light; lots of gulls there as well.

Back at the ranch today there were still many Blackbirds, 30 or so; at least two Robins, five Reed Buntings and a few Brambling and Chaffinch.

Desert Wheatear

2011-10-30T01:12:00.002+01:00

There has been some debate about this bird. I've had a look at the photos of Red-tailed/Persian and Red-rumped on BirdGuides and pictures of Desert on the same website. I only have field experience of
Desert previously.

When I arrived (late as I'd been out of range looking at pipits at Palace) I was told the bird was most likely not Desert and might well be Red-tailed, this was all rather exciting but when I finally settled down to look at the bird carefully and photograph it I got some excellent views and some fair pix (surprise surprise).

Jonsonn's Birds of Europe and the Collins Guide appear to disagree about the tail pattern of Red-tailed / Persian ( xanthoprymna). Photographs support the tail pattern illustrated in the Collins Guide, which would rule this species out. Anyway it has a heavy bill and looks big headed and short-tailed, different proportions to our bird.

Red-rumped Wheatear (moesta) has a similar tail pattern to Desert. However, this species also has a heavy bill. I can't find any pix of juvs but it would seem that the species has a grey back, an extensive pale throat and a rich brown crown.

Our bird has a weak bill. It also has a small head and a proportionally longtail. The legs are also thin in proportion to the body. There are photographs on Birdguides of a Desert Wheatear in Lincs in Nov 2008 that are very similar to our bird, especially when photographed in poor light. The rump shows a very similar colour to our bird when viewed from behind.

I'm surprised at this conclusion as the bird looked so different from the Desert Wheatears I've seen in the past and the illustrations in the field guides, I would always have expected a pale bird with contrast between the body and the wings however Jonsson mentions race atrogularis as being darker on the body. Everything else seems to fit, if there is an extension of the black into the centre of the upper tail I couldn't see that in the field and would a small extension be significant in any case?

I haven't had time to look at BWP or search BBi but I can't see any reason to doubt this bird is anything other than Desert, I'll be happy to be persuaded though...

Treeper

2011-10-23T23:02:00.001+01:00

Now that was a surprise. Birding around the garden this morning, a nice male Blackcap was almost the first bird I saw. The next bird was a real surprise, a Treeper. This is a species that occurs just about once a year on Orkney so one in the garden is a bit of a triumph. Also present today was a Chiffy, several Chaffinch and Brambling, several Reed Buntings, Redwings and about 20 Blackbirds, several of which were again seen to leave high to the south.

A stroll around Palace found a Goldfinch and a rather odd Willow Warbler with very bright orange/yellow legs and feet.

White-winged Gulls

2011-10-22T22:13:00.000+01:00

Wednesday morning's seawatch was a bit of a disappointment all the same there were a few skuas and a good passage of Kittiwakes, 150 in 90 minutes, A mystery bird gave brief views, scary but I must have mis-seen the features, surely.

Returning to Birsay in the afternoon with the family to look at the waves a first winter Iceland Gull appeared over our heads, nice one.

The next day I went down to Waulkmill Bay late in the afternoon with dog, offspring and relative, onto the beach and reprise (of a kind) a first winter Glaucous Gull circled our heads as we stepped onto the beach.

Today on the way back from the airport we stopped off at the PDC to show our guests some close views of Long-tailed Ducks and in amongst the twenty or so gulls on Tesco Corner was a second winter Iceland Gull. (Ooops, now on examination age is reviewed, the bill colour would make this a first winter, plumage is not totally reliable for aeging I have learnt.)

Ivory Gull tomorrow?...

In and around the garden of late: Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Goldcrest, Redwing, Fieldfare, Robin, (piles of Blackbirds moving through), Chaffinch, Brambling and several Reed Buntings.

Twite have been evident on the track and over the house of late.

Seawatching

2011-10-18T22:37:00.002+01:00

The west-nor'west wind doth blow so a seawatching I shall go.

Not perfect conditions and I couldn't manage this morn due to the need to aid with wrestling the new boiler into position. However, come lunch time, and having dropped oldest offspring off at her mate's house, it was to the Point of Buckquoy (otherwise known as the Borugh of Birsay car park). Fortunately at this time of year there was no need to jockey for position as for most of the four and a half hours mine was the only car getting battered by the wind, rain, hail, seaspray and other assorted elements.

Now why is it with seawatching that all too often two interesting birds show at once? So in four and a half hours there were four notable birds really. First off after an hour or so a very acceptable juvenile Pom went by close enough to show off all its best features, including the signature underwing. However, not far off two and a half hours, and along came the star of the show, Leach's Petrel making strong headway into the wind and also showing off very nicely. I track back and am immediately I'm onto another juvenile skua but this is no Pom and it doesn't look like an Arctic either, unfortunately it was just a bit of a way out and I was struggling to get the best of views when it was past the car wing mirror and out of view. Even a quick bit of reversing and manouvering couldn't get me back onto it. Trouble was I hadn't tracked back very far from the petrel and it was just too brief a view, but I was pretty sure, but not quite sure enough, that it was a juvenile Long-tail; so it goes.

Half an hour later a blue Fulmar went by close in.

The accompanying cast included an adult, pale phase Arctic Skua, eleven Bonxies, about 150 Kittiwakes including about 30% juveniles, 270 Gannets and unusually for the time of year 290 or so Fulmar. There was a trickle of Guillemots west and a few Razorbills and some Eider as well.

Back home the Yellow-browed had called in the morning, after having a close shave with a Sparrowhawk. A Kestrel was present. Yesterday's two Brambling fed under the feeders as did two Chaffinch. There was a tantalising glimpse of what was probably a male Blackcap, which would be a tetrad and a garden tick.

So all in all a pretty good october day.

Yellow-browed Warbler

2011-10-17T22:24:00.000+01:00

Nice! Nice, nice! Oh I do so love Yellow-browed Warblers especially when I'm hearing and then watching one from our garden. Scrutiny of the sycamores has paid off this autumn and the Yellow-browed Warbler is just such a good garden bird.

Where's the Yellow-browed Warbler?

Also in the garden this afternoon were 19 Blackbirds, 3 Chaffinches, a Redwing or two. This morning there had been three Brambling under the feeders and the Tree Sparrow was still present.

Spent much of the rest of the day on South Ronaldsay and East Mainland looking at waders and gulls for not much reward it has to be said; so it goes.

Whooper Swans, four of seven at Liddel

Lapwing and Golden Plover on the Helston Road

Introducing my new series (and see top of this post): Where's ...

Boney?

American Wigeon

2011-10-16T23:40:00.001+01:00

Thanks to AL for the prompt text, ten minutes later I was watching a nice drake American Wigeon on Loch of Harray. It was at a bit of range but interestingly straight-necked and floating higher in the water. I'll have another look tomorrow to see if I can pick it out again with a bit more time to look.

A family trip to South Ronaldsay produced a Swallow, a juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull and really good numbers of Eider and Gannets. The Gannets must have got into a shoal of fish as there were near enough 1400 in the flock, about five miles off I reckonned.

At home the Tree Sparrow was on the feeders and a couple of Reed Buntings dropped in briefly but I had little time to look.

Blackbird stuff

2011-10-16T00:30:00.002+01:00

Interesting things Blackbirds. At the moment there are a lot of those matt black ones around with dull black bills. I presume these are Scandinavian jobs but I really ought to look at references and check that supposition. Anyway this afternoon 16 of them went through the neighbouring trees, some pausing on the powerlines first, before heading off across the cut barley field south. A few minutes later another five appeared on the fringes but either stayed put or went into the nearest field to feed.

Thursday evening, Loch of Harray

Bobolink - missing...

2011-10-12T00:01:00.000+01:00

The temperature has dropped recently, good job the heating engineer is here putting in the new system, we've not had a working boiler for months but its getting a bit uncomfortable now.

The girls and Louise had more Whooper Swans this morning as they walked down for the school transport, two tacked on to the back of 13 Mutes. My cycle to work was not enlivened by Swallows for the first time since they arrived in the spring, indeed it was rather birdless.

News of a Scarlet Grosbeak on Eday raised the pulse but it hasn't been seen today, there's no chance of me getting out there until Saturday, doubtless by then a waste of time. However, it does give hope for the search. Where's my Bobolink?

Napolean Bonaparte

2011-10-08T20:13:00.001+01:00

I'd not been able to go for the Boney on Thursday but a clear diary on Friday afternoon meant I could leave shortly after four. Arriving at the barriers shortly before five I searched the Graemeshall shores and the Barley field to no avail. The gull roost off Holm looked interesting though so I persevered with that and bingo! Nice adult Boney, the lack of black on the underwing is a real giveaway in flight.

The flushing assistant

Today I had a long tramp with my flushing assistant in the morning which found me nice numbers of Pochard and Curlew, the Golden Plover flock and five Scaup. But failed to find the hoped for Jack Snipe.

Wildfowl on Bosquoy

Back at the ranch a Mealy Redpoll fed briefly on docks before disappearing. There was an early afternoon trickle of Swallows east and Chaffinch, Redwing, Robin all showed. Late afternoon there was a Wheatear on the track.

Loch of Bosquoy

The rookery trees

Squall passing

West Mainland again

2011-10-03T23:11:00.000+01:00

I was a bit puffed out to be honest and keen to improve the garden list I spent a lot of time mooching around the Sycamores and the willows around the back. The family gripped me off. Mollie first, scoring Short-eared Owl early on which performed beautifully for her whilst she let the hound out first thing. Flying around her head and almost into the garge before perching on the roof of the byre. Then Louise had the Barred Warbler again under the feeders, she gave a good enough description.

I tramped round and around the garden, a small unidentified warbler first thing. Four Brambling and a few Redwings. Probably saw the Barred Warbler chasing a Chaffinch into the tops of the Sycamores in the afternoon.

Down at Birsay the hound and I watched waders for an hour or so, including quite a puzzling large Dunlin with a pinkish/brown neck. Had me going for a bit but a Dunlin it was. Careful examination of Rock Pipits has now got me to be entirely clear about Buff-bellied Pipit ID, there's still time for another of those, a self-find would be very neat.

The moth trap has proved rather disappointing, just one Rosy Rustic last night; three Large Yellow Underwings, a Rosy Rustic and an Angle Shades the night before (with a maybe interesting micro).

A bit of looking through the "from the garden" list for the year uncovered some omissions so with the Barred, Goldcrest and Reed Bunting of the weekend the list stands at 96 beating last year by two already.

Its blowing a hooley tonight, fingers crossed the greenhouse will be ok.

West Mainland day

2011-10-01T21:20:00.004+01:00

Some of yesterday's Pinkies (71 in two flocks)

The day was spent between home and Birsay. A day that was supposed to have rain all day was still and overcast with almost no rain. Time at the beginning and the end of the day was spent patrolling the Sycamores and other vegetation around the house which produced Redwings again, after the 19 or so yesterday and Goldcrest was added to the "in the garden" list securely with good views eventually, there may well be as many as five present. Bramblings showed up at the end of the day, like the Chaffinches they had little interest in the feeding station and spent their short time with us feeding on aphids in the Sycamores. Also at the end of the day two unidentified warblers, one of which may have been a Garden Warbler and the other might have been Thursday's (or another) Barred Warbler but both birds were uncooperative.

The lunchtime beach at The Links held plenty of waders, I'll be going back tomorrow to count them properly but 70 or so Ringed Plovers, 10 Dunlin, 3 Barwits plus Turnstones, Redshanks and Curlews. The main point of interest at The Links though were the thrips on the beach, see pix below.

Thrips

The black line in front of the girls is all thrips, and it's deep, half a finger tip to the joint

These are on a pool turning it black

The 20p coin gives a sense of scale here.

There must have been billions of thrips on the beach.

On a roll

2011-09-29T23:40:00.002+01:00

Funny this birding lark. You go weeks and weeks flogging away, searching the same places and the rewards are a Curlew Sand or a Pom then everything changes and you find a decent bird every time you go out.

I had a brief wander around the garden this afternoon, I didn't have much time as I had Dad stuff to do and the offspring were impatient. But it was still and there were birds. A Chaffinch, then three, two Wrens, six or seven Blackbirds, 2 Robins at least, a Reed Bunting. Thought I heard a Goldcrest which would be a garden tick. Then, there in front of me was a garden tick, a Barred Warbler. I don't find many passerines and this is a species I've not found before. Delight, especially as it gave cracking views whilst it fed in the soft afternoon light in the Sycamores. Didn't cross the wall line into our garden but a "from the garden" tick nonetheless. The camera was in the kitchen of course, and after I'd ran and got it all I managed was a blur.

North Ronaldsay weekend

2011-09-25T22:56:00.001+01:00

This weekend had been booked for a fortnight as my previous attempt to get to North Ron ahd been scuppered by fog which prevented the plane from flying.

DE and I arrived on the six o'clock plane and were immediately whisked to the north end of the island where a number of rarities were known to lurk. Most things had gone to roost but PB got us on to the Short-toed Lark which we saw adequately in the failing light.

The next morning we headed again for the north end after breakfast. There was a stiff southerly breeze and sheltering behind the dykes was required in order to keep optics steady. Having tried various view points as we scanned for pipits and wagtails a Citrine Wag called very loudly in my ear and landed on the dyke beside me. I went for the bins not the camera and excellent views were obtained, but not a picture (the below is the best I could manage later on).

Citrine Wagtail

Whilst scanning the available pipits and other wagtails a small wader was scoped. A completely unexpected Buff-breasted Sand which performed superbly for the next two hours or so before disappearing.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper, a new find for me

The business of the day was to find the Buff-bellied Pipit which was soon seen briefly before it disappeared. This is a species I have never really got to grips with either in the field or via photos so I was pleased to have seen it but disappointed I hadn't got the sort of views which would have given me a solid tick.

A couple of hours failed to sort the pipit out until PB (the other one) appeared and showed us the bird. I still wasn't entirely happy with the views I was getting, mostly due to the bright sunlight which I think was making the subtlty of the plumage colours hard to pick out. In the end it took me until about two in the afternoon of pacing around the north end to finally get the views I was looking for and to fully understand the identification. The clincher was hearing the call as I flushed the bird after taking a large number of pics.

Citrine Wagtail and Buff-bellied Pipit in the same frame... nice

Buff-bellied Pipit

During this whole performance various other things were found including a large flock of Snow Buntings, 14 Sooty Shearwaters during a half hour look at the sea, and two Lapland Buntings.

A celebratory meal was called for in the new lighthouse cafe. Unbeknown to me DE who had returned earlier to the Obs with the hunger of a starved horse had not known about this rather fine hostelry and was not a little peeved to hear of its delights after an hour or so's tramp back to the Obs. He did however, manage Yelow-browed and glimpses of Grotfinch on the way.

Managing to get a lift most of the way back down the island after an especially uneventful seawatch I spent the late afternoon hunting unsuccessfully for the American Golden Plove, found late in the morning, which had hidden itself away in long grass and hundred's of Goldies.

Old Light

The next day I was out and hunting around the Holland House gardens from quite early on. Plenty of birds called including two Yellow-broweds, one of which I glimpsed, innumerable Blackcaps, Lesser Whitethroat and three Goldcrests but I failed to find anything of more interest.

After breakfast things were only slightly better with a glimpse of a flying Barred Warbler. However, perseverence was required and DE and I headed down to Hooking. We counted waders and generally enjoyed a pleasant morning's birding when DE noticed a harrier over the loch. For some reason (I see Hen Harrier nearly every day at home, it's often a garden bird) I decided to get the skaffolding out and set up the scope, with the usual cursing as the legs stuck etc. Eventually I managed to view a rapidly retreating distant harrier whilst looking into harsh light. The bird banked briefly and I was sure I could see deep, rusty brown, uniform underparts. I then watched with a bit more diligence and noted that the bird was flying with subtly more rapid wing beat and the wings looked long and pointed. However, within a second or so the bird had disappeared from view. "That'll be a harrier sp." I said to DE as we started scanning the links for waders and counting Ringed Plover. A few minutes later DE shouted up "Harrier!" and I saw what was clearly either a Monty or a Pallid pass almost over our heads, "It's a Pallid!" shouted DE. In the struggle to decide whether to photograph it or look carefully all I got was the colour and the flight again, although I did see a collar that looked much like the markings on photographs of juvenile Pallid Harriers that I've recently been examining (ever hopeful). A brief discussion revealled that we hadn't got all the features, I was concerned at this point that BBRC would chuck it out. I called up the troops. We scanned down the links and after 15 minutes or so I saw the bird distantly to the north. By this time troops had indeed arrived. We walked down to join most of the observatory who had gathered a few hundred metres down the way. As we arrived everyone decided to get back in the vehicle and drive north. As usual I decided to do something different and stay put. A few minutes later I was treated to excellent views as an agile, twisting, hunting Pallid Harrier came south again showing all its best features, excellent!

Pallid Harrier, two finds in two days, exceptional

I eventually moved to the south of Hooking where I got very good views, not great photos but you get the jist.

I would have got better pictures if a wader which flew over with Snipe hadn't confused and distracted me. Looking very dark and unmarked into the light and I being in a bit of a heightened state, to be honest I jumped to the wrong conclusion. Bit of a shame really as I don't mind finding a Pec, which is what it was, and which on a calmer day I would most probably have got right, even on not so good flight views. However, everyone was very good tempered about being whistled up for what is not an especially uncommon bird here, when it was eventually heard to call and seen again in flight, so it goes.

North Ronaldsay sheep

Migrant hunting

2011-09-18T22:55:00.001+01:00

6.30 off and down to South Ron collecting JB from Toab on the way. A quick stop at Quoyangry was nearly a quick heart attack until reason cut in and the three waders in the field were identified as Grey Plover.

Burwick ruin

Down at Burwick small warblery jobs were a jumping and a jiving and we managed to see thre Blackcaps, two (at least) Garden Warblers, two Willow Warblers and a LesserWhitethroat in the same bush. A couple of exciting moments with an unidentified thing that flew in and flew off (Nightingale!!!!!!!???) and a maybe elusive Iccy but it was good enough without them.

Garden Warblers

To Brough Farm where last year the BBS had held a brief court, the fields were full of waders including 49 Ruff and a couple of Curlew Sands amongst many Goldies and a variety of commoner waders.

Back to Burwick and then to the Graemston Loch gardens which produced a very vocal Yellow-browed and a Spot Fly.

A quick stop at Hestily then on to Windwick where there were a few Sylvias in the bushes but we only nailed Garden and Blackcap.

At Quoyangry again where there were now four Grey Plovers but we flushed the calidrid flock, although one Curlew Sand was ided in flight.

A blank at Cara but DS put us on to the Honeygeo Red-back and sure enough there it was when we got there with Lesserthroat again and WW.

Red-backed Shrike

Lesserthroat

By this point (1.30) house points were in jeopardy so it was time to retire from the field.

Back in Harray the first Chaffinch of the autumn was calling from the garden and the greenfinch flock had returned, approving of the much improved quality of the bird food (a whole bag of sunflower seeds now added).

AGP (most likely)

2011-09-13T23:58:00.001+01:00

As I was taking the dog out for her before bed pee on Sunday evening a wader flew over and called twice as it went. It wasn't a Goldie but it certainly had that Pluvialis quality. It's taken a bit of research, as I didn't recognise the call, although I had my suspicions, but it is likely that it was an AGP. Unfortunately, because I don't have field experience of this species' call I reckon it's unclaimable. The calls I've listened to (xeno-canto and The Sound Approach) vary rather a lot.

Next time the *********** thing better sit on the front lawn.

Grounded

2011-09-10T22:51:00.002+01:00

My flight was at 3.15 and that's when the fog came in so it was no trip to North Ronaldsay for me this weekend, darn!

Surprisingly for such a dank, damp day raptors have been a highlight with two Hen Harriers, a Sparrowhawk and a Kestrel around the house and two other Kestrels and a Hen Harrier seen on my various trips to Kirkwall and out to Birsay.

The late afternoon compensatory trip to Birsay produced a few waders on the beach, including a Barwit, a Sanderling and 74 Ringed Plovers. There were very few passerines however, a likely White Wag being the highlight. The only passerine of note today has been the Tree Sparrow, which although a little more elusive, continues to frequent the feeders in the garden on occasion.

The Brough at dusk (last weekend)

Barley by Nisthouse

Mepits from the drop last Tuesday

Unknown micro

Pink-barred Sallow

Life can be short

2011-08-31T21:22:00.000+01:00

Juvenile Ringed Plovers on Birsay beach. Several flew to the rocks to roost as dusk approached. Something flashed through the scope and I scanned rapidly left to catch it; that moment the blue, grey Peregrine plucked the Ringed Plover from its roost. Wing and leg dangling, life's last moments ebbed as they rounded the low cliff to be lost from view.

You know that Autumn is here when...

2011-08-30T21:24:00.000+01:00

there is a bright green/yellow (juvenile) Willow Warbler in the back garden...
there is a Robin piping around the bird feeders...
a Merlin whips across the front garden...

an Emperor Moth caterpillar is on the track...

The girls captured the caterpillar, I'll put it on the moor as I cycle to work tomorrow.

Storm

2011-08-28T23:53:00.000+01:00

Yesterday

Today

The wind was building yesterday and by this morning it was roaring. For some reason or other I didn't go seawatching first thing, probably a bad decision, as by the time I got to Point of Buckquoy (the Brough car park) storm petrels were piling past. Well, they were for the first few minutes when I saw five, I then took a further two hours twenty mins to see a further five. Nothing else doing, well not that I could see anyway.

Fulmar and Gannet from Saturday

Yesterday I had crossed to the Brough mid-afternoon and nearly got caught out, I think my tide calculations must have been awry as by 4.30 the causeway was covered and I had to paddle back to Mainland. Not many birds to see, but it was a good enough hour. I then went down to Whitaloo Point but saw nothing more.

The Shunan held a Spotted Redshank yesterday which I heard well but could not see and the Tree Sparrow is still with us. Louise had a pale phase skua sitting in the back fields today, probably an Arctic from her description.

Starlings in the barley, Birsay

Orca

2011-08-21T22:53:00.000+01:00

The new seawatch place, on the Brough of Birsay, turned up trumps again with brief but conclusive views of a male Orca heading west, probably about a couple of klicks out. Seawatching for shearwaters from the eastern end of The Brough, I'd paddled across before six and started seeing Manx straight away. The Orca appeared just before seven, surfacing briefly just twice, showing the huge dorsal fin clearly, the first I've seen for thirty years. Also during this session two Sooty Shearwaters and 17 Manx, a very brief view of a storm-petrel, not IDed to species, several Bonxies and a few Arctic Terns and Kittiwakes.

Earlier in the day I'd searched Birsay Palace beach for waders, 7 Sanderling, 8 Whimbrel, 1 Knot were the best of the bunch but 77 Ringed Plovers shouldn't go without mention. Back at the ranch the Ruff appear to have gone with the rain increasing the water level in The Shunan, the Teal like it though, increasing to 38.

Waders

2011-08-17T23:25:00.000+01:00

In focus Sanderling...

A day spent looking for and at waders. 350 Curlew around Bosquoy yesterday morning where there were 450 Lapwing today, when there were still 100 or so on The Shunan. There continues to be a Dunlin and a couple of Ruff on The Shunan. Birsay held 19 Sanderling, 15 Dunlin and a Barwit amongst the gradually increasing Turnstones and Oystercatchers, the Knot seem to have gone.

A look for The Loons Swallow roost was not aided by the person parked by the hide with their stereo on and the window open... No sign of the roost.

Dusk, Loch of Harray

Leviathan

2011-08-15T22:50:00.003+01:00

I seem to have taken to seawatching in the middle of the day (Badseawatching Part 7) and surprisingly it has been quite productive. Today I started at Birsay at the Point of Buckoy at about 1.30. Clearly something was going on as Fulmar were pouring past close inshore at 2,000 an hour. Within minutes of starting I was on to my first Sooty and ended up with a total of seven, 12 Manx also went west. Once the causeway cleared I went over to The Brough and watched from the eastern end, a new experience but in these conditions just the perfect place.

From the causeway looking east

Unfortunately I was accompanied by "The Hound" which didn't help with the concentration (winding the lead around the tripod legs and pulling is a favourite trick). Nonetheless I continued to pick up shearwaters, some of which were close. Highlight of the watch was at 2.15 when the scope was suddenly full of Minke Whale, an excellent view, repeated once before it disappeared into the deep and choppy water to the west. I returned to Pt of Buckoy with eldest offspring who was apparently starving to death. Fortified by soup and veggy burger I continued inbetween daughter flinging herself down the cliff. Ending at 4.00 I was pleased with the shearwater total, bearing in mind the distractions, also seen were eight Knot, one Arctic Skua, two Arctic Terns and about 30 Puffin. Just one Kittiwake were seen which was interesting considering their frequency of late.

Adult Turnstone

Earlier on I'd enjoyed sifting through a good few waders on the beach, including 17 summer plumaged Sanderling, four Knot and 66 Ringed Plovers.

Sanderling

Earlier still The Shunan had held four Black-tailed Godwits, the first for a while, and a Green Sandpiper, the first of the year and briefly available from the garden although I failed to accomplish that elusive tick.

Tonight the moth trap is set.

European Storm Petrel

2011-08-14T18:33:00.003+01:00

Now I have seen ESP (that would be the bird, not the beer which I haven't supped in a long time) already this year but that was in the hand when I ventured out to one of AL's ringing sessions late at night. We walked up to the cairn at Knowe of Geoso, a favourite trek from Bay of Skaill and I set up the scope with little expectation. It was good to find a trickle of southerly movement even in the "dead hours" of early afternoon. Two Manx went south at first peek and then five Arctic Terns, a Common Tern, a few Kittiwakes and the unmistakable flutter and land on the sea (even though it was about a mile away) of European Storm Petrel. Zooming in I got a pretty good view before it disappeared, vapourised even, as they do. Four Barwits also went south, distantly.

On the way back to base a Greenshank called at Loch of Skaill.

Excellent pic of the harrier...

A late start in the morning had found the female Marsh Harrier on the deck on the banks of The Shunan and four Ruff there. A nip to Bosquoy had me thinking Water Rail, I'll have to go back and check this but it certainly sounded like one. The Coot flock has reached 239 and there was a pile of gulls on the now cut and bailed hay field.

Its looking like a good evening for the Swallow roost so I guess I better get the tea on.... the wild mushrooms we found should come in handy.

I could be wrong but I'm thinking these are Square-spot Rustic

Loch of Bosquoy, late p.m.

There were but three Swallows at The Loons roost, and they flew through. However, two new calls; Teal juvenile contact calls and Water Rail juvenile to adult calls.

Spotted Redshank

2011-08-12T10:31:00.000+01:00

A Spotted Redshank on The Shunan this morning with an influx of 10 or so Redshank. I managed to see the Spotshank from the garden as well, always pleasing. The Ruff flock which was 6 the day before yesterday, two yesterday, is four today.

Of most interest yesterday was an influx of Herring Gulls, a total of 52 on The Shunan and surrounding fields which is an exceptional number for this site.

A juvenile Kestrel has been hanging around and a Sparrowhawk has been paying regular(ish) visits to the garden.

Small Tortoiseshell numbers have reached a minimum of seven in the garden with four Red Admirals and a few Meadow Browns. The moth trap the other day held over 200 each of Dark Arches and Large Yellow Underwing.

At Evie on Sunday there was a Ringed Plover pair with three day old or so chicks, this seems very late. As usual the Little Grebes on Bosquoy are late though, two pairs have chicks with one quite large one, and the other brood is of two which can be only a week or so old.

Swallow roost

2011-08-03T23:42:00.000+01:00

Having spent nearly all day thinking and talking about central heating... enthralling; it was time for birding. (Birding did intervene a little as during the discussions, I suddenly went, "Sparrowhawk!" as one flipped over the Rosebay and twisted across the front garden. Louise didn't alter her expression, visitors were slightly bemused.) I did pop down to The Shunan at lunchtime, two Ruff still present and a Redpoll sp flew south-east.

Down to The Loons for the evening roost. At 8 p.m. there were 26 Swallows and by 9.30 p.m. there were an estimated 1,500; spectacular. Also Greenshank there and piles of Sedgies.

How many (blurry) Swallows?

There was a moment at lunchtime Shunan-side when autumn passerine mode kicked in. A warbler flipped up in the Creeping Thistle. I was pretty sure it was an unstreaked Accro but it was a brief glimpse. Got me going though, and I started pishing, a useful tactic with Accros and it worked. The inquisitive little beastie rattled the thistles and docks and gave three or four more glimpses. I got the camera ready (well how else would I ID an unstreaked Accro?). But then it fled to the hawthorn hedge and as it went I saw... streaks; darn it was just a local Sedgie.

On Hoy

2011-08-03T11:21:00.001+01:00

... a rather a damp place yesterday afternoon. Third time lucky; (previous attempts had been aborted due to a lack of knowledge of the ferry timetable and, about to board, discovering Louise's car keys in my pocket) I eventually caught the noon boat yesterday.

Twin-spot Carpet (I think)

On the crossing I saw my first juv Tysties of the year, a single by Graemsay and five in a flock of adults off Moaness. Off the fish farm the water bubbled a couple of times with shoals of fish which a Bonxie seemed unable to feed from despite its best efforts.

I headed for Hoy Lodge Plantation and spent about an hour and a half searching for Coal Tit which despite hearing possible calls (those thin sounds which might be Coalie or might be Goldcrest, I confirmed neither) I failed to find; however, there was at least one (Common) Crossbill in there. Unfortunately I missed recording its call so a more certain id was not established. The plantation was very quiet in comparison to last year, when it had been full of Willow Warbler song, Chaffinch call and a lively place for birds. I did find evidence of Sparrowhawk activity though.

Bu Plantation

I then aimed north and headed across the moor to Hoy Forest (Bu Plantation). As I got there the rain began in earnest but the north-west corner was most productive with Coal Tit singing, at least two Coal Tit juvs whizzing around the trees, Robin with young, a pair of Chaffinch and a juv Willow Warbler. I was sure I heard Stonechat too but failed to see it.

I had a quick look at the coast and then retraced my steps, though going around Bu. Back at Hoy Lodge I sheltered under the tress for a while and continued listening for Coal Tit there.

Back at Moaness for the ferry Greenshank was noisy in the bay and there were at least two Red-throated Divers. (By this point actually managing to see anything through the bins was a bit of a challenge as all my cleaning clothes were rather damp and all they did was smear the water across the lenses. I can report that there were lots of rather distant "dots" on the water which I presumed to be a mixture of Eider, Tystie and Shag.) Closer, a Gannet looked rather lonely, surrounded by 14 Bonxies.

Boat slip, Moaness

Very cold and wet when I finally got back to the car, heater on full blast for the short spin home.

Dunlin

2011-07-27T23:18:00.000+01:00

Fantastic day today, bright and warm (this after some days of grey and cool, cold even). The warmth came through yesterday when the temperature suddenly jumped to 20C in the middle of the day but the sunshine didn't arrive until this morn. So good we even cobbled together a barbie.

The Dunlin are on the move, a flock of 17 at Birsay this afternoon were very tame. The local ones seem to have disappeared and this year I've seen no juvs on The Shunan, not a good breeding season perhaps. There had been 6 - 8 daily until fairly recently and on a couple of occasions i'd tracked them flying high over the house back up onto the moor. The 17 were all adults too. However, as we were leaving there were a couple of juvs by the burn mouth.

An excursion this morning to check some Atlas stuff produced an unexpected Slavonian Grebe, very smart. The steam roller was phtographed a few days earlier, on a prior visit to this site, I remember when beasts like this were in serious use.

The moth trap has not turned up anything very thrilling recently, well nothing I could identify at least. I've photographed a couple of things that might be of interest. However, Garden Tigers are always good to see.

Little Terns

2011-07-23T18:46:00.003+01:00

I had to go to buy a gate (that darn dog) so headed over the barriers to the site. 22 adult Little Terns at least and one maybe two juvs: nice!

Hope you're not too green JB?

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

2011-07-22T15:47:00.002+01:00

Out for storm petrels last night. The northerly wind didn't help and in the end only three European Storm Petrels were caught with another five or so bouncing or missing the net. Bit puffed out today though.

Two Garden Tigers, a Yellow Barred and several Antler moths in the trap, depite running it for half the night closed up, doh!

Seawatching

2011-07-19T23:00:00.000+01:00

The northwind doth blow... so a seawatching I did go. Just 90 mins this evening from Whitaloo produced a very nice Pom (sans spoons but smart all the same) heading east. A gang of Arctic Skuas east ( a three and at least 3 more singles) a Sooty the wrong way, east along with 16 Manx. There was a lot of feeding activity about a klick or so out with 100 Arctic terns and 200 Kitts (including a single juvenile). Also of interest were the Puffins and Razorbills tooing and froing with food.

Rousay

2011-07-18T23:52:00.021+01:00

We went over to Rousay today. The gloomy start to the day soon cheered up and we strode up the hill. Not many birds to report though and no cetaceans on the crossing.

New experience for the hound

Nice views from the top

Bonxie

Tall ships

2011-07-16T23:24:00.000+01:00

Having got back from holiday in England yesterday Louise and I went "sailing" today on one of the tall ships. This was a motor out of Kirkwall, east of Shapinsay, around Copinsay and then south down South Ron' around Burwick and then through the Firth to Stromness. It was all very civilised, we were well fed and cared for and no one was used as shark bait or prodded down the plank.

We were glad we weren't on this one

Only four of our many sails were set which was a bit of a disappointment but the wind was wrong for us apparently

I saw three of perhaps six Sooty Shearwaters and six Manxies.

Sooty Shearwater

Copinsay and The Horse

Back at the ranch one Oystercatcher is behaving as if it still has young.

Oystercatcher

Rooks and terns

2011-07-05T23:40:00.001+01:00

Living next to a rookery and large corvid roost is an interesting if sometimes noisy existence.Counting them in the other evening I was surprised by just how many there are roosting at the moment, 1477 and 127 Jackdaws. We'd noticed them "snoring" a few weeks ago and last night I listened carefully and what was apparent was they are synchronised snorers. But for desperate slowness of our upload speed the video would be posted with this. I must look this up in BWP and find out a bit more.

Arctic Terns

I went to look at the Skiba Geo Arctic Terns the other evening and found to my surprise that a small number were back on the colony. Careful inspection revealed no eggs or young but they were behaving like freshly arrived birds, displaying and staking out claims.

These photos were taken at Skaill where ten or so seemed to be defending a phantom colony on the beach. It has been a very poor year for this species here. I understand the Northumberland ones are faring better.

Skaill Bay

I wandered up on the moor yesterday and found my route littered with Common Blue butterflies.Onto the side of the Kame of Corrigall and across the moor where I flushed a couple of Red Grouse one of which had chicks, proof of breeding for The Atlas.

Full on

2011-06-27T23:37:00.001+01:00

It's been like a good autumn over the last few weeks and the last few weeks of work have been very busy so little time to post.

Yesterday I went out to Auskerry which is a small island just to the south of Stronsay. It took an hour and a half to get there from Kirkwall in a fairly speedy boat. Two Arctic Terns harassed me at one point, not so long ago there were 8,000 nesting here. Despite the lack of terns it was an interesting day with a range of species some of which were still breeding or had been successful. Arctic Skuas, various cliff nesting seabirds (see below) and the usual wader suspects. Two Harbour Porpoise an adult and a calf were also espied. The island is inhabited, by one family. A different kind of life.

Auskerry pictures

Shipwreck

Fulmar nests

View to the light

Stones

Steading

Puffins

Triangulation

Goodbye

On the way back the mobile buzzed a bit and a message came through (thanks SS) that there was a stint sp on The Shunan. I'd checked it before I left but easterly winds were conducive to something happening, despite the date. However, thorough searching for over an hour did not reveal the stint so I went to cook tea only to be soon interupted by AL to say he'd got a Temminck's. Tea abandonned (loss of house points there). Shot down the hill nearly losing it on the bend and connected. Good job too as it has proved highly elusive subsequently being seen briefly just twice despite my own and others prolonged efforts. Have not (so far) managed to get it on the "from the garden" list.

A walk today with Cora the dog tugging produced no stint but I did refind the two Ring-necked Ducks on Bosquoy and various other bits and bats showed well there, including a nice male Hen Harrier. More broods of Tufted make at least six so far. 8 Siskin were in the peedie wood.

The Shunan this evening held at least 24 Black-tailed Godwits and 17 Dunlin. The Tree Sparrow has visited a couple of times today.

Record shot! R-n Quacks

Evening sky - Mirbister

Cultural weekend

2011-06-19T22:34:00.000+01:00

Not much birding done this weekend as we've been enjoying the St Magnus Festival - The Tempest on Friday night, Cinderella and Mozart's Requiem today.

I did run the moth trap last night, although it barely goes dark. There were plenty of carpets about but only one decided to go in the trap. This one below was seen earlier.

Silver-ground Carpet

White Ermine

Here's a Harray sky, not yesterday as it was a beautiful sunny, even hot day.

More Ring-necked Ducks

2011-06-15T22:02:00.000+01:00

Managed to see one of the Ring-necked Ducks from the garden this evening and that has reassured me that I hadn't previously overlooked them. Pretty distinctive even from this range. Still slightly miffed I didn't find them but so it goes...

Tree Sparrow in the garden morning and evening today and a flock of four Arctic Terns went over the garden, entering airspace. Later a further 8 Arctic Terns were high over neighbouring fields, these two flocks were heading north. I'm guessing it is too late for them to breed elsewhere, perhaps they're just wandering. First high flying flocks I've seen this year.

Ring-necked Ducks

2011-06-14T23:40:00.000+01:00

I'd left my phone at home charging when we went down to Fungus (the pony) I'd wandered along Loch of Harray (Short-eared Owl and various bits and bats). Fortunately I checked my phone not too long after we got back: Two Ring-necked Ducks, Loch of Bosquoy, with the Tufted. I checked from the garden and couldn't see the Tufted. Under the wall.

Down at the Loch by 9.45 or so and the light was still easily good enough to pick out the two drakes. A bit disappointed I didn't find them, slightly worried I might have seen them from the garden the other day and passed them off as moulting Tufties, it is a long way away though. Excellent birds to add to this real purple patch.

American sparrow come to my feeders

In the dark

2011-06-13T23:19:00.001+01:00

A trip out last night produced three Otters, a Spotted Crake, a Grasshopper Warbler and a Corn Crake.

This evening whilst on the phone to a local birder a Cuckoo flew into the tree in the front garden, a waif and stray blown in by the storm.

Very record shot - Cuckoo

Brilliant birding (and a pitfall)

2011-06-12T22:14:00.003+01:00

Just an excellent day yesterday, starting off at 5 doing my farm survey. It's an organic farm that borders the moor so there's lots of interest. Best bird was a redpoll sp, in the same place as last time. Lots of Twite on the moorland edge with signs of breeding.

Then at home There was plenty of interest around Loch of Bosquoy and The Shunan trying to count breeding birds. I got home and a Marsh Harrier flew through and a Tree Sparrow came to the feeders again.

A fun afternoon was spent at Birsay, rock pooling and eating nice cake at the cafe as well as counting Arctic Terns.

Here's a pitfall bird, under the feeders

Just a Starling, leucistic juvenile

Then in the evening after eating tea and whilst finishing my beer and intermittently peering at The Shunan with my scope a very smart Red-necked Phalarope was found feeding next to the Dunlin. Ellen and I leapt in the car and got reasonable views before it rather rapidly vapourised. One minute it was in the scope, Ellen looked and saw it again, I went back to the scope and it had gone...

A self-found tick for me, so especially nice.

Eynhallow today

Wood Sand'

2011-06-10T21:51:00.000+01:00

A very nice, if distant Wood Sandpiper was on The Shunan late this afternoon, very pleased with that.

I went to try and twitch the Red-necked Phalarope at the Loch of Banks this evening and dipped but AL had tried twice earlier and failed. MR had, of course, got a cracking photo

Dip, tick

2011-06-07T22:32:00.000+01:00

Roared over to Birsay after work for the pod of Orcas, which had gone. They had long rounded the north end of Rousay; one day.

However, the next text message was more hopeful, White-billed Diver off the Broch of Gurness. I went over after tea, but a 15 minute drive. After a considerable search eventually got fine, but unrecordable views from the Broch of Gurness car park. The bird was in full summer plumage. It was actually a tick as I never counted the one I saw very badly from Filey beach and a very likely autumn seawatch candidate was just not quite tickable.

Tree Sparrow again in the garden twice today. First juvenile Starlingsat home today and in Eynhallow Sound four small broods of Eider.

Crow trouble

2011-06-05T23:28:00.003+01:00

For the last few weeks we've been finding increasing numbers of broken birds' eggs on the track by The Shunan. At first I thought it was adult waders disposing of hatched eggs but as it went on I began to think that was an unlikely explanation. Today there were about five or six new eggs on the track. The culprits are nesting in the nearby hawthorn hedge.

Hooded Crows

Returning from working Sooth it takes me a while to get back into understanding what has happened to various broods of duck and waders. The Shelduck pair on The Shunan are down to five from eight, I wonder if the ongoing territorial battles with a second pair; and sometimes a third pair as well, might have anything to do with these losses. The Curlew, Oysercatcher and Redshank pairs around The Shunan appear to have young. There are increasing numbers of failed Oysetercatchers and Lapwings gathering there now though.

I've rather neglected the Arctic Terns at Birsay this year so rather than racing off East in the hope of Orcas I went to Skipi Geo. A sadly quiet place greeted me, at first I thought they had all left but I eventually found two sitting birds. Hopefully the others have gone off to breed somewhere else. The small inland colony that was relatively successful last year seems to have established elsewhere, and although terns are coming in to feed I'm pretty certain they're not breeding at Bosquoy.

A Siskin flew in briefly on Friday at lunchtime, a rather uncommon visitor this year. On Saturday a Willow Warbler sang a line or two of its enigmatic song in the garden before heading off north and a few minutes later I found a Chiffchaff singing just beyond the garden. First records from the garden for the year of these two species. A warbler trio was required so having located a Sedge Warbler down by The Shunan I waited patiently with the telescope trained on the spot and sure enough the scratchy songster obliged with a song flight. Today a Redpoll sp flew over at lunch time and later a Tree Sparrow was again under the feeders. A little later I got onto a Tree Sparrow flying south out of the garden and it headed for a possible nest site, further investigation is required. I'm not sure if Tree Sparrow has ever nested in Orkney previously, so I'll need to make a bit of an effort to track them down.

I set the moth trap last night and caught... no moths. It was a bit cold. At the moment there is very little time at night when it is particularly dark, that won't help.

The new bit of meadow we began to try and establish last year is beginning to look quite good. Some pictures of Red Campion and Cow Parsley too.

Chicks and Ringed Plovers and other stuff

2011-05-29T22:11:00.001+01:00

Shelduck with 8 chicks on The Shunan on Friday and Curlew with four there yesterday. Two Ringed Plovers today but not much else to report locally.

Reports of Black Kites and Red-backed Shrikes sent me skuttling over to the East mainland this afternoon for a brief sortie. To no avail, but I had too little time really. I did find the largest flock of Ringed Plover I've ever seen though, 406 with another 14 nearby. I am guessing these are Greenland birds delayed by the strong south-westerly winds we've been having. Interestingly lots of them are feeding on stubble fields.

Someone found my notebook and took it south but I have their email address so hopefully it will be returned shortly...

Really enjoyed Southern Tenant Folk Union and the Halton Quartet over at The Hope on Thursday, thanks for the ticket JB (I still owe you for the raffle). Emily Smith was excellent at Harray last night, just the set was far too short.

Happy birthday Bob

2011-05-24T00:05:00.002+01:00

The Kame of Corrigall

2011-05-22T21:09:00.002+01:00

This morning I went up the Kame of Corrigall, the moorland hill just behind our house. It was a beautiful morning. Not too many birds to report there but interesting enough.

This is the peat road which cuts through the moor, the way folk used to go up to their peat cutting spots. It must have taken a fair effort to drive this through as it's cut quite deep into the moor in places.

View from the top, Old Nisthouse is amongst the houses and buildings with the trees to the mid-right

There are good numbers of Oystercatchers breeding on the edge of the moor and the pasture

Hares were playing in the fields as I got back to home

A Tree Sparrow reappeared in the garden at late lunch again, makes me believe they are having a go at breeding somewhere not too far away.

The forecast wind and rain appeared at lunchtime and it's blowing a hoolie now, sunny again at the moment, hopefully the greenhouse will survive.

Hard to believe that The Bob will be seventy on Tuesday, small tribute in the side panel.

Lost notebook

2011-05-21T22:11:00.002+01:00

Annoyingly I seem to have lost my notebook last weekend. Fortunately most of the data will be in a spreadsheet, on this blog or in BirdTrack but I'm sure there'll be the odd thing that I've not transfered elsewhere. My last chance was the Birsay cafe but it wasn't there. EBay to the rescue and I've managed to locate a source of my favourite kind, I used to buy them in the newsagents in Filey. They're rather cheaper on eBay. A6 spiral bound artists sketch books. The spiral binding means I can keep a pen handy and the covers on these are pretty resilient.

Wader numbers are now starting to build up with a flock of 12 Dunlin arriving on Thursday to increase numbers on The Shunan to 18. There was a Black-tailed Godwit yesterday and today the expected Ringed Plovers with a flock of 6. The male Hen Harrier again floated through the garden.

Rather surprisingly a Tree Sparrow appeared in the garden again on Wednesday. I popped home for lunch following a training course in Kirkwall and one was feeding with House Sparrows under the feeders.

The weather wasn't great today. I mooched around at Birsay for a bit and spent too long looking for a Bonaparte's Gull amongst all the Black-headed Gulls feeding along the shore. There were a couple of hundred gulls, mostly Black-headed but a few Common and Herring as well. I think a Bony' would be quite hard to pick out in the circumstances. I spent a long time scrutinising a small first summer Bl-hG. The paddling method of feeding, rather storm-petrel like, is interesting I've taken a bit of video, I'll have to upload it later.

Test your skills - age and name these gulls

After a while I went to Skaill where there was still a Whooper Swan, a Goldeneye and a drake Scaup. I think the Whooper Swan has decided to stay, it was seen on the sea the other day apparently, perhaps not well enough to make the journey north.

Well enjoyed The Burns Unit on Jools last night. The Folk Festival begins on Thursday and I have tickets for a couple of dos. Also we have Euan Robertson, Gary Innes and Martin O'Neill playing at work which should be a bit of a treat. As well as being a demon accordian player Gary is also captain of Scotland's shinty team... hopefully he'll be one piece when he plays for us... Some of this stuff is now in the side panel (or will be soon).

Starlings

2011-05-17T21:14:00.011+01:00

Starlings were feeding young in the boat house near Skiba Geo on Tuesday. Arctic Terns were on the rocks and some were certainly looking quite settled.

At home the Hawfinch was not seen today. There's a video of it in the side panel.

Birds to order - Hawfinch

2011-05-15T15:46:00.004+01:00

When PH came round the other week to tick the Tree Sparrows for his Big Orkney Year List he asked me if I might be able to provide a Hawfinch next. Always happy to oblige, with apologies for the two week delivery time but Hawfinches were on back order...

Arctic Terns

2011-05-14T20:53:00.003+01:00

I spent the morning and lunch time watching Arctic Terns. First of all three appeared on The Shunan and there were at least 17 at Loch of Bosquoy. Then later we went to Skipi Geo and they were finally back there. There seemed to be about 100. Let's hope there are some sand eels for them to eat this year.

Angle Shades

2011-05-13T21:07:00.005+01:00

I'd not caught this moth in this trap before, got it by sugaring last year.

Angle Shades

Here's some recent scenic pix from around home.

Big(ish) Green Day

2011-05-08T21:05:00.008+01:00

The weather looks pretty good in this picture, for a short time before lunch it was almost sunny...

I did of course choose the worst day for weather that we've had for weeks, winds up to 40mph, poor visibility and from lunch time continuous rain, yuk. At least cycling out to the coast was easy enough, coming back was something of a struggle. The good thing about this activity was that I went birding at some different places and that I birded familiar places, like Palace and the Links in a different way.

Some migrants now appear to be established in some numbers, for example Sedge Warbler and Wheatear on the coast. Hirundines have arrived in the last few days with House Martin now at all its usual haunts and there were exceptional numbers of Sand Martins at Birsay, 30.

Waders provided the highlights of the day, showy summer plumage Knot, Sanderling and Black-tailed Godwit.

Dunlin

Sanderling

Sanderling

It was such hard work coming back from the coast though that I abandonned plans to search Loch of Harray and the moor so the total of 71 is less than what could be achieved on a better day. The last three species were added from the comfort of the kitchen with tea and cakes and the nice warm Aga to make life somewhat more comfortable.

The ones that got away were a likely Siskin that emerged from a garden during the worst of the weather, a small wader, that just might have been an LRP, that flew inland from The Links and two sub-adult skuas that were too far out to sea but features I could make out were consistent with Long-tailed... so it goes.

Pebble Prominent

2011-05-07T08:23:00.004+01:00

Pebble Prominent

It seems very early to be catching one of these but I'm not complaining, what a beautiful wee beastie.

Also in the trap: 3, Hebrew Character and 1, Common Quaker.

Two Tree Sparrows were again under the feeders, Oystercatcher on the lawn, Dunnock singing and a Chaffinch called.

Early evening there was an Arctic Tern feeding on Loch of Bosquoy and perhaps three House Martins there too; both species seen from the garden.

Whimbrel in the garden

2011-05-06T21:14:00.002+01:00

Yesterday as I lingered by The Shunan on the way home in the evening a familiar call was heard and after a minute or two a Whimbrel landed on the mud in front of me. Very surprisingly this is only the third time I have recorded this species in the home tetrad and only the second time on The Shunan. last year's bird hid under the wall and didn't call so it remained unrecorded from the garden. This individual was much more obliging. I drove up to the house, scanned with the scope but it was out of sight behind the wall but then it called, called again and took flight. It flew straight towards me, fairly low over the front garden and disappeared to the north. There were five summer plumage Dunlin as well.

Today, I dropped in at home for lunch on the way back to work from a meeting in Kirkwall and the Tree Sparrows were back, well there were two. They were still under the feeders when I returned at six. I'm tempted to purchase a nest box. There were nine Dunlin on The Shunan this evening.

It's warm tonight so I'll put the moth trap out.

This weekend is green birding weekend. I think tomorrow is the official day but I've jobs to do so I'll be listing by foot and by bike on Sunday. If I get to the coast I would think that 70 might be possible, we shall see.

Another beautiful day

2011-05-03T23:31:00.002+01:00

A Sedge Warbler by The Shunan, a Goldfinch over at work (first record) and finally a brief glimpse of two Tree Sparrows flying east out of the garden this evening.

Yesterday there was a Red Admiral in the garden, amazingly early I think. A male Hen Harrier also paid us a visit cutting through the front garden as it headed down the hill to hunt.

White-tailed Eagle

2011-05-02T23:03:00.003+01:00

Just finishing a visit to Palace, Birsay with a seawatch at the Brough car park when by some miracle a text came through, eagle 15 minutes away. The seawatch (which had produced 22 Arctic Terns, 2 Puffins and an Arctic Skua) was quickly abandoned and I arrived just in time to get pretty good flight views of the perhaps 2nd summer White-tailed Eagle before it and its Greylag posse disappeared over the hill. Thanks to AL for the call.

Lapwing chicks

2011-05-01T23:15:00.006+01:00

The Shunan, everything's gone yellow

Marsh Marigold

Not so much to report today except the first brood of Lapwing chicks were running around on Shunan mud this morning.

The Tree Sparrows did not reappear in the garden but were heard by The Shunan in the afternoon, perhaps migrants over or the same birds mooching around.

This pair of Pied Wagtails are prospecting by the burn

We went for a swim in the sea, not very warm. Scooting around on the boards was ok but when I tried snorkling I wished I hadn't, head got rather cold, rather quickly. Scooting around in the sea might not have been the best plan, this was filmed yesterday from just over the water near Thurso (movie taken though an SLR standard lens, the beasts were 20ft away at times apparently. http://youtu.be/-UoFWDQ4uyE - come my way soon.

Glazing and Tree Spugs

2011-04-30T21:02:00.010+01:00

In goes the last bit of glass

A day spent in the garden, a beautiful sunny day and, at least here in Harray, very little wind. A Goldfinch was buzzing around. When I went inside to connect up the drill the Goldfinch was on the Nyjer and Tree Sparrow there when I came back. In the end I counted three and a quick call to PH added the species to his county year list attempt.

Brought in by one of the cats, I don't think he climbed up to the nest

A rare bird on Orkney and there were three on the feeders this afternoon, nice

Also today a Goldfinch, the Linnets again, two Swallows around the byre and Louise claimed two Siskin. PH texted to let me know a Sea Eagle was heading this way but it was most likely too high to see by the time it passed us dipped in any case.

Later in the afternoon 16 Pink-feet headed east over the house.

Here's The Shunan at dusk today

From the kitchen table

2011-04-28T23:06:00.002+01:00

Sitting at the kitchen table after tea I noticed two Linnets feeding at the front, just by the window, they're not so common in the garden so we admired them for a few minutes before letting the dog out and they flew. However, a bit of a scan produced one then another Bonxie, nice. Oh look! Wheatear on the wall, more Linnets nearby as well. I started getting into this so focused carefully on The Shunan and there beside the Redshanks was the summer plumaged (well nearly) Icelandic Black-tailed Godwit. A Song Thrush then appeared on the lawn, quite infrequent of late. So along with the usual suspects, Oysercatcher, Curlew, a nice set of gulls etc quite a list was built up in just a few minutes.

Tuesday evening and at 9.53 p.m. we were all in the garden expectant, the ISS flew by and we waved but couldn't quite pick out the crew waving back from 200 miles or so away. if you are reading this from south it may be possible to see Endeavour chasing the ISS down in the next few days (if it launches successfully) sadly not in view from here. Check out the website for times and position - click here

Gannet!

2011-04-24T23:02:00.013+01:00

View to the Graemsay Light and Clestrain Sound

A long held ambition has been to add Gannet to the "from the garden" list. It's about 7 miles to the sea that we can see from the garden, we can see the Graemsay light and just to the north is a thin strip of the Clestrain Sound that is visible. Because of the various water bodies that I'm looking across to this piece of sea (three, Loch of Bosquoy, Loch of Harray and Loch of Stenness) there is nearly always shimmer which makes identification of any birds in The Sound pretty much impossible. But today it was clear. Within five minutes of beginning the attempt a Gannet was clearly seen winging its way south through The Sound, result. Last year I did manage Shag, their small flocks are not too hard to identify in the right conditions (no shimmer) but so far this year none have been espied. I think seeing Tystie, which is common in the sound, may just be a step too far... or maybe not, the loan of a Questar may be called for however.

Starling

Hebrew Character (also caught Common Quaker)

Such a good start to the day was quickly added to with a Greenshank on The Shunan and a Sparrowhawk hunting the garden Starlings. Then it was off to Swanney and Keith's garden. The luck did not hold. After four hours, a good soaking and no Subalpine Warbler I called it a day, it was seen twice whilst I was there, somehow I was in the wrong place at the right time and dipped.

On to Birsay where there was a Blackcap, a Swallow, good numbers of Sand Martins and Wheatears, a nice bowl of soup, White Wagtails and a Common Sandpiper.

Twite

White Wagtail

White Wagtail

Mute Swans

Previous evening from home.

Corrigal

Holodyke trees

Swallows

2011-04-23T21:59:00.006+01:00

There were two Swallows at work yesterday when we got back from the sailing venture. A further Swallow flew through the garden today.

Sailing yesterday was excellent, plenty of wind and the boat fairly clipped along. In Kirkwall Bay was a superb summer plumage Great Northern Diver, Arctic Skua, 40 Long-tailed Ducks and 3 Bonxie.

This evening there were two Wrens singing at Holodyke, gradually creeping closer to home; Willow Warbler was singing there, it would be nice if one sang just a little way down the hill. There were still two Brambling in the garden - the photo is from yesterday when there were three.

There was a further attempt to see the Subalpine, dipped again but I'll attempt again tomorrow.

To the tune of Jammin'

2011-04-19T23:17:00.002+01:00

I'm dippin'... The Subalpine wouldn't show for me when I got there at 5.30 or so. Intend to try again tomorrow.

As I left for work today there were four Wheatears on the track and later at work a couple of hirundines (possibly Sand Martins) went distantly past the office window.

However, the Willow Warbler is still singing at work and a male Hen Harrier flew across the road by the Shunan as I headed for my meeting in Kirkwall.

Sea fret

2011-04-18T22:41:00.003+01:00

Harray and Dounby were sunny much of the day, it looked like much of Mainland was clagged in though. As I came back home in the late afternoon the fog was building and tonight it's pretty gloomy.

There was a Goldfinch on the Nyger when I got home and 5 Linnets along the track.

Yesterday I heard a Wren at Loch of Bosquoy, so one has finally made the tetrad but still no sign of any around the garden or The Shunan. They have been gradually creeping closer with records of them in the Mirbister tetrad (to the north and west) at the end of March. It's surprising to me that it has taken them so long to return here as they were a common garden bird previously, the BirdTrack data shows the absence neatly.

Sun and low, low tide

2011-04-17T23:08:00.007+01:00

There was a Willow Warbler singing at work on Friday morning which is unusual. A careful look at The Shunan didn't turn anything up though. In the evening I went down to Loch of Harray, the hope was for an Otter but no joy there. I did find a Black-headed Gull colony that is either new or I missed last year and skulking amongst them were Pintail and Shoveler.

The house was surrounded by Pink-feet this morning I could hear them all the time and occasionally a few were visible. Then a neighbouring farmer scared them and there were Pinkies everywhere. probably 700 or so in all.

Loch of Bosquoy held 287 Tufted Duck today, I went down there this evening to check them out properly but they were just Tufties. There was a flock of 34 Redshank which was of interest as the local birds have been settled for a few weeks and interestingly North Ron reported an influx yesterday.

Loch of Bosquoy, dusk

The sea was very distant when we'd arrived earlier on Birsay Links where there were good numbers of Wheatear, perhaps 7 or 8, 3 White Wags amongst a good few yarrelli and 7 or so Sand Martins. We were "Bagging the Brock", joining the annual beach clean up, although no one else was doing The Links. We dragged two bag fulls back up to the village but it'll need another trip or three.

Louise and Ellen "Bag-the-Bruck"

Someone's nicked the sea

Pied Wagtail

No Laps

2011-04-14T22:15:00.003+01:00

I went out before work yesterday to look for Lapland Buntings on Birsay Links, motivated by the numbers currently on North Ronaldsay but to no avail. However, the Sand Martins were in and a Chiffchaff was lurking near Palace Stores.

Following a meeting in Kirkwall a lunchtime visit to the PDC located the LRP and it was seen well in flight, heard and scoped on the deck. 7th Orkney record apparently, I would be surprised if the 8th, 9th and 10th don't follow fairly shortly.

An evening trip to Binsgarth Woods today found Willow Warbler singing.

There is a report of 15 Laps on East Mainland today so another visit to The Links at the weekend is called for I think, surely some will come back through there.

Black-tailed Godwit

2011-04-10T20:54:00.002+01:00

One briefly on The Shunan in the afternoon. Golden Plover over a.m. and Snipe drumming. Louise had a flock of Pinkies over.

Finally managed to complete the pot-holing, 328 done at the final count.

More track work

2011-04-09T20:55:00.003+01:00

Only a half day on the track today as other stuff to do. Help arrived in the shape of a loader...

unfortunately it was a bit small.

Male Hen Harrier and Buzzard were seen from The Shunan but unfortunately they were out of the tetrad. Also in the distance a flock of about 100 Golden Plover.

Two flocks of Pink-feet went north or north-west, a 10 and a 23. Best today though were the four Wheatears on the northern edge of the tetrad found as I drove in the back way, best of all a bit of a struggle through the undergrowth with the scope got them onto the "from the garden" list. The SE wind should have brought something rare I would have thought, finding it is the thing.

A sunny day today, the first for ages and just a gentle breeze, nice.

Holes

2011-04-08T23:04:00.005+01:00

209 filled 93 to go.

Once the rain stopped Mepits trickled west, 12 an hour probably. A few Linnets went over too. Bonxie again appeared over The Shunan followed by a Peregrine. Two drake Shoveler and a pair of Shelduck were on the water and a smart male Reed Bunting fed on the track.

Green Big Day

2011-04-08T08:15:00.002+01:00

A green birding day on 7th May? For the rules have a look here.

I'm planning to give the home tetrad a serious doing on the day.

Crossbills

2011-04-07T21:26:00.003+01:00

The day was spent by The Shunan mending the track. In the morning just a distant Hen Harrier was seen. In the afternoon in increasing WSW wind I took the car down so I had a place to shelter. Drinking my tea mid-afternoon I got on to four chunky passerines heading my way. As luck would have it they landed briefly in the near end of the hawthorn hedge, about 15m from the car. Crossbills, excellent! Two brilliant males, one seemed to show a fair bit of white in the wing (but I wasn't thinking 2Bxb). In a moment they were up and away again, battling the wind. A new tetrad tick and brilliant colour on a grey afternoon. Minutes later everything went up on The Shunan and a Bonxie was cruising for a bruising, scaring everything half to death.

Earlier on 79 Pink-feet had headed north, struggling against the wind initially and but giving in to it.

Progress on the potholes is good but there is still a huge mountain of stuff to clear, couple more days should do it though.

New notebook

2011-04-06T22:16:00.002+01:00

The notebook is full up so a rummage in the cupboard located, oh dear, a not very satisfactory notebook. It'll have to do for now.

Digging and wheelbarrowing for much of the day. Meadow Pipits and Pied Wagtails are now common around The Shunan and the fields, briefly heard a Reed Bunting too.

There was a Siskin in the garden. late in the afternoon when the wind got up again it was clinging on to the wildly swinging Nyjer feeder, it must be hungry.

Track repairs

2011-04-06T08:28:00.002+01:00

The track has become a tortuous, pot-holed hell to drive on - slight exageration but if I drive any closer to the verge I'll be in the ditch sooner rather than later. Time to fix it. 16 tons of stuff is about to arrive and armed with my trusty wheelbarrow I will try to sort it out.

86 Jackdaws came off the roost this morning, quite a surprise i didn't think there were that many in there, where do they go during the day?

A quick trip to Happy Valley first thing found a Siskin and Chaffinch singing.

Greenhousing

2011-04-03T21:05:00.004+01:00

The greenhouse kit has been cluttering up the garage and one of our sheds for a year now. It took me most of last summer to build the foundations and then it was too late to put it up. No longer! A greenhouse frame is now standing proud in the gardening plot. Of course it's blowing a hooley now, hopefully my handiwork will take the strain... Glazing may be put off 'til Tuesday, weather looks a bit shit for tomorrow.

Two pairs of Pintail and a Shoveler were on Loch of Bosquoy this morn, not sure they even attempted last year although both species showed plenty of interest, we'll see.

Mepits trickled over this morning, 6 in an hour went north and then another noted at 11.30 - that's powerful vis mig for Harray.

Lesser Celandine

Bad taste Kanye West - ah yes but he's good. Enjoyed the TOTP 1964 - 1975 on Friday, downloaded some stuff subsequently, Julie Driscoll / Brian Auger; The Stones; The Kinks - I am old, surely ancient.

Surfie

2011-04-02T21:30:00.004+01:00

Children's party in Kirkwall, so after present buying and delivery I was free for four hours hunting on East Mainland. Not much wind so a quick trip to Bay of Sandoyne for relatively little reward, 4 GNDs and a sum plum Slavonian Grebe, primroses were flowering here. Not too much at Ayre's Loch, a nice sum plum Red-throated Diver and same again and 2 GNDs at No1 Barrier. But trusty Redbanks layby delivered the goods again in the shape of a very smart male Surf Scoter, a good number of Velvets (9 or so) and one Common Scoter. The combined count of Great Northern Divers between these two sites was 37 ( a minimum). Good birding.

Back at the ranch, scrutiny of The Shunan produced a nice male Gadwall.