Day on Hoy

Common Tern

Stromness Farm

Friday I nipped over to Hoy. It was a beautiful sunny day (good job too, I'd forgotten to take my coat) with a nice breeze to keep the midges off. The plan was to look for Stonechat at Rackwick, a bird I haven't seen here for two years now, and then check the two plantations on the north-east side for other interesting things like Coal Tit.

An uneventful crossing, no big fish, cetaceans or juvvy Tysties.

A juvenile Stonechat appeared a shortly after I'd alighted from the minibus at Rackwick. After visiting the beach I then headed for the footpath to walk between the hills to Lodge Plantation. The short length of verge along the road to the footpath produced 12 Common Blue butterflies.

Not much to be seen on the moor but the usual pile of Bonxies bathing at Sandy Loch and also a Common Sandpiper making interesting distress noises there.

Time was short so I headed on to Lodge and across the wet moor where there were some interesting butterflies, I thought Small Heath, but they looked a bit big. Had a feeling I was making a mistake and of course I was, they were Large Heath actually a butterfly tick. A quick skirt around the plantation found only a Siskin, and the dog underwent a transformation when she bathed in one of those red peat ditches, gingery white dog now red setter colour.

Headed for Bu Plantation where there were more Siskin, Spotted Flycatcher, an awkward and elusive, non-calling Phyllos (probably a Chiff), Robins singing x2, Chaffinch singing x4 but no Coal Tit. On the way across the moor and around the plantations there were piles of moths including Silver Y, a likely Northern Eggar, more Common Blues and some large flappy butterflies which never settled (they must have been Meadow Brown but they didn't seem right).

Back to Lodge, now rather bitten (by Clegs), unexpectedly sunburnt (wearing shorts without a thought, doh!), and really very muddy (having helped the dog over and under various fences and stiles). However, at last, a Crossbill and then, having convinced the hound to climb the stile, a familiar call and eventually brief views of an adult Coal Tit.

So the whole expedition was a year listing success (racing JB for the best county list this year), but an entomological disaster as my id skills were proven to be pretty ropey. (Note to self, next sunny day in July take the net and gubbins, prepare by checking what I might be able to find re lepidopterans, give self more time in the best habo.) I had managed Large Red Damselfly along the way though.

Large Red Damselfly

Plenty of comments by fellow ferry passengers that the dog had clearly had a good time, wonder why they were giving me such a wide berth?

 Rackwick

 Rackwick

Another Small Rivulet from Friday's trap at home

At home today, having recovered somewhat, a Whimbrel on The Shunan, and another brood of Shelducks joined the existing gang, sending the resident dominant male completely apoplectic; a total of 19.

Mothing

I haven't put the light out much this year, its been so cold, but last night was perfect, warm and with a thick hoar. Good result too with Poplar Hawkmoth and Small Rivulet new for the site and a nice selection of other bits and bats.

On Monday I found a Dark/Grey Dagger in the greenhouse when I was sorting it out, not seen that before either.

Bumped into our new neighbours the other day down at Bosquoy, readers and birders... welcome to Harray. Apparently the Crane had paid us a visit, but I'd missed it; I will get one in the tetrad eventually. Star bird of late was the Hobby that powered past the kitchen window whilst I was enjoying white wine and a prawn paela, no spillage fortunately. Whether I'll get it accepted is another matter. Siskins continue to be present, and the Tree Sparrow. Jackdaw numbers are up to 38. The Kestrels have three fledged chicks.

 Grey or Dark Dagger (advice please, are these do-able without dissection?)

 Assistant with Poplar Hawkmoth

 Poplar Hawkmoth

 Ghost Moth female

 Silver-ground Carpet

Small Rivulet (rubbish pic)

Crane

Here's the Tufta Crane.

Chairs and a crane

I'll never look at a chair in quite the same way again (By the seat of your pants) http://plutotlavie.org.uk/?page_id=145

Scooting out from work at five and a quick detour to see the Crane at Tufta, it was rather bedraggled in the dire rain and breeze but nice all the same. Good chance of finding one at the moment, just tour those ploughed and harrowed fields.

Just been to hear Erland Cooper, Simon Tong, Hannah Peel - The Magnetic North - http://www.symphonyofthemagneticnorth.com/ in the cathedral (where the acoustics are , well, echoey). The CD is echo free, however. Free streamed music on the website, enjoy.

Also enjoyed, yesterday, Matt Harvey - http://www.mattharvey.co.uk/

(You might gather its St Magnus Festival time.)

Marsh Warbler

You will probably need to turn this up a bit....

No you can't see it, hopefully you can hear it.

Scoter stuff

Surf, Common and probably 2cy Common Scoter

Photo Morris Rendall

Well it all got a bit exciting for a moment there with one of the scoters from last week being mooted as a Black Scoter (right hand bird above). Unfortunately when I went back today two of the original six had disappeared. I did think that the bird photographed the other day was possibly still there, based on individual markings. If it was then I'm pretty confident, although not rock solid, that it is Common Scoter. Hopefully I'll be able to post the photo shortly (not my pic, so awaiting clearance).

Other things? Well a nice juvvy wheatear at Hoxa head this afternoon. The Tree Sparrow and a few Siskin are still frequenting the garden, and I was pretty sure I heard a Greenshank on Burray but of course it called just as I got out of the car and not again and couldn't be relocated. The cuckoo is still present up behind our house.

Here is one of Morris Rendall's pics of my faithful Tree Sparrow, a cracking image as always, Morris.

A bit of a fall

Well I knew I should have gone to NRon but diplomatically it wasn't really on and anyway I'm puffed out at the moment with work tooooooooooooooo much, so I slept until after 9 on Saturday and didn't go birding really, not much, just a few looks at The Shunan, and a trip to Evie, oh, and a peek at Bosquoy. But I didn't see a Paddyfield Warbler nor a Marsh Warbler (tho' thanks to Martin G I do know now exactly how to identify the next unstreaked Accro I find - look here, nice, thanks Martin).

Anyway, I was a bit more frisky on Sunday and managed to get myself down the track by 05:20. Nothing much on The S so the plan was a South Ron raid. First stop though was Echnaloch Bay on Burray to hunt out the previous day's apparently unconfirmed (actually PH had seen it) subadult, female Surfie. First couple of scans failed to find it and its Common (presumed) companions but that just because they were re-enacting a U-Boat raid on Scapa Flow. When I did connect they were surprisingly closer than I had expected, indeed if I had remembered to take Martin G's handy book or my memory I would have been able to eliminate Black Scoter also I reckon. Anyway the spotty headed one showed quite well and was convenient for a good grilling. Interestingly small against the CSs, Velvet would be larger, it presented with a flat topped, bulky head, with a dark crown and nape (there was no white on the hind neck) on a small body, it was interestingly brown, really quite pale on the wings and when it helpfully flapped there was no white panel. Job done. At that point PH turned up and spilled the beans on some migrants that I needed for the year listing competition. Cara Bushes produced a singing Whitethroat after a bit of thrashing about and then I headed south for Hestily, where I dipped a Redstart; Windwick, where there were a pair of Common Scoter (again presumed, I've got the criteria embedded now though); Cleat and area where there were a number of Spotted Flycatchers, including a rather dark one, another Whitethroat and Chiff and Willow.

Some pix from the South Ronaldsay outing

....and I got home just in time to take the dog for a walk. But there weren't any birds up on the moor and all I got was a stream of texts telling me what I was missing on the boat trip that I'd (wisely as it turned out) failed to book on to. Eventually the texters owned up that the stories of flocks of L-tSkuas and Black Terns were fiction. However, JB found a nice Golden Oriole on Deerness late in the afternoon, but by that time I was in the pub.

At home the Siskin flock of four (five today) remained, the new Nyjer feeder having finally pulled something in, the Cuckoo continued to sing up the back and The Shunan continued to be rather quiet. Bosquoy produced three Pintail though and the tiny inland Arctic Tern colony there seems to have survived.

Cupcake (with edible Lepidoptera)

Home at last

I had to work away for a week, which was ok, especially as there were few interesting birds, however, good to get home.

Friends arrived from South on the Friday evening so the weekend was spent hunting for good things and seeing the sights.

 Er, TC, that might not be the best place to go seawatching

Maybe that's not so great either

Yesnaby produced a nice Mealy Redpoll on Saturday, as well as a good selection of Arctic Skuas. At Birsay we found that as I suspected the previous week the Arctic Terns had decided to leave. Maybe they'll try elsewhere.

We clambered around on rocks and went rock pooling, just have to mind where you step.

Oystercatcher clutch

Oystercatchers sneak off and then you have to keep your eyes skinned. 

On Sunday we went looking for summer plumaged Great Northerns at Evie and bumped into a summer plumaged White-billed instead, very nice. (Pic later.)

There was a Green Sand on The Shunan and a Cuckoo up behind the house. Later in the day we went to Mar Wick.

The weekend disappeared rather sharply.

After work yesterday, a lazy start this morning involved trout fishing with youngest offspring, we caught three, let two go (under-sized), and she had baked trout for lunch.

I wandered down to The Shunan to fill in pot holes mid afternoon and bumped straight into a Red-necked Phalarope, another female, it hadn't been there earlier. Also there a Blackwit, a Ringed Plover, a pair of Common Sands and five or so Dunlin. One pair of Coot have young and there are two broods of Greylags, a three and a five. Work again tomorrow...

Osprey

The highlight yesterday was watching as Osprey take a large trout whilst drinking tea in the garden (me with the tea, not the Osprey, that was more bothered about the trout).

A crepuscular tour did not reveal anything much unfortunately.

A look at the Skibi Geo Arctic Terns was not very encouraging, about 40 pairs were on the colony but in 40 mins or so I only saw two very small fish brought in.

All sorts of excitement at The Shunan today, AL found a Wood Sand, which rapidly disappeared and then later in the morning a Pec Sand was reported, which I also could not find. However, two Common Sands, a Ringed Plover, 7 or 8 Dunlin, a Wheatear, and a redpoll sp flew through. In the garden a House Martin paid a brief visit.

Here's a couple more pix from Birsay, the Hoodies are nesting just by the Arctic Tern colony, so even if the sand eels do turn up I don't reckon much for the Arctics' chances.

Red day

Down at The Shunan at 5.30 heading for south isles but I had to stop and look,
good job too. Female Red-necked Phalarope was messing around the main island,
fluttering here and there and feeding.

By the time AL reported the Osprey at Brodgar I was at South Cara bushes
having dipped the darned Dotterels. It took a bit of a search but eventually I
was rewarded with excellent views - of a male Red-backed Shrike -  (and when I returned later before heading off it was singing). Also there a Spotted Flycatcher.

Down to Burwick and the various bushes near Cleat and beyond but apart from a
singing Chiff, a few Sedge Warblers and a Linnet mimicking an Accro mimicking a
Linnet (if you get my drift), made me think for a bit, not a lot. Checked Cara
again and the Dots fields but nothing more.

Driving out of Kirkwalll this afternoon, what was that falcon....? (A Kestrel
in the sun surely.)

However, this evening a Red-throated Diver flew over the garden calling.

Quick post

Too much going on really. In soul charge which of course leaves me a bit ragged, Louise off in Moray for a few days.

Last weekend on North Ronaldsay, just before the huge fall, take a look at their blog for the full gen. However, not really complaining as it was a great two days of just birding and saw a few nice things, Lapland Bunting, Pec Sand being the highlights.

 Pectoral Sandpiper

 Arctic Skua dark phase

Lesser Redpoll

It's blowing a hooley here today, managed to get the new potato bed fairly well sorted yesterday and about half of them planted. Couldn't do much today, first Wheatear and House Martin for the tetrad here today, first Sand Martin on Friday, Arctic Terns were on Monday. Tufted Duck made the "in the garden" list today with a brief flyover.

Crow stuff

I'm engaged in a bit of a debate on Orkbird about Carrion / Hoodie hybrids. I'm holding that hybrids may look very like Carrion Crows (rare here) whilst others state that they only look like "scruffy" hoodies.

Here's a pic or two of a bird at Mar Wick that I believe is a hybrid.