Aythya sorted

A rather odd looking Aythya duck on The Shunan has been bothering me for the last three weeks or so. It has generally been on its own or with a Goldeneye and has kept an awkward distance from the track. In the end I decided that a closer approach and maybe even a flushing was going to be the only way to resolve the issue. So yesterday morning having tried careful observation from the track and failed yet again to be certain about the bill pattern I snuck around by the field to the north and along the wall. Despite getting some much better views I still couldn't resolve the issue and the canny critter knew I was there too and retreated to the western corner with a couple of Mallard. In the end I flushed the Wigeon and Teal and the Aythya flew, showing a white wing bar all the way through the primaries, so Tufted or hybrid but not Lesser Scaup.

In both these photos the bird seems to be showing a bit of a tuft, the stiff breeze was blowing these feathers up.

Also yesterday a male Blackcap was a nice surprise on the stick apples around the feeders. Nine Fieldfare paid a brief visit too.

Today was still but wet. A late start due to a late finish yesterday when we went to the West Mainland Farmers' Ball and didn't return to the ranch until the early hours. Eight Whooper's on Loch of Bosquoy was a good start but there was little else there. The big surprise was the large Linnet flock that appeared in the garden, but not at the feeders early afternoon. I counted 65. This is unusual as this species is usually absent from this part of West Mainland through the winter.

Fulmar fest'

It blew up yesterday evening, and snowed, so much that the dog was unhappy about carrying on her night time stroll with all that white stuff blowing in her face.

This morning it was still blowing and although it took me a while to get started, and I got distracted on the way, I got to Point of Buckquoy at 9:40 or so.  Once I'd sorted myself out, and clocked the 1cy Glaucous Gull that went west as soon as I wound the window down, I noticed that something was going on in Fulmar World. The first five minute sample count was 630. Over the next 90 minutes 10,404 went west and about 30 went east; that 's a lot of Fulmar. Amongst these I picked out three double dark morph, blue, fulmars. Also in the movement were one each of Sooty and Manx Shearwater. I'm guessing that the movement had northern origins with the blue fulmars showing but I've never seen that many fulmars in one go before.

I probably should have watched longer but I wanted to check the beach for waders, Killdeer is my current ambition bird. Plenty of waders, no Killdeer.

A casualty of the storm, unfortunately. Maybe his mum will find him.

Yesterday had been a beautiful day, two male Brambling brightened the feeders and Loch of Bosquoy held two male Goosander, uncommon here.

The Tree Sparrow is still here, it arrived April 2011

Home duties

No birding this weekend as offspring required some attention....

The Waxwings were last seen on Wednesday. What would seem to be the same Great Spot was seen briefly yesterday. Tree Sparrow still present.

A young (2 or 3 cy; must check age; some brown feathers in mantle and I think on some coverts) male Hen harrier flew feet from the car as we went down the track this morning then across the edge of The Shunan very low and fast.

 Still plenty of gulls near Hatston

South Ron'

We toured around South Ronaldsay for the morning and found ... very little. Best moment was getting out of the car by a garden at Loch of Lythe to a warbler calling. A Sproghawk got out of the corner where the bird was and there was no more calling, and it looked like, in a brief view, that the Sproghawk was carrying something. A bit of a think and a quick look at Collins, and later reference to XenoCanto, confirmed the most likely ex-caller as Siberian Chiffchaff.

Back at the ranch the Great Spot was back on the feeders and was then seen to fly a long way south. There were at least 13 Blackbirds and the Waxwing flock had increased to six.

Waxwings in the garden

I'd spent a bit of time this morning after I'd put the Chestnut-eared Bunting bait and the apples out staring out of the window in the kitchen, ever hopeful. of course as soon as I looked away to sort the toast Louise froze in a disbelieving stare in front of the sink, and there were five Waxwings. They stayed with us all day, eating two apples.

 The alert posture was caused by our local Kestrels flying by, calling

 I could walk to within a few feet of this bird

 The apple on the stick trick

Midday brought more excitement in the shape of a second Great Spotted Woodpecker for the garden for the year. I think this is only the third county record this year, the only one not in our garden being on North Ronaldsay; in any event this species is pretty uncommon here.

Down on The Shunan there was a Goldeneye as well as the semi-resident Tuftie.

Loch of Bosquoy produced just a Short-eared Owl and four Shoveler amongst the legions of Wigeon.Of more interest was the large gull flock just outside Kirkwall, at Hatston. Despite giving them a fiar bit of scrutiny I couldn't dig out anything of note, maybe tomorrow...

More sunshine

Another beautiful sunny day.

A wander around home first thing found a few thrushes on the move and finches flying. The Long-tailed Tit was still present. On The Shunan, amongst the usual ducks was a Goldeneye.

Out on the Brough of Birsay, a Brambling flew over as I crossed the causeway. Around the Viking site there was a large flock of Twite of about 100 which included a Brambling and a Goldfinch, but not the hoped for redpoll.

In Palace there were a couple of Goldcrest and a Blackcap. A very few Blackbirds, Song Thrush and Redwing were also present.

Down on the beach was my first WWG of the autumn, a 1cy Glaucouus Gull.

The Lapland Buntings were still present on the Links.

A still afternoon at home allowed for further views of the Long-tailed Tit and Tree Sparrow, no sign of Woody though.

Yabbadabbadooooo!

Lovely morning at Birsay, on to the Brough, although no migrants there but a few mepits. A search of the beaches and Palace revealed a flock of at least 17 Lapland Buntings on the Links near the cafe. In the village there was a Goldfinch but little else.

The Laps were rather flighty

Boardhouse Loch held at least 12 Slavonian Grebes, three Whooper Swans, Long-tailed Duck, 2 Goldeneye, Tufted, Pochard and Wigeon.

Back at the ranch I was completing the dog enclosure project (not entirely successfully) when it slowly began to dawn on me that the call I kept hearing was of interest, a look into the nearest Sycamore and there was a Long-tailed Tit. Third new bird for the garden in two days. (I need to look into the races of this species as it seemed a bit streaky on the breast.) Comments welcome, does this look just like a standard UK bird?

A real rarity here, although there's a bit of an invasion at the moment

Enclosure works were continued, badminton played in the garden, half time break so I thought I'd have another crack at pix of the L-tT which I could hear as we played. Movement caught my eye over the house, hirundine, haven't seen one of those for over a week. Oh, it's got a pale rump, and quite long outer tails, penny dropped as I saw the pale throat and the collar. Yabbadabbadoo!! I'd long wanted to find Red-rumped Swallow and here it was, now circling the trees next door, fine views, then it was gone. In all, about 25 seconds of wonder.

Photographer arrived late afternoon to have a go at the rook roost. We wandered into the kitchen to make tea, and there was the Great Spotted Woodpecker on the peanuts again, so it's still around.

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Ellen, youngest daughter, became animated and speechless (unheard of) finally blurting out "What's that!" and there was a Great Spotted Woodpecker on the peanut feeder.  No red on back of head and tiny flecks of red in crown so presume this is a 1cy female.

Tree Sparrow still present.

Whilst trying to find the woody for visiting birders I turned up a Lesser Whitethroat in the garden next door which is a  from the garden tick, and a tetrad tick. A late afternoon trip out to Birsay Links brought a flock of 18 Lapland Buntings which is I think the largest flock in the county away from North Ronaldsay other than in 2010.

Waxwings

Waxwings in Stromness this morning.

Fall of thrushes (NRon)

A pretty impressive fall, mostly of thrushes, 250 Blackbirds, 110 Song Thrushes, 650 Redwing and just 9 Fieldfare, with three Ring Ouzel. Other nice things were four Woodcock, one seen in the hand; a Jack Snipe seen in the hand; and a good fall of Brambling, nearly 200 in total probably. Two Short-eared owls (not common here). I managed to walk past the AGP without seeing it....

Most of the fall was between the west sheep dyke and the sea, it would almost seem that birds were blown right across the island and just stopped in the shelter of the dyke ending up in the drink. Plenty of Song Thrushes and Blackbirds were on the rocks on the beach

 Goldcrest on a tiny patch of grass under the dyke. There were just a few Goldcrest today but they were mostly in the dykes (walls)

Barnacle Geese flew by

Looking good

Weather looking good and I'm booked on the late afternoon flight to North Ron tomorrow.... if nothing else there should be a few thrushes.

Stuff

Well it's not very exciting at the moment. Lots of ducks on Loch of Bosquoy, I counted 805 Pochard today, that's quite a few. There were also 11 Scaup, 400 Teal and various other bits and bats.

Yesterday in Kirkwall there was a Velvet Scoter on the PDC, also there at least three White Wagtails.

A Buzzard nearly made the "in the garden" list today, just 30m short, seen from the kitchen as well, not a common bird in this part of Orkney. Usual Hen Harrier hanging around but not much evidence of thrushes doing much, 19 Blackbirds on Thursday afternoon were the best so far.

Rooks on posts down the track

I'll try and get up for a bit of a seawatch tomorrow morning as its been quite a healthy NWerly in the later stages of today.

 Here come the Pinkies

Harray kirk