Aurora at Brough of Birsay, the bright light is the lighthouse...
And looking the other way, towards Northside
Aurora from our gate
Friday, 28 February 2014
Monday, 24 February 2014
Huge tramp
Massive tramp around after the rain had stopped, this eventually involved going to the top of The Kame in pursuit of hovering buzzards, which turned out to be Common. Other highlights were the first Lesser Black-backed Gull of the spring on Loch of Bosquoy, a female and two kit otters playing at Howaback, the flock of Skylarks still in the tup field and Skylarks and Ravens displaying on the moor.
Loch of Harray
Oynks
Pinks over the moor
Saturday, 22 February 2014
Pigeon week
22 Woodpigeons on Thursday was a good total and there were three Collared Doves the same day. The Rooks are continuing to show lots of interest in the rookery, not roosting still but here early and late.
Early morning rookery
Not much birding today but a Buzzard on the more and Skylarks now on territory were notable. Hen Harrier hunting just beyond the garden at lunchtime.
Sunday, 16 February 2014
Eastern Friday
Having completed most of my WeBS I went east on Friday afternoon for a poke around Tankerness. Dipped the Green-winged Teal but did manage to relocate Red-necked Grebe and Black-throated Diver. Counted 77 GNDs around the coast of Tankerness but Velvet Scoter were down to 26 and there were few Slav Grebes.
Weather yesterday and today a bit rubbish to be honest. New WeBS site today, Loch of Sabiston which held 66 Whooper Swans and 9 Shoveler amongst other things.
Weather yesterday and today a bit rubbish to be honest. New WeBS site today, Loch of Sabiston which held 66 Whooper Swans and 9 Shoveler amongst other things.
Tuesday, 11 February 2014
Man flu
Close to death yesterday but having got through the morning I started to perk up later on today. From nasty wet sleet driven on a strongish SW wind this morning to sunshine and calm later this afternoon. A pre-return to work walk the dog was called for.
A Hen Harrier, the second of the day, the first was just outside the kitchen window earlier this morning was a good start, but best was this character which sat nicely for the camera.
A Hen Harrier, the second of the day, the first was just outside the kitchen window earlier this morning was a good start, but best was this character which sat nicely for the camera.
This is also quite a scarce winter bird, or at least hard to see.
A bit further up the hill there was another Hen Harrier and 150 Pink-feet. Skylarks were heard overhead, so have returned to the breeding grounds. A single Meadow pipit was also in breeding habitat.
A large flock of Jackdaws (70) and Rooks (450) required scrutiny but they were elusive and no monedula could be picked out.
Sunday, 9 February 2014
Pochard
I don't believe I've ever seen such a Pochard flock. Loch of Bosquoy has held flocks of more than 800 in the past but this afternoon on the way to a fruitless search for the Bean Goose at Voy I came across a flock of 1470 in Rango Bay on Loch of Harray, that's a lot of Pochard.
The first Black-headed Gull of the year on the patch was nice, could have done with that a couple of weeks ago. Also a flock 35 Mepits by The Shunan was a surprise and late afternoon 34 Twite flew into the garden. The Oystercatchers have arrived in force with 70 on the fields after the first ones have been heard at night flying over mid-week, so noisy time returns. The Rooks were again showing some interest in the rookery but continue not to roost. And lastly three Robins feeding around the feeders on Saturday morning and singing on and off were a further sign that stuff is on the move.
Dip of the week was the aurora on Friday which appeared after it clouded up by all reports.
The first Black-headed Gull of the year on the patch was nice, could have done with that a couple of weeks ago. Also a flock 35 Mepits by The Shunan was a surprise and late afternoon 34 Twite flew into the garden. The Oystercatchers have arrived in force with 70 on the fields after the first ones have been heard at night flying over mid-week, so noisy time returns. The Rooks were again showing some interest in the rookery but continue not to roost. And lastly three Robins feeding around the feeders on Saturday morning and singing on and off were a further sign that stuff is on the move.
Monday, 3 February 2014
Close but no bananas....
In the end it was second place in the 1 mile FootIt challenge but all in all I thought a pretty good effort. Having had a target of 58 last year, based on the the two previous January efforts, and reaching 61 was I thought pretty good, so that was this year's target. I'd expected to get into the high 50s to be honest. The faithful Tree Sparrow having recently departed and various other species proving to be quite elusive in December. However, I had good weather at the beginning of the month when I was on holiday and on the whole the weekend weather was not too bad. There were sufficient calm days to be able to search the lochs for ducks and I got lucky a few times.
Star bird was of course the Blue-winged Teal, a really nice find, and my first "proper" find since the Red-rumped Swallow of October 2012. Also nice were Jack Snipe, in the past just a couple or so records, Woodcock, which can be very tricky, Red-throated Diver which was early and very distant on Loch of Harray, and of course Ellen's Waxwing which played ball (or at least ate apples) the following morn.
The benefits of FootIt were that I found a Raven's nest I would otherwise have missed, the Woodcock which was in the little watched northern section, as was a new Blackbird roost. The Skylark flock of 27 and the 35 Linnets were in a field I would otherwise not have checked, the Skylark flock being a patch record.
I will now be going back to watching my "proper" patch which no longer includes the northern sector, but does include the Howaback area of Loch of Harray with the water treatment works and burn. No doubt a fair bit of my birding will continue to be of a FootIt nature. I might even keep a FootIt year list.
This weekend it was back to the decorating, and to the coast. The Waxwing put in a brief appearance yesterday but today a more determined effort at Palace, in a bit of a blow, found both Glaucous Gull and Jack Snipe (I have a feeling that the Jack Snipe is a patch tick).
Star bird was of course the Blue-winged Teal, a really nice find, and my first "proper" find since the Red-rumped Swallow of October 2012. Also nice were Jack Snipe, in the past just a couple or so records, Woodcock, which can be very tricky, Red-throated Diver which was early and very distant on Loch of Harray, and of course Ellen's Waxwing which played ball (or at least ate apples) the following morn.
The benefits of FootIt were that I found a Raven's nest I would otherwise have missed, the Woodcock which was in the little watched northern section, as was a new Blackbird roost. The Skylark flock of 27 and the 35 Linnets were in a field I would otherwise not have checked, the Skylark flock being a patch record.
I will now be going back to watching my "proper" patch which no longer includes the northern sector, but does include the Howaback area of Loch of Harray with the water treatment works and burn. No doubt a fair bit of my birding will continue to be of a FootIt nature. I might even keep a FootIt year list.
This weekend it was back to the decorating, and to the coast. The Waxwing put in a brief appearance yesterday but today a more determined effort at Palace, in a bit of a blow, found both Glaucous Gull and Jack Snipe (I have a feeling that the Jack Snipe is a patch tick).
Sunday, 2 February 2014
By the seaside
The Waxwing, presumably the same, reappeared briefly early afternoon but otherwise the garden was quiet.
A brief walk at Palace was exceptional only for the waves.
A look at the crow roost produced just 18 Hoodies but still 3 Carrion Crows and 2 hybrids.
The large pale patch on the flank of the lead bird showed it to be a hybrid, although on the deck it had looked quite good for Carrion Crow.
A brief walk at Palace was exceptional only for the waves.
A look at the crow roost produced just 18 Hoodies but still 3 Carrion Crows and 2 hybrids.
Pre-roost gathering
Thursday, 30 January 2014
Wednesday, 29 January 2014
Waxwing dip
I really thought that was it for FootIt but this afternoon there was a Waxwing in the garden, I didn't see it but there is every hope for first thing tomorrow morning. Nice record Ellen!
Saturday, 25 January 2014
FootIt mania
The last weekend... for FootIt and being on the leader board I had to make a massive effort. However, first of all there was the Big Garden Birdwatch to deal with so it wasn't until 10:00 that hound and I headed off south to the lochs. The Birdwatch time provided a second FootIt Sproghawk seen from the kitchen window but nothing of significance. The Shunan held much the usual with the addition of two Whoopers and careful scrutiny of Bosquoy did not refind last weekend's star bird. Off to Loch of Harray then, and again good birds but nothing new. So despite athe afore mentioned Sproghawk, Whoopers, Slav Grebe, Goosander x2, Scaup x2, L-t Duck x7 and a good selection of the commoner things no gains.
Lunch (Cullen Skink) was taken outside to maximise the effort, lovely day here on the whloe sunny and fairly still, and then I headed north to the moor. The hope was that the sunshine might have encouraged an early Skylark and Red Grouse is still required. Four species were seen by the time I reached the moor, none of them new. A hare conveniently ran towards The Kame so the dog took off in hot pursuit and then quartered the ground most thoroughly, to no avail. With little hope left we headed west to cover the lower moorland slopes but other than a single Snipe nothing showed. A Hen Harrier was distantly quartering The Kame but it was not seen to flush the required grouse. There was then an episode of dog legging it to pursue a number of Brown Hares all of which scattered widely and required me to cut across a number of fields to keep her in sight, an unwanted detour, that also produced no birds.
Nearly 3.00pm and nothing to add to the list for a day in the field.
I reached the junction of the track, one last effort, the farm has once in my memory held a winter Pied Wag. Down the road, a ringtail is heading low straight towards me and as she turns she flushes six finches onto the nearby fence. Expecting Greenfinch I raise the bins, Linnets! They dropped into the field and I walked on to the gate where I found an interesting small field with 6 tups grazing. I scanned and found Skylark, not one but 27, probably the largest flock I've ever seen on the patch. At this point the Linnets flew from hiding under the dyke to join the feeding Skylarks and all were succcessfully scoped. I carried on down the hill to check for the absent Pied Wag, on the way back up the Linnet numbers had increased to 35, a good sized flock for Orkney in winter.
So that may be it for FootIt as the forecast for the morn is pretty grim 95%+ rain, wind 43 gusting to 67mph from SW. If I'm very lucky I may be able to take an early shot at the moor but I don't have great hopes.
Lunch (Cullen Skink) was taken outside to maximise the effort, lovely day here on the whloe sunny and fairly still, and then I headed north to the moor. The hope was that the sunshine might have encouraged an early Skylark and Red Grouse is still required. Four species were seen by the time I reached the moor, none of them new. A hare conveniently ran towards The Kame so the dog took off in hot pursuit and then quartered the ground most thoroughly, to no avail. With little hope left we headed west to cover the lower moorland slopes but other than a single Snipe nothing showed. A Hen Harrier was distantly quartering The Kame but it was not seen to flush the required grouse. There was then an episode of dog legging it to pursue a number of Brown Hares all of which scattered widely and required me to cut across a number of fields to keep her in sight, an unwanted detour, that also produced no birds.
Raven nest, an interesting find
Nearly 3.00pm and nothing to add to the list for a day in the field.
I reached the junction of the track, one last effort, the farm has once in my memory held a winter Pied Wag. Down the road, a ringtail is heading low straight towards me and as she turns she flushes six finches onto the nearby fence. Expecting Greenfinch I raise the bins, Linnets! They dropped into the field and I walked on to the gate where I found an interesting small field with 6 tups grazing. I scanned and found Skylark, not one but 27, probably the largest flock I've ever seen on the patch. At this point the Linnets flew from hiding under the dyke to join the feeding Skylarks and all were succcessfully scoped. I carried on down the hill to check for the absent Pied Wag, on the way back up the Linnet numbers had increased to 35, a good sized flock for Orkney in winter.
Skylarks
The walk home was a bit more cheery. Sitting out with tea in the late afternoon a male Hen Harrier circled and headed over. I made a last effort down to The Shunan in the hope of a further Short-eared Owl, I've seen just one so far this year, but no owl and nothing unexpected.
So that may be it for FootIt as the forecast for the morn is pretty grim 95%+ rain, wind 43 gusting to 67mph from SW. If I'm very lucky I may be able to take an early shot at the moor but I don't have great hopes.
Sunday, 19 January 2014
About bloody time too.....
I've not found a decent bird since October 2012, well I have but not any sort of records committee thing and that was the last time I added anything to the life found list. But yesterday morning that changed, it went like this....
Set out with not too much optimism, not even sure where to go, north to the moor, south to the lochs. The dog turned for the lochs so that was decided then. It was grey and the wind was getting up. The Shunan held the usual selection of quackers so over the fields, along the road and check a garden or two then back down the track to Loch of Bosquoy. Usual dog/cat palaver at the last house then check another garden and settle myself down for the ducks. It was a WeBS day too so accurate counting was required. The teal flock requires scrutiny, just in case, 91, ah but what's this? Bright white splodge near its arse, by 'eck it's a Blue-winged Teal! (Patchwork Challenge find as well...)
Also an Oystercatcher flew in which was unseasonably early, the Woodpigeon flock increased to 9 and the Curlew count at Loch of Bosquoy was 773. Dip news, missed a Kittiwake at the Merkister, that'll be a hard one to recover.
Set out with not too much optimism, not even sure where to go, north to the moor, south to the lochs. The dog turned for the lochs so that was decided then. It was grey and the wind was getting up. The Shunan held the usual selection of quackers so over the fields, along the road and check a garden or two then back down the track to Loch of Bosquoy. Usual dog/cat palaver at the last house then check another garden and settle myself down for the ducks. It was a WeBS day too so accurate counting was required. The teal flock requires scrutiny, just in case, 91, ah but what's this? Bright white splodge near its arse, by 'eck it's a Blue-winged Teal! (Patchwork Challenge find as well...)
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