August 2005

August 31st: A few new things in included a Common Rosefinch and the first Goldcrest of the autumn. One (of the two present) Barred Warbler was new. Other counts included 14 Teal, a Sooty Shearwater, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 14 Knot, 84 Common Snipe, 155 Turnstone, Greenshank, two Green Sandpipers, Tree Pipit, 725 Meadow Pipit, Lesser Whitethroat, five Garden Warbler, 11 Willow Warbler, six Pied Flycatcher, the two Tree Sparrow and 88 Twite.

August 27th: Two Barred Warblers and the Red-backed Shrike were seen. Two Sooty and a Manx Shearwater were reported from the Good Shepherd IV crossing. A 'blue' Fulmar, the first Arctic Tern for several days and a Redpoll sp. were other highlights. Counts included Sparrowhawk and Kestrel, 30 Ringed Plover, 50 Oystercatcher, 20 Golden Plover, 9 Knot, 10 Sanderling, 76 Dunlin, 9 Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, 120 Turnstone, a Short-eared Owl, 575 Meadow Pipit, a Whinchat, 192 Wheatear, the Marsh Warbler again and 87 Twite.

August 26th: Five Barred Warblers and the Red-backed Shrike remain. Single Sedge, Garden, the Marsh Warbler and three summering Chiffchaffs were the only other warblers seen. The Chalet pond collection (including the Red-breasted Goose) was joined briefly by two Wigeon and seven Teal. Waders consisted of 54 Ringed Plover, 20 Golden Plover, 15 Knot, five Sanderling, 66 Dunlin, Ruff, five Black-tailed Godwit and a Bar-tailed Godwit. Other passerines of note included 560 Meadow Pipit, 60 'alba' Wagtails (mostly Whites), a Whinchat, 158 Wheatear and 81 Twite.

August 25th: Five Barred Warblers and the Red-backed Shrike remain. Three Manx Shearwater were seen of South Light and the same seawatch produced a Puffin. Waders were in evidence again with 10 Knot, 10 Sanderling, 56 Dunlin, 10 Black-tailed Godwit, 100 Redshank, Greenshank and 110 Turnstone. Other good counts included 22 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 450 Meadow Pipit, 80 'alba' Wagtail (nearly all Whites), two Black Redstart and 132 Wheatear (including many 'Greenland'). Singles of Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Grey Wagtail, Whinchat, Sedge, Garden & Willow Warbler and Common Crossbill added variety.
In a poor year for butterflies, a Red Admiral was seen in the Obs garden.

August 24th: Three Barred Warblers and the Red-backed Shrike remain. Highlight however was the record flock of 17 Black-tailed Godwit which alighted on the new scrape (the previous highest number was a party of 13 in August 1990). Other wader numbers had increased and included 11 Knot, 18 Sanderling, 80 Dunlin, 150 Redshank and 140 Turnstone. An hours seawatching off South Light produced 12 Sooty Shearwaters, three Manx Shearwaters and two Puffins. Around the crofts and the hill were a Swift, 400 Meadow Pipit, 110 'alba' Wagtail (mainly White), a Black Redstart, 150 Wheatear (including 'Greenland'), the two Tree Sparrow and a male Common Crossbill.

August 23rd: A few more ducks noted with five Wigeon and seven Teal joining the Shoveler. Two Sooty Shearwaters were reported from the Good Shepherd IV and a Short-eared Owl floated around the isle. Waders of note included ten Knot, 30 Curlew and three Whimbrel. Passerines of note were; five Barred Warbler, three Garden Warbler, Red-backed Shrike and Pied Flycatcher.

August 22nd: Highlights were five Barred Warblers plus the Common Rosefinch and Red-backed Shrike. The two Wigeon and Shoveler remain on the Chalet Pond and elsewhere. Single Ruff, Black-tailed Godwit and Greenshank added variety to counts of Ringed Plover (27), Knot (10), Sanderling (4), Purple Sandpiper (9), Dunlin (29), Redshank (50), Turnstone (71), Common Gull (34), Meadow Pipit (103), "alba" Wagtail (36), Wheatear (120), Garden Warbler (2) and Willow Warbler (5).

August 21st: Five Barred Warblers and the Red-backed Shrike and one Common Rosefinch were the rarest sightings but more interesting was the tricky Marsh Warbler trapped in the Vaadal and the first Tree Pipit of the autumn. An influx of Common Gulls produced a count of 261. Other counts and sightings of note were: Wigeon (2), Teal (15), Shoveler, Ringed Plover (28), Knot (8), Dunlin (25), Ruff (2), Meadow Pipit (160), Black Redstart (2), Wheatear (150), Whinchat, Willow Warbler (6) and Twite (114).

August 20^th: At last, some decent SE’ly winds…..and some birds!! Highlights were the seven Barrred Warblers, two Common Rosefinches and the juvenile Red-backed Shrike. Other influxes included 34 Golden Plover, 24 Dunlin, 88 Common Snipe, a Wood Pigeon, six Swift, 150 Meadow Pipit, 34 ‘alba’ Wagtails and two Whinchat. Black-tailed Godwit, Greenshank and two Common Sandpiper were the wader highlights. The Shoveler was seen again and two Kestrel, six Swift, Black Redstart, 170 Wheatear, two Fieldfare, three Garden Warbler, six Willow Warbler and the two Tree Sparrow. Arctic Skuas are dwindling fast with just 11 counted (including four juveniles) whilst two Guillemot and a Puffin were also stragglers.

A couple of extraordinarily coloured birds!

Puffin Photo Corina Torregrosa

Starling Photo Rory Tallack

Common Rosefinch

Photos Deryk Shaw

Barred Warbler

August 19^th: Six Greylag flew over first thing and two Teal and one Shoveler were noted. Both Black-tailed and Bar-tailed Godwits were seen as was the first Whinchat of the autumn. Other sightings of note included 71 Redshank, a Razorbill, 72 Meadow Pipit, two Black Redstart, 105 Wheatear, the long-staying female Blackbird, two Fieldfare, Pied Flycatcher, two Tree Sparrow and two Common Crossbill. Warblers included the four summering Chiffchaff plus Sedge, three Garden, four Willow and two Barred Warblers. The crew of the Good Shepherd IV reported two Sooty Shearwaters and 30+ Storm Petrels.

August 18^th: Ducks were in evidence with two Wigeon, four Teal and two Shoveler spotted. Waders of note included 13 Knot, eight Sanderling, a Ruff, a Black-tailed Godwit, 57 Redshank and Green Sandpiper. New in were two Fieldfare and three Willow Warblers but best of all were the two Common Rosefinch.

August 17^th: An increase in warblers included five Sedge and three Garden Warblers. Two Swift, Sparrowhawk, 80 Meadow Pipit and a Pied Flycatcher were also counted.

August 16^th: A Ruff, Greenshank and Common Sandpiper were the wader highlights. A Swift and 100 Wheatears were counted and two Tree Sparrows are possibly summering birds.

August 15^th: Six Teal were new as was a Greenshank and three Sedge Warblers. Arctic Terns have cleared out en-masse with just ten counted. Twenty Storm Petrels were trapped at night.

August 14^th: Raptors were in evidence with Peregrine, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk and Short-eared Owl all on show. A Pied Flycatcher was the first of the autumn and Sedge Warbler and six Willow Warbler showed autumn passage migrants were trickling through. Two Black Redstart and 150 Wheatear were also seen. Best of all however was a flock of 20 Bar-tailed Godwit – the largest number for 25 years!!

August 13^th: Highlight was the first Barred Warbler of the autumn but also a Peregrine, Fieldfare, Sedge Warbler, two Garden Warbler and a Willow Warbler were all new. Six Ruff is a good count whilst Wheatears topped 140 and Twite 127. A good nights “petrelling” produced 127 Stormies and two Leach’s.

August 12^th: A Manx Shearwater from North Light was the best bird today. Two Grey Herons, Kestrel, three Knot, five Dunlin, six Guillemot, eight Swallow, two Black Redstart, 86 Wheatear, 103 Twite and a Common Crossbill were other counts.

August 11^th: Five Sanderling remain and were joined by three Knot. The Short-eared Owl was seen again and a Sooty Shearwater from Buness.

August 10^th: Waders dominated with six Sanderling, two Whimbrel and 21 Curlew. Also counted were 41 Common Gulls and six Lesser Black-backed Gulls on the newly cut haylage fields. Two Razorbills and a Swift were the other highlights.

August 9^th: The three Grey Heron and Common Sandpiper remain plus a Short-eared Owl. Wheatears topped 100, Meadow Pipits 75 and a Black Redstart was new.

August 8^th: Three Grey Heron, two Ringed Plover, two Ruff, two Common Sandpiper, demonstrated the increase in wader passage, whilst Marsh Warbler, Willow Warbler and two Common Crossbill hinted that (finally) autumn is just around the corner!

August 7^th: Eleven Purple Sandpipers and Ruff (year tick) were the day’s highlights.

August 6^th: Two Grey Heron remained, whilst Oystercatcher numbered 153.

August 5^th:Two Grey Heron, female Kestrel, 40 Redshank and eight Swallows were the best on offer.

August 4^th: Two Grey Heron, 200 Oystercatcher, 58 Turnstone and six Common Crossbill.

August 3^rd: Some higher counts today included 23 Purple Sandpipers, 65 Black-headed Gulls, 115 Wheatear and six Common Crossbills.

August 2^nd: A Greylag Goose, Grey Heron, 6 Dunlin and Black Redstart were the highlights.

August 1^st: Very few Guillemot and Razorbills are left ashore. A Red-throated Diver flew over. A Storm Petrel ringing session at night resulted in 61 birds being ringed.