2008 - MAY SIGHTINGS

2006 Report now out
Price £7 incl p&p (UK) or £8.50

Crossbills		Crossbill
Peregrine nest		Peregrine nest and Crossbills Photographs by Mark Breaks

31^st May There had obviously been a big clearout of birds overnight. There was no sign of the two Buntings or Pipit from yesterday. It was only the usual scarce migrants present like Red-backed Shrike, Icterine Warbler and Common Rosefinch. The most notable news of the day was the discovery of the Peregrine nest on the west cliffs, containing at least one small chick! – the first nest since 1973, although the last successful attempt was in 1969.

Little Bunting	Photographs by Mark Breaks	Nightjar
Redbacked Shrike		Rustic Bunting

 

30th May The day started well with a male Rustic Bunting at Wirvie Burn. While being looked for during the morning a Little Bunting was found in the same area. Amazingly they spent much of the day together and were still present in the evening. Wirvie was certainly the place to be when, in the afternoon, a female type Red-throated Pipit was found just up the road. Unfortunately it was very flighty and was only seen by a small group before disappearing up the valley. The highlight for many however was a very obliging Nightjar that spent most of the morning asleep on one of the fence posts in the Obs plantation, right next to the mist-net! It was therefore easily trapped for ringing, allowing many people to see this nocturnal species in the hand. Scarce migrants present today included 11 Grey-headed Wagtail, 2 Bluethroat, 4 Marsh Warblers, 4 Icterine Warblers, 10 Red-backed Shrike and 6 Common Rosefinch. There had obviously been a small fall of thrushes as there were 5 Blackbird, 3 Fieldfare, 3 Song Thrush and 4 Redwing.

Nightjar Photograph by Deryk Shaw

29^th May: Although conditions looked ideal for something good, fog rolled in during the early morning and severely hampered viewing. There were a few birds around the obs and havens first thing (before the fog arrived) including a female type Crossbill, a Quail, a singing Rosefinch and an Icterine Warbler. New arrivals included an Osprey over the obs in the evening (after the fog had cleared), a Red-throated Diver flying south, Common and Green Sandpipers and 2 Sand Martin. Otherwise it was most of yesterdays birds holding on; 2 Bluethroat, 3 Marsh Warblers, 6 Icterine Warblers, 8 Red-backed Shrikes and 5 Common Rosefinch completed the scarce migrant list.

28^th May A change to easterly winds triggered a huge fall of birds with some nice highlights and four year ticks. Top of the list would have been a Tawny Pipit if it hadn’t disappeared without being confirmed. A Red-breasted Flycatcher at Hjukni in the late afternoon created plenty of interest and thankfully it was still present in the evening. There was an impressive display of some of the scarcer migrants. This included 3 Bluethroat (all females), 2 Marsh Warbler, 7 Icterine Warbler, 10 Red Backed Shrike (at last), 4 Common Rosefinch and 1 Hawfinch. Common Migrants present in good numbers included 1 Cuckoo, 8 Tree Pipit, 6 Grey-headed Wagtails, 5 Common Redstart, female Ring Ouzel, the first Reed Warbler of the year, 25 Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Whitethroat, 13 Garden Warbler, 23 Spotted Flycatcher and 1 Pied Flycatcher.

27^th May Compared to recent days it was fairly quiet. The highlights being only singles of Icterine Warbler and Common Rosefinch. New arrivals were 2 Teal, a Green Sandpiper, 2 Short-eared Owls and a Linnet . Census revealed 2 Common Tern, 9 Swallow, 1 Grey-headed Wagtail, 1 Blue-headed Wagtail, 1 Black Redstart, 2 Redwing, 6 Lesser Whitethroat, 6 Garden Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 4 Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler, 11 Spotted Flycatcher and 1 Pied Flycatcher. There was no sign of the Surf Scoter.

26^th May A quieter day for new arrivals but there was now two Quail at Schoolton, singing during the morning. Other new arrivals included a female Bluethroat, 2 Icterine Warblers, a Black Redstart, a Merlin and a female Wigeon. Fewer migrants than previous days but included 1 Swift, 14 Swallow, 1 House Martin, 1 ‘Flava’ Wagtail, 3 Common Redstart, 1 Whinchat, 1 Ring Ouzel, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Garden Warblers, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler, 12 Spotted Flycatchers, 1 Pied Flycatcher. There was a late Redwing and the Surf Scoter was still around South Light.

25^th May New arrivals today included a Quail (Schoolton Ditch), a Cuckoo (Obs), A Common Rosefinch (Skerryholm), a Swift and the Surf Scoter still present in the south. Counts today were 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Common Tern, 17 Swallow, 2 House Martin, 1 ‘flava’ Wagtail, 2 Redstart, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Garden Warbler, 5 Willow Warbler, 13 Spotted Flycatcher and 3 Pied Flycatcher.

Bluethroat

Photographs by Micky Maher

Common Rosefinch

24^th May Highlight of the day was a female Rustic Bunting that spent most of the day around the Raevas. Unfortunately it was very flighty and elusive most of the time. Other birds around included 3 Icterine Warblers, a female Bluethroat (Pund), another Wood Warbler (South Raeva) and the Surf Scoter still present. Migrants included 1 Common Tern, 19 Swallow, 2 House Martin, 3 ‘flava’ Wagtails, 3 Redstart, 1 Whinchat, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Garden Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 8 Willow Warbler, 25 Spotted Flycatcher and 5 Pied Flycatchers.

23^rd May More nice weather and even more nice birds. The highlight of the day was the appearance of a pair of Common Rosefinch, which included a stunning red male. They spent much of the day down at Skerryholm and the Haa. The supporting cast included 4 Bluethroat (1 male and 3 females), 2 Icterine Warblers, 2 Grey-headed Wagtail, a Bar-tailed Godwit, a Merlin, Short-eared Owl and the Surf Scoter still present around South Light. There were even more flycatchers around today including 30 Spotted and 8 Pied. Counts made were; 22 Swallow, 1 House Martin, 2 Tree Pipit, 6 Common Redstart, 2 Whinchat, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Common Whitethroat, 2 Garden Warbler and 7 Willow Warbler.

rf King Eider	Photographs by Mark Breaks	King Eider
Savis Warbler		Surf Scoter

22^nd May Good birds are still arriving. During morning census the highlights were 2 Icterine Warblers, a female Bluethroat, an immature male Golden Oriole (briefly at Quoy) and the Surf Scoter still present around South Light. Migrants again seemed to become more conspicuous in the afternoon with especially good numbers of Flycatchers. Today there were up to 21 Spotted Flycatchers and 3 Pied Flycatchers. The afternoons highlight was two Common Rosefinches (Chalet and Shoolton) Today’s other counts were 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Greenshank, 2 Common Tern, 2 Tree Pipit, 2 Grey-headed Wagtail, 1 Whinchat, a female Ring Ouzel, 1 Sedge Warbler, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Common Whitethroat, 4 Garden Warbler, 2 Blackcap and 9 Willow Warblers. Bird of the day wasn’t found till the evening when a Savi’s Warbler was found at Chalet pond. It was particularly elusive giving only very brief flight views. Thankfully, attempts to catch it were successful and it was taken back to the Obs to be ringed. Some other odds and ends from today were 2 Brambling, the Tufted Duck and Black-tailed Godwit still present and a notable increase in Arctic Skuas.

21^st May Another reasonable day for arrivals, again mostly in the afternoon. Apart from the King Eider, Surf Scoter, Icterine Warbler and Black-tailed Godwit which were all still present, there was a nice selection of new birds around the island. Highlights included a new Icterine Warbler (parks), a Wryneck (south) and 2 male Grey-headed Wagtail (Gilsetter). Other migrants included a Woodcock, 2 Common Tern, 25 Swallow, 12 House Martin, a Sand Martin, 3 Tree Pipit, a Redstart, 3 Whinchat, 6 Spotted Flycatcher and 4 Pied Flycatcher. Other than the Ickys, warblers present were 1 Sedge Warbler, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Common Whitethroat, 2 Garden Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 4 Chiffchaff and 6 Willow Warbler.

King Eider Photographs (above, right) by Deryk Shaw
King Eider Photograph by Micky Maher		Subalpine Warbler Photograph by Simon Davies

20^th May A rather eventful day started well with an Icterine Warbler trapped in Double Dyke during the early morning trap round. Both the King Eider and Surf Scoter were still present in the south, joined by a male Teal in South Harbour. There seemed to be a small arrival of birds during the afternoon. The highlight was a female Bluethroat at Chalet and the first Wood Warbler of the year at the Shop. Also new in were 2 Barnacle Geese, 4 Common Sandpipers, 2 Common Tern and a Tree Pipit. Warblers were represented by 2 Blackcap, 2 Garden Warblers, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warblers as well as the Subalpine Warbler.

19^th May A fairly quiet day with the only bird of note being the King Eider still present in South Harbour. The Tufted Duck, Black Tailed Godwit and one of the Subalpine Warblers were also still present. The only new arrival was a Redwing.

18^th May Excitement today in the form of a 1^st-summer King Eider in South Harbour. It spent the whole day drifting in and out of the harbour and at times came quite close to the shore. Amazingly in the afternoon the Surf Scoter was relocated in the same place at one point only a few metres from the eider. Both Subalpine Warblers were still present as well as the Tufted Duck. New arrivals included Black Tailed Godwit, female Redstart and male Whinchat.

17th May There was a new Subalpine Warbler trapped in the plantation in the morning. There was no sign of the Surf Scoter in South Harbour but what was presumably the same Common Buzzard reappeared in the morning. Also still present was the Subalpine Warbler at the obs and the Tufted Duck in the north. A Swift first thing was only the second recorded so far this year. 16th May: A very quiet day for common migrants but there was a surprise find in the morning when a 1st year male Surf Scoter was found in South Harbour. It showed well most of the day but disappeared in the afternoon. The only other thing of note was a Common Buzzard that was seen around the island a couple of times in the afternoon.

Surf Scoter Photograph by Deryk Shaw

12^th-15^th May: Weather continues to be sunny and warming with the wind moving from the south east to the north east. The Subalpine Warbler was still present in the obs garden. The Citrine Wagtail was present at Da Water till the 13^th and there were still up to six Dotterel on Ward Hill till 14^th. There have been a few new arrivals, highlights being another Common Crane (12^th), Grey-headed Wagtail (13^th-14^th), a brief Common Crossbill (14^th) and a female Lapland Bunting (14^th). Other new arrivals included 3 Shelduck (14^th), 2 Barnacle Geese (15^th), a male Tufted Duck (15^th), a Sanderling (15^th), a Sandwich Tern (12^th), Short-eared Owl (14^th) and a Blue-headed Wagtail (13^th). Summer migrants were still arriving in small numbers. There was a Redstart, 2 Whinchat and a Spotted Flycatcher on 12^th, a Greenshank on 14^th and a Black Redstart on 15^th. Artic Tern numbers are starting to build up with 400 seen around the island on 14^th.There is still the odd Chaffinch, Brambling and Common Redpoll being seen.

11th May: 2 more year ticks today included a nice female Citrine Wagtail on Da Water and a flyover Common Tern. Subalpine Warbler and Bluethroat remain on the island, plus a Wryneck was trapped in the plantation. 2 Common Sandpiper and 5 Collared Dove were also new. ‘Flava’ Wagtail, 2 Sedge Warbler, 1 Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, 6 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler, 2 Siskin, Linnet an

10th May: A change in wind direction to South Westerly produce a few more new birds today including the first Spotted Flycatcher of the year, Greenshank and a new male Bluethroat. A Hobby was also a great surprise find in the afternoon. The Black Kite, Subalpine Warbler, 6 Dotterel, and 3 Mealy Redpoll remains. Commoner migrants include 2 Sedge Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Whitethroat, 3 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff, 4 Willow Warbler, 1 Sand Martin, 9 Swallow and 5 House Martin.

9^th May: A similar day weather wise to yesterday. The Black Kite remained on the island. New finds include a female Subalpine Warbler in the plantation, a male Bluethroat and a fly-over Wood Sandpiper, Lesser Redpoll, ‘Flava Wagtail’, Whinchat and Moorhen. Dotterel numbers increased to 8. Commoner migrants include 2 Red breasted Merganser, 1 Sand Martin, 2 House Martin, 20 Swallow, 6 Tree Pipit, 6 Sedge Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Whitethroat, 3 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff and 6 Willow Warbler.

Citrine Wagtail (above) Dotterel (right) Photographs by Mark Breaks
		Bluethroat (left)  Photographs by Mark Breaks

8^th May: The weather was good enough to keep the Black Kite circling the island all day again. Dotterel numbers increased to 5 on ward hill and a Water Rail was flushed from Gilsetter. Other migrants include 2 Mealy Redpoll, Redwing, 2 Tree Pipit, 33 Swallow, 3 House Martin, 2 Sand Martin, Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff and 3 Willow Warbler.d 3 Mealy Redpoll were on the island.

7^th May: Another glorious day with a light south easterly wind and bright sunshine perfect for raptors and today they actually came with an Osprey through north but this was shadowed by a cracking Black Kite that spent all day flying around the island (another first for the Isle!). Migration is still slow but new additions included 3 Dotterel on Ward Hill, Greenshank, male Red-breasted Merganser, 2 Redstarts and a Black Redstart, Arctic Terns increased to 15 and the Lesser Redpoll is now present with 2 Mealy Redpolls.

	Black Kite Photographs by Deryk Shaw

6^th May: A very quiet day with dense fog all morning that lingered till mid afternoon. No new birds for the year but new arrivals noted were Short-eared Owl, 2 Common Sandpipers, 12 Purple Sandpipers, Arctic Skuas increased to 8 again and a Grasshopper Warbler was in the plantation. Still remaining are the Lesser and Mealy Redpoll, Kestrel and Sparrowhawk.

5th May: A glorious day weather wise with no clouds and only a very light wind. There were certainly some birds around with several new in. A Quail flushed from Utra, a Cuckoo during the afternoon and a Lesser Redpoll controlled in the evening were all year ticks. Still lingering from previous days were the Wood Sandpiper on the scrape, the Dotterel at Setter and the Kumliens Gull in Furse. Other new arrivals included 4 Cormorant, an adult Iceland Gull, 2 Arctic Terns and 2 Sedge Warblers. Summer migrants included 7 Whimbrel, 1 Common Sandpiper, 34 Swallow, 4 Sand Martin, 1 House Martin, 3 Tree Pipit, 1 Ring Ouzel, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Common Whitethroat, 5 Blackcap and 17 Willow Warbler and 1 Pied Flycatcher.

4th May: A very overcast day with fewer birds around in general. There were a couple of new arrivals though in the form of a Wood Sandpiper first at Golden Water and later at Da Water, a Moorhen in Schoolton Ditch and a second-summer Glaucous Gull in South Harbour. Numbers were made up by 7 Whimbrel, 11 Swallow, 1 House Martin, 8 Tree Pipit,1 Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Blackcap, 8 Willow Warbler and a male Pied Flycatcher. The Kumliens Gull is still present but the Iceland Gull seems to have disappeared.

Dotterel	Grey-headed wagtail Photographs by Mark Breaks	Wryneck

3rd May: A couple of new arrivals today. First was a male Dotterel near Kennaby and later on Rippack. A Shelduck also did a small tour of the island during the morning. The male Grey-headed Wagtail was present at the base of Malcolms Head and the Wryneck at Kennaby and later Quoy. Other migrants present today included 8 Whimbrel, 8 Swallow, 1 Sand Martin, 3 Tree Pipit, 1 Common Redstart, 4 Ring Ouzel, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 4 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Common Whitethroat, 6 Blackcap and 13 Willow Warbler. The Iceland Gull and Kumliens Gull are still present.

2nd May: The Caspian Plover turned up again today for 45 minutes in the morning, before being lost in flight. Unfortunately it went missing before the two-plane loads of twitchers arrived. A male Grey-headed Wagtail was at Pund most of the day. The Wryneck also remained. There was a noticeable increase in ‘hirundines’ today with 54 Barn Swallow, 6 Sand Martin and 5 House Martin being logged on census. Warblers included 3 Grasshopper Warblers, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Whitethroat, 6 Blackcap, 8 Chiffchaff, 15 Willow Warbler and the first Garden Warbler of the year. Still present were the Whinchat, Pied Flycatcher, 2 Ring Ouzel, Black Redstart, Iceland Gull and Kumlien’s Gull.

	Caspian Plover Photographs (above) by Mark Breaks

Caspian Plover Photographs (left & right) by Paul Baxter.

1st May: Big excitement today as a female CASPIAN PLOVER was found at Upper Stoneybreck late morning. Panic ensued as it flew towards Setter but it was not long before it was relocated. Just after breakfast an Osprey flew North over the observatory. Other raptors seen include a Kestrel, Merlin, Sparrowhawk and Peregrine. A Wryneck was found at Hjukni Geo. Other year ticks included a Pied Flycatcher, 2 Redstarts and a Sedge Warbler. Other migrants include 24 Golden Plover, 7 Tree Pipit, ‘Flava’ Wagtail, 2 Black Redstart, Whinchat, 2 Grasshopper Warbler, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Whitethroat, Blackcap, 13 Chiffchaff, 14 Willow Warbler and 8 Reed Bunting. Also still present are 2 Ring Ouzel, Iceland Gull and Kumlien’s Gull.