Stronsay 2024 (1 Viewer)

[Hotspur]

After 18 months of procrastinating, Peter Williams, Nick Morgan and I headed to Stronsay in early October 2024. Here is the first of daily posts covering our efforts. It is written as a day by day diary, so (hopefully) there will be a big bird with no real build up, however in all likelihood we will just have a nice time. I'll add photos when I can.

We travelled from Yorkshire to Thurso on October 4th, and birding was done purely from the car due to the need to get up to the top of Scotland. Highlights were limited to Red Kite on the A66 and that was about it. We made excellent progress and after a dinner stop in Inverness, we arrived at Thurso at 21:30 exhausted but elated to have done the hardest bit of the journey.

Premier inn is many things but all three of us suffered a fitful nights sleep, and the anticlimax of a continental breakfast left us disappointed. Something that was far from disappointing was the view from the car as we sped towards the Pentland Ferry. Hooded Crows and views of sites we had only heard of were exciting, as were the skeins of Pink-footed geese. A few gannets and rock pipits were the highlights as odd lapwings flew onto the mainland from Orkney. The crossing started with a few Harbour Porpoises feeding in Gills Bay, with the trips first Tystie plus Guillemots and Razorbills. It was incredibly calm for the Pentland Firth, and relatively few birds were seen with handfuls of Kittiwakes and auks. A super brief Minke Whale was seen badly by Dan, a birder heading to North Ron, and I, disappearing before Nick and Pete could get onto it. Before long we were docking at South Ron, my first visit.

The island was bathed in sun and we whizzed round to Honeysgeo. Here the habitat looked incredible, as we bumped into a flock of 200 golden plover. Attempting to grill them for the hoped for Yank was put paid to by a keen female Sparrowhawk, which sent them to the horizon. A few other common waders bobbed about. It was far too nice, and far too calm, and the gardens produced just a couple of blackbirds, and a Moorhen which looked comical traversing the top of a hedge. We bumped into Steve Sankey and his partner out on their bikes which was nice to put a face to a name from the local WhatsApp group. Whilst chatting we had our first Hen Harrier working the fields.

Time marches ever on, and we soon moved to Echna Loch, where a party of 4 Long-tailed Ducks were in the bay, with 3 Slavonian Grebes and hordes of Eider and some Red-breasted Mergansers. We had seen plenty of the latter species as we came into dock but the former two were hoped for at this location, and the ducks looked very smart. The loch itself held Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal and a Little Grebe.

We pressed on before long to Loch of Ayre, where a scruffy drake Ring-necked Duck blended in with the locals. I wasn't particularly taken with this nearctic visitor but a nice to see. A late Arctic Tern was fishing out in the bay behind us, which was still looking pretty smart. I don't know how long they linger in the isles but not much longer I'd have thought.

Again, time was pressing, and we decamped towards Kirkwall to stock for supplies. A big group of Whoopers were seen on the waterbodies near Tesco as we armed with snacks. We arrived for the ferry early, and discussed the relative merits of the pigeons which looked less convincing in town than some of the others we had seen, with big ceres and various hues. To our delight, we loaded up, and set off 5 minutes early. Stronsay was still hidden but we were on the final leg.

Birds remained broadly similar on the crossing with more Tysties, and a couple of Red-throated Divers. A highlight was a moulting Great Northern Diver off Shapinsay. We saw handfuls of both species of seal on another calm passage. Once we cleared Shapinsay, a little swell developed as we were hit by the SSE breeze. All the while, an Orcadian backdrop scrolled past our vantagepoint on the starboard deck. Stronsay soon came into view and once in the islands waters we started the trip in earnest, firstly with some foraging Gannets.

The arrival into Whitehall was straightforward, although we were shadowed by leering wildflowers, getting excited by the clouds of geese over the airfield. Another Red-throated Diver was joined by further Black Guillemots as we passed the skeleton of a boat. Once docked, I took the executive decision to have a quick spin round the island in the remaining light. All manner of habitats had our respective appetites whetted, and we went out to Rothiesholm, checking Matpow and Bu Lochs. The latter bad 9 Black-tailed Godwits. A Rook was keeping company with a Hooded Crow which unbeknownst to us, was pretty decent, and our first ring-tail Hen Harrier on the island gave lovely views. We soon returned to Whitehall but not before Pete spotted a Northern Wheatear atop a hay bale. A taste of things to come? We certainly hoped so.

After checking into the Storehouse B&B, and receiving a warm welcome and a gladly received Steak Pie for tea, we met Jake and Drew in the pub. They had just done a week on the island and we were crossing over by a day, so it was time to get acquainted and talk details over a pint. We were accosted by a couple of well-oiled and well-meaning locals in a good natures chat, and were soon headed back to bed, heads filled with hope. Stronsay, in our short time already, looked spectacular.

Ebird trip report: https://ebird.org/tripreport/280423

 

[Mark Lew1s]

Rook! In 17 visits to Sanday we’ve not had rook and you get it on your first day? Looking forward to following this….

 

[Hotspur]

Rook! In 17 visits to Sanday we’ve not had rook and you get it on your first day? Looking forward to following this….

Thanks Mark. It was definitely a surprise. I wouldn't pin hopes too high.

 

[Hotspur]

Sunday 6th October

Our first full day on the island started with a hearty breakfast before meeting Drew Lyness and Jake Gearty for a look around Whitehall's gardens. Singles of Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Willow Warbler were found, with the latter looking good for acredula. A Sparrowhawk tried to make life uncomfortable and brief for a Rock Dove but gave up eventually. We then split up for our respective approach to the day.

We decided to head to Mill Bay and pay homage to 'the reserve', formerly headquarters of birding on Stronsay. The Mill Burn and gardens were quiet with a handful of Blackbirds, although a couple of stunning Great Northern Divers were in the Bay. Two Reed Buntings refused to be anything rarer and we moved on to Southbank.

Ross, the owner, is away but had kindly given us permission to visit his garden, which is a treasure trove. The enclosed mix of fuchsia, pittasporum, willows and sycamores makes for a jungle of habitat. Two Redwings seeped as we entered, and a Chiffchaff fed amongst the vegetation but after a good while, these, and a few more Blackbirds, were all we could manage.

We walked down to Scoulter's Wood which looked promising but produced little although the wider landscape was filled with waders as our first Hen Harrier of the day, a young male bombed about, followed not long after by an adult female. We then had a Walk to Marian's Jewelry, which again had incredible cover. Blackcap and Chiffchaff were present and correct and a large grey warbler which gave fleeting views was presumably the Barred Warbler that had been present. Further investigation revealed a couple of Robins and Song Thrush apiece.

The fields nearby held a flock of Meadow Pipits and a handful more Redwing flew about. A Sparrowhawk was seen to head into Southbank. On the horizon we had spotted an interesting looking garden so we relocated there. Newfield looked incredible, with dense woods interspersed with trinkets giving it an air of Shangra-La. Nothing from the mystic east materialised although a Spotted Flycatcher was most welcome.

We met Jake and Drew down at Housebay, at the very south of the island, along with a very amiable canine companion that they had co-opted. Out in the bay were plenty of Gannets and in the fields were hundreds of Greylags. A flock of 32 Barnacle Geese were amongst them and these gave us a flypast before resettling. Waders crowded the stubbles with swarms of Starlings, although it was all the regular species. On the beach, Sanderlings and Turnstones were foraging. A further bird of island interest was a Buzzard which don't breed on the island. Housebay has an imposingly large farm at its heart and we walked through the yard. West of the farm and we had a minimum of 25 Collared Doves, seemingly doing well at this remote outpost. We walked west and a Wheatear darted along the sandy track before reaching the nettlebeds. New migrants were few, and a single Chiffchaff was joined by a Reed Bunting. 60+ Whooper Swans were on the loch to the West, although we were quite a distance away. 2 Shoveler were also present and new for the trip along with the commoner duck species. Returning to the car, and a Chiffchaff was foraging around slurry in the yard. A brief look to sea by Jake impressed Pete and I, as he unearthed a Sooty Shearwater at barely perceptible range.

Again we said our goodbyes and this time we headed back to Mill Bay, splitting up to cover different gardens. Both Pete and Nick blanked, however in Linkquoy I got lucky, as a Yellow-browed Warbler called very loudly for a couple of minutes before falling silent just in time for Nick's arrival on the scene, when presumably it went to roost, as the light was starting to reduce.

Determined to make the most of our day, we moved round to Matpow and Bu Lochs which held little of interest in the west, aside from a handful of Snipe and three Black-tailed Godwits dropping in. A Fieldfare flew overhead, a promising portent. We kept going west to the end of Rothiesholm for a view of Bombasty Bay although 3 Red-throated Divers and a Tystie were all it held. Leaving Rothiesholm it was approaching dusk and we managed to stumble on a Hen Harrier roost with 3 adults males and a younger bird dropping in to ruderal vegetation.

We finished the day with a drive around the north to scope habitat. It was much more barren than the south with larger fields and less cover. A flock of 200 or so Golden Plover got a brief grilling but nothing else was amongst them. Soon it was time to return to base to conclude day 1. We saw the ferry leaving which was taking Drew and Jake back to the mainland. The island was ours, for a bit, and the forecast for the next two days was easterlies with rain.

 

[Hotspur]

The wind had switched to the eastern quarter and the forecast was for showers. Expectations were high as we intrepid three headed round Whitehall. A dozen Redwings in various locations equalled the previous day count and fresh in Blackbirds chacked in the gardens. A Blackcap in our first garden was promising, as was a fresh Yellow-browed Warbler in another. The acredula Willow Warbler was still about. Was it on?

We moved to the Mill area, with Nick covering the Mill Burn, Pete the reserve and I was dropped off up the road. My gardens held one each of Yellow-browed Warbler, Blackcap and Chiffchaff, whilst Pete picked a passing Peregrine. Between us we had 20 Redwing and had now surpassed yesterdays count before 9am.

The Airy Road was next, and again I chose to walk in whilst the other guys headed up to the farm. A Goldcrest was foraging low down in the first garden and waders flew from roosts across the fields. A few Redwing and a Snipe flew over. We had permission to check the Airy farm garden, and it was great with 20 odd Redwing present, and a dozen Blackbirds, along with another Yellow-browed Warbler, a Chiffchaff and 3 Goldcrests. Birds were definitely 'in' here. A Hen Harrier quartered from the road, the first of 4 seen today.

Once happy that nothing was going to hop out we moved to the centre of the island, and it was then we realised there weren't as many migrants present as we hoped. Southbank was devoid except for the same Chiffchaff, there was a Robin and Blackcap in Scoulter's Wood which was also strafed by a Sparrowhawk, and Marian the Jewelers farm managed to grow it's contingent by a Chiffchaff, and no sign of the Barred Warbler. The Song Thrush, Blackcap and Robin, all still in place. 34 Redwings continued to inflate that count but otherwise we felt a little deflated. The wind however was still in the right direction but it was still exceedingly dry.

We checked Cleat, and spoke to the lovely woman that lives there but cover wasn't what we hoped and a Goldcrest, our fifth of the day, was a bit of a surprise. We then had a look at Kirbuster as we headed into the afternoon. Habitat along the road looked fantastic and we had a Chiffchaff working willows in a garden halfway along alongside a dozen Blackbirds and Redwing. In the fields we had a big group of Greylag Geese, a feature of the island, in a mixed group with Starlings, waders and Rock Doves. Amongst the Greylags was a Canada Goose which piqued my interest. It was a large bird, larger than the Greylags which made it canadensis by our reckoning rather than the hoped for Todd's, however feedback on likely origins is mixed with a large number of ferals currently in Caithness seemingly making that the favourite rather than a Nearctic bird. Away from the goose and we moved to Kirbuster itself. A small nettlebed looked interesting but the farm had little cover and looked more like something out of a horror film.

We decided to recheck Airy farm, as it was the most promising location, and birds seemed fresh in. Alas, a drop in Goldcrests to one and an additional Chiffchaff were not what we hoped for. We then had permission to check the Castle Garden but it had become incredibly overgrown and hard to work. A Reed Bunting was scant reward although a tight flock of 22 Redwing shot out as we approached. Nick had stayed 30 years ago and was astounded by the change.

A ringer works Lower Samsons and it has all manner of records but today, it just held a decent chinwag as we introduced ourselves. Nothing hugely of note although we were told there was a Barred Warbler still in the farm at the top of the lane in the elders. They aren't birder friendly apparently, so we watched the top of the elders from distance with predictable results. We said our goodbyes and went to check the Lochs with common ducks on both including a pair of Gadwall, and a few Snipe.

We finished the day having a further nose around Whitehall, where a brownish Chiffchaff joined the Yellow-brow and the Willow Warbler. We had a rummage around Lower Whitehall but with no further sightings of note packed in as we lost the light. Another long day and coverage of a good portion of the better habitats, particularly in the south of the island. Tuesday promises to be windy and damp but promising.

 

[rkj]

An enjoyable report, but what, prey tell, are Tysties?

 

[Steve Lister]

An enjoyable report, but what, prey tell, are Tysties?

Black Guillemots - a pretty standard Scottish name for them.

 

[Hotspur]

Tuesday 8th October

Given the weather forecast, realistically this was our best chance to find something decent. Overnight easterlies to north-easterlies with rain and then showers thoughout the day as the wind strengthened and inches round to NNE by the close of play. Realistically it split the day into two with a fun and productive morning followed by a tough and tiring afternoon.


We started with our usual check of the Whitehall gardens, where we had the now usual acredula Willow Warbler and two Blackcaps including a female who was new. Thrush numbers were slightly lower than the previous day which wasn't an ideal sign but we remained optimistic and pressed on.



First stop was Housebay, where we endeavoured to check the nettlebeds. We had the misfortune to see the wildfowlers who managed to shoot several Greylags whilst we were there. Unpleasant in the extreme. More pleasant were the 19 Barnacle Geese in with the flocks. Walking the nettlebeds produced just a Reed Bunting, Robin and a Redwing. Checking the Lea Shun revealed 7 Tufted Duck, a Shoveler, Pintail and 40 Whooper Swans, the latter a slight reduction on the previous days. We returned to the car only to find a smart male Snow Bunting on the track. It posed for photos nicely for us before we moved onwards.


Next stop was the Airy Farm area where Snipe were seen arriving including a flock of 14 and several other groups. This was evidenced by greater numbers being seen around the island for the rest of the day. The garden was quiet, with just a brace of Goldcrests but a stand of ruderal vegetation in the farmyard played host to a Garden Warbler which moved on quickly. A stomp of the fields revealed a couple more Snipe but not the hoped for scarcity.


Our last stop prior to lunch was Mill Bay, and the rain showers howled in from the east. We sought shelter in Castle, aka The Reserve. On the walk up Nick and Pete flushed a female Ring Ouzel, fresh from a Nocmig conversation last night which saw me dragging my old Ouzel recordings out. We worked round the garden and on the western side as I came round the corner, an explosion of thrushes featured a large, grey warbler. Over the next 10 minutes Pete managed some views, confirmed what I initially thought, a Barred Warbler. It had been an excellent morning and we went to get lunch, not knowing that the day had peaked, although not the wind.


After a trip to Stronsay Stores we shot off round to Southbank, which despite the excellent habitat, had just a single Chiffchaff. We moved onto Loch Bu and Matpow where a few Snipe were in evidence alongside the regular scattering of Teal and 7 Mute Swans. We paid a brief visit to the carpark at the end of Rothiesholm in now cold and challenging winds, where a handful of cheerful Twite were feeding on Mayweed, giving nice close views. In the bay a few Shag and Kittiwakes were present with Gannets diving more distantly.


We decamped for a walk in St Catherine's Bay, which was a little more sheltered. A grey ghost sat feeding right in front of us after successfully finding something to eat in the adjacent stubbles. We left it to it's dinner and traversed the sand dunes onto the sweeping arc of sand that fringes the bay. A quartet of Sandwich Terns played in the waves. Along the beach were plenty of waders, chiefly comprised of a band of 40 Sanderling with 3 Ringed Plover and the inevitable gang of 6 Turnstones.


We explored a few places for potential seawatching in the forthcoming gales with no firm conclusions and few birds before returning to Whitehall to recheck the walled garden, which contained a Chiffchaff, and Lower Whitehall where seawatching was totally untenable. Shattered, we gave it up as a bad job and retreated to the B&B.

 

[Hotspur]

Wednesday, 9th October

Wednesday was windy. We woke up to north-easterlies running at F7 and gusting to F10. The wind also came off the sea and not from Scandinavia so it was likely to make birding difficult and unrewarding, and so it proved.

A cursory check of the Whitehall gardens revealed that birds were indeed keeping their heads down, with just a Goldcrest foolish enough to be found. In the harbour, a brace of Black Guillemots were hiding. We headed up to Odin Ness to try our hand at seawatching.

When talking about seawatching, we had originally thought Burgh Head to the south-east of the island would be best but a lack of cover caused some concern and given the sheer force of the winds, we looked at alternatives. Aerial imagery revealed a car graveyard in a former quarry on the south of Odin Ness, so we plumped for that, and after agreement from the farmer we were set.

Before we reached out destination, a hulking Great Northern Diver flew past at point blank range in beautiful light. Five minutes later and we would have had fabulous photos but alas, we made do with watching it. We settled in and despite the winds, the passage was slow, with handfuls of Gannets, nearby rafts of Shag and single Sooty Shearwater and a drake Long-tailed Duck. The spot was really good but the passage was mediocre.

We moved on to Airy, which was a blowout with handfuls of Redwing and Blackbird, and a single Goldcrest before heading to Mill Bay for even less success, just a Red-throated Diver offshore. Southbank was similarly unrewarding and we tried a different approach, with a walk in the wind at Housebay.

Housebay held a nice selection of waders on its sands including 4 Bar-tailed Godwits, a brace of Sanderling, a further quartet of Ringed Plover and our first Stronsay Dunlin. On the fields were 5 Snipe and we marched onwards looking for other waifs and strays, to little avail. Upon doubling back we were caught off guard by four Swallows hawking the field. These were the first of the trip and a complete surprise given the conditions. Who knows why they had arrived?

We broke for a coffee and an early lunch, and when passing the sewage works flash, we were treated to a nice assemblage of waders including 13 Bar-tailed Godwits, 46 Redshank and lots of Golden Plover. Amongst these were singles of Snipe and Turnstone. The Stronsay firsts continued with a couple of Moorhen stalking the settling pools next door.

After lunch, we headed to Rothiesholm to check Bomasty Bay. We had all had enough of being wind blasted and an hour watching the bay was very pleasant. Two Red-throated Divers were the highlight with a couple of Black Guillemots and a big bull Grey Seal. Further round in St Catherine's Bay we had a quartet of Red-breasted Mergansers. Feeling suitably knackered we called the day after checking the Lochs to no avail.

 

[Hotspur]

Thursday, 10th October

Today was less brutal weatherwise but in someways more damaging, as I was laid up in bed for the afternoon. We started with another seawatch at Odin Ness, with winds running NNW F5-7 initially, calming a little later on. We set up amongst the farms car graveyard which provided ample shelter, and the conditions were pleasant with sunny intervals. It was more productive than the previous day with a single Sooty Shearwater passing distantly, five Great Northern Divers lumbering north at a variety of distances and three Red-throated Divers buzzing north closer in. The highlight was an adult Glaucous Gull which snuck past close in, again north. Further interest was provided by small numbers of auks and Eiders.

After it quietened down, we headed to Mill Bay, where we blanked, and Airy, and were making grand plans about the rest of the day. Frustratingly, this was where my day had a turn for the comically unfortunate. A goldcrest was slipping down a wall, and I followed it, into a field with a pony and a miniature ram. I didn't notice the ram until I was well in the field but he was friendly and I gave him a scratch. When the pony wanted a scratch, the ram decided I wasn't a friend anymore and started to charge me. It was a miniature ram, with one very pointy horn, so each time it charged I caught the horn, and redirected it. The ram, however was getting angrier and angrier, and I was trying to protect my optics. Each time I caught it, it would refuse to move but I could hold it in place. Stalemate.

Eventually I managed to turn the ram around and bolted for the gate, only making it about a quarter of the way before I had to turn round and repeat the dose. By this time, Pete and Nick had come to see what the commotion was, and had the gate open for me. I nearly made it out when the ram went for one last charge, backed up a few yards and flew at me. I again caught him and redirected him with my thigh only to tweak something in my back. I snuck out the field, and staggered to the car. This was objectively hilarious to watch, and the ram was fine, prancing about victorious. I learned a solid life lesson - check the fields for angry, mini-rams. I tried to carry on but my back was killing me and I headed back to bed, where I remained for the afternoon.

Nick and Pete had a side quest to Lamb Head where they added Grey Plover and saw a few other bits, and then tried the harrier roost to no avail but found some great habo in the dunes. After all the painkillers, I managed to walk round to the walled garden in Whitehall, where I had a non-calling probable Siberian Chiffchaff briefly before it flipped into another garden and away. And that was it, our last full day was over. Curtailed and painfull for me. I'll cover the journey back in a short post plus some reflections.

 

[Hotspur]

We left Stronsay on Friday morning after one last whizz around the gardens of Whitehall in the rain. A Dunnock was new, but it was still pretty ghastly weather, at 4c and showers. A sextuplet of Black Guillemots were present in the harbour, sheltering from the rain. We decided to brave the conditions as best we could and were rewarded with similar fare to the way out with a single Great Northern Diver and larger numbers of distant Long-tailed Ducks. By far the highlight was a Storm Petrel, showing brilliantly off Shapinsay, a mere 20m off the port side of the boat.

There were was more wildfowl in Kirkwall including Whoopers and a trip to see the Ring of Brodgar, which was great. I was forced to have a look at the Great White Egret, which I refused to leave the car for, as I was still very sore. There were more Whoopers and Long-tailed Ducks plus a brace of Slavonian Grebes on the lochs near Brodgar. We soon hot-footed to St Margaret's Hope for the ferry, and after revisiting Echna Loch, and seeing 30+ Long-tailed Ducks added House Martins at the dock. The return crossing was uneventful and that (aside from 10 hours of driving) was the trip over.

In summary, Stronsay was fabulous, there is loads of potential, and I would strongly recommend. We didnt quite have the weather but we still found bits and pieces and there is plenty of habitat to go at. Aside from not doing my back in, I would also prefer to do more exploring of habitats, when we did a lot of looking at gardens, and more concerted checking of waders. I don't feel we made any heinous errors on approach and should anyone want to visit I would endorse it thoroughly.