I was hoping that this post about counting the seabird colony at Marwick would have been a bit more positive ALAS not. Back in June, Lorna and I counted the Marwick Head colony and at the time our feeling was of lower numbers than previously obtained during Seabird 2000. The results proved our feelings to be correct with 64% decline in Kittiwakes (down from 3,761 apparently occupied nests to only 1,372), 54% decline in

Total panic when I went in the other day - I could only see one chick in the nest. What on earth had happened to the others? I quickly ruled out that they hadn't died of exposure - we've not had that bad a summer - and checked the morning's recording which showed at least three chicks. Then, as I waited for the female to turn up with food, another chick lurched out sideways from behind a frond of bracken. Two…

What a difference a weekend makes. I last saw the four hen harrier chicks on the screen in the Kirkwall Tourist Information Centre on Friday. Then, they seemed to be spending most of the time under Mum and unless they were being fed it was hard to distinguish them - all you could see was a bundle of white fluff. Having said that, there was one noticeably bigger and more forward than the others and I've no doubt it was…

A pair of Peregrine Falcons have recently fledged 3 young from an eyrie on our Hobbister Reserve. Visitors on our guided walks have been obtaining spectacular views of these magnificent birds of prey. This is great news as midway through the chick rearing the female was looking rather bedraggled and showing signs of matted flight/body feathers which was thought to have been caused by having been oiled by local Fulmars…

We are now into the second half of the annual Corncrake survey period. The exciting news is that we are currently on 24 breeding attempts, with 18 males currently calling well throughout Orkney. Last year there was a total of 23 breeding attempts. It is great to see that so many Corncrakes have managed to return to Orkney this season.

This year the birds are widely distributed around Orkney;

Papay = 5

Westray = 4 (6…

I have news from the Noup Head Loop walk on Westray which took place on Sunday 12th June. While most of Orkney was nice and dry, the rain fell on Westray though it was only quite light and at least there was no wind. Nevertheless it was enough to wet us so it was lucky everyone came prepared - one of our visiting holidaymakers even brought his brolly and put it to good use - I think that might be a first for the Westray…

The RSPB Orkney Local Group were out in force doing their bit for Love Nature Week!  They braved the wet weather on 29 May in Stromness followed by a busy bag-packing session in a local supermarket in Kirkwall on 11 June.   £431.83 was raised for the RSPB through their efforts and HUGE THANKS goes out to all of our willing volunteers! 

A quick visit to Brodgar to paint a couple of signs doesn't seem the most promising lunchtime job but it was such a fantastic day yesterday, it was a very pleasant task. The reserve is looking great at the moment with plenty of wildflowers in bloom, the recently planted bird crops coming up well and previous years crops also in full bloom.

Although the middle of the day isn't always the best time to see the birds…

The Loons 'Surgery session' this morning was well attended with 19 folk calling past over the duration and most  left after seeing fantastic views of a Water Rail swimming across an open channel with nesting material. It is possible that an earlier nest has failed and this is their second attempt? It went back & forth several times (although, had a short break when I decided to train the camera on it!). Finally…

Every summer for the last three years we have been filming a hen harrier nest in the West Mainland and showing the live images on a screen in the Kirkwall Tourist Information Centre. For the first time, this year we put the camera in (over a period so as not to disturb the nesting female) before the eggs hatched. We were expecting them to start hatching from about the 12^th but when I went into the TIC on Monday to my…

The following events are taking place on Mainland Orkney this week. Stout footwear and waterproofs are required for these events. Call the RSPB office in Stromness to book - 01856 850176 or indeed just turn up!

Tuesday 7th June

Come and learn about Orkney’s birds and wildlife on a guided walk around the RSPB reserve surrounding the Ring of Brodgar, spotting birds as you go. You will be accompanied by friendly RSPB staff…

Another bit of news that's slightly late getting posted was orca sightings in Scapa Flow.

Last Wednesday, while sitting doing some field work at Hobbister, I got a bit of a shock when a small group of orca appeared very close in to the coast. After scrabbling around for my mobile to let the guided walk group know they were there, the 2 adults and calf (it had been nosing at a creel buoy) kept close into the cliff…

It feels like these strong westerlies have been with us for ages now, perhaps its this that is delaying our Arctic Terns from settling yet.  Around North Hill reserve the skuas are definately getting paternity jitters and have stepped up their aggression a notch over their breeding territories.  Our waders too are more frantic, and its likely the lapwings already have chicks, while down on the shore there are still hordes…

This news isn't exactly hot off the press but I'd thought I'd share some photos of the recent rockfall at Marwick.

After recieving reports and going to check the path hadn't fallen off the cliff edge, it turns out the fall was just off the reserve on the north side. You can just see it at the base of the left edge of the cliff in this picture. 

It doesn't look too impressive but if you look at these…

There are details below of the various Bird Hide “surgery sessions” so I hope folk will take advantage of the warden's expertise: These take place on Friday Mornings: The Loons Hide:  May 13; Burger Hill Hide: May 20, Mill Dam Hide, Shapinsay:  May 27;

I was out at the Loons whilst spinning about the other day and the whole place was hooching with life. Enjoying the views of a mallard with four chick’s right in front of the hide all hell broke loose on the other side of the water. The swan on the nest was spitting and rising, its partner came racing across the pond to defend their nest. Geese and ducks were taking to the air in a state of agitation. As I watched what…

During my Birsay Moors guided walk on Monday 2nd May, we were lucky enough to see an immature sea eagle on the reserve. A huge bird which made the dive-bombing great skuas (aka bonxies) look very small (and anyone who has been mobbed by these birds know they are not small!). The eagle had a posse of admiring/nervous greylag geese in tow, the Greylags obviously wanted/needed to keep track of what is one of the few natural…

Wednesday morning brought another sunny day to Orkney. A small group of people came for the walk, both visitors to the island and locals. The bird life seen turned out not to be as spectacular as the previous walk at Hobbister, but we were given some great views of some birds that are normally classed as 'LBJ's - Little Brown Jobs'!

Not long into the walk we were treated to a song flighting meadow pipit, right…

Two male corncrakes arrived on Egilsay around 21st April and have been calling intermitantly ever since. They winter in Africa and usually arrive in Orkney from 10th May onwards, so these birds are very early, possibly taking advantage of the hot weather on their migration further south. Both birds have been using fields on the Onziebust reserve, one of which we planted particularly to attract them (with reed canary grass…

I'm hopefully posting this after the third attempt, I'd like to blame the computer but I think it was probably user error!

The Loons Hide Session - Friday 15th

Friday morning was bright and warm (ish, it's all relative!) and The Loons was filled with the sound of snipe drumming, curlews bubbling, a merlin flew past, the mute swan was sitting on her nest and a heron was quietly sitting in the reed bed. Apart…