Bird Report - November 2106

After an exciting batch of birds during October, most of these migrants have now passed through, though quite a few lingered into November.

The Barred Warbler stayed at Sunnybank until the 3rd, along with the pretty Lesser Whitethroat.

November 2nd was a notable day for, in addition to the Barred Warbler & Lesser Whitethroat, we also had a Goldfinch, Black Caps and Robin. There have been several Robins paying us a visit, most I believe to be migrants.

Our first Waxwing arrived on the 3rd and I saw this, on and off, until the 18th, attracted by the many apples I had skewered to the bushes.

Waxwing

(photo of Waxwing by Gerry Cannon).

A Wren was a nice sighting on the 4th - I believe we have one roosting in our byre each evening.

Earlier in the month I spotted 3 Redwing in the front field and there has been an increase in Blackbird numbers as migrants join our local birds.

On November 20th I quickly got out the binoculars to confirm that a Woodcock was standing around on our front drive. I was distracted for a short while and when I looked again the bird had flown.

An unusual sighting on the 26th was a group of 14 Jackdaws in the front field.

During my beached birds walk at Sandside there was alarm when 7 Snipe flew past in great haste, followed by a male Hen Harrier.

There were rich pickings among the seaweed down on the beach and, taking advantage, were Starlings, Hooded Crows, Curlews, Oystercatchers and Common Gulls. Off-shore a lone Long-tailed Duck was casually swimming by. There are always Wrens to be seen or heard at Sandside and on this occasion one was perched on a pile of tyres chirruping away. There were 4 Ringed Plovers on the beach. Going around the back of the beach I was rewarded by the sight of 3 Linnets in a bush while a Robin was perched in a tree up the lane. Further up the lane a Song Thrush was nice to see along with another Wren, 2 male Pheasants and several Blackbirds.

The field below Creya seems to be a popular haunt for the goose population and on this day there were 100-plus Greylags.

One of our regular birdwatchers, Ian Cunningham, reported 350 Golden Plover in a field near the Deerness shop.

There is still plenty to see in December - watch out for Redwings, Fieldfare, Golden Plovers, Pink Footed Geese, Greylag Geese, Barnacle Geese (if you are lucky) and of course Whooper Swans.

Pauline Wilson