Orkney 2023

I've spent the last eight days in Orkney. Following my first visit to the archipelago in 2019, and another in 2021, I've grown a real fondness for the isles – and think that there are parts that are seriously under-birded in the autumn. This includes the far east of the Orcadian Mainland – the Deerness Peninsula – which is where I have spent the last week and a bit. 

Barred Warbler.

It was very nice to get away from Surrey for a little while but, unfortunately, the birding gods totally deserted me, and a week of strong south-westerly winds ultimately impeded any bird-finding in this autumn in which all has pointed west in rarity terms. Indeed, migration was rarely evidenced, and passerine numbers were very low. But that's how these types of trips go and I'm sure I'll be doing another one next year! I still had a great time of course – for the landlocked, southern English birder, the variety of wildfowl, waders and seabirds (and scenery) was wonderful.

The Halley Bay area.

In terms of finds, easily the highlight was not one but two American Golden Plovers – picked out on consecutive days from the same large flock of European Golden Plovers. A satisfying identification process made these two discoveries enjoyable (plus the fact I've only seen the species once before). The only images I got of the juvenile are crap back of camera frames taken on demo mode – for the first time in six years, my camera had a meltdown, right upon espying the bird. Not ideal!

Adult AGP (top two) and juvenile (bottom two).

A first-winter Barred Warbler on my Sandside Bay 'patch' was nice, and came on the only bright, calm day, but wasn't exactly what I hoped for as my best passerine find. That said, it was one of only nine warblers (individuals, not species!) I saw all trip, including Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps. A Yellow-browed Warbler was one of them, but that was as good as it got with migrant passers. Indeed, thrush and finch numbers were poor – zero Redwings, two Song Thrushes, one each of Siskin and Brambling, etc …

Barred Warbler.

Other bits of note included a Marsh Harrier (rare in Orkney!) and a Long-billed Dowitcher (a long-staying bird seen during a day trip to the island of Sanday). But, as alluded to earlier, you can't sniff at regular encounters with things like Twite, Short-eared Owl, Whooper Swan and Hen Harrier, plus copious amounts of common waders, geese, duck et al, among a total of 104 species.

Scaup (amid tufties).

Pink-footed Geese.

Hen Harrier.

Short-eared Owl.

Red-breasted Merganser.

Whooper Swan.

Curlews.

Merlin.

Wheatear.

Meadow Pipit.

European Golden Plovers.

Pink-footed Geese.

Long-billed Dowitcher.

Marsh Harrier.

The drive up wasn't bad either – I connected with the Brown Booby at South Gare, Cleveland, which was a British and WP tick, but dipped the King Eider (and Stejneger's Scoter, though that hadn't been around for a few weeks) at the mighty Musselburgh in Lothian. Plenty of good bits at the latter site included Little Gulls, Scaup and Velvet Scoter.

Brown Booby.

So, in short, a quiet visit, but a couple of nice finds. I'll definitely be back to Orkney – in fact it feels like a place I might visit with some regularity during the years to come.