Westray & Papa Westray, June 5th -9th 2013

Trip out to Papa Westray & Westray 5th -9th June 2013.

Fulmar  Fulmar glacialis.

Found all over Orkney, as there are no predators they sometimes nest very low down on wall's and low rocky banks as well high cliff's,

Puffin Fratercula arctica

Found on a few cliffs in Orkney but the best numbers are to found on Castle O'Burrian on Westray.

 

 

Primula scotica
  Primula scotica, or Scottish primrose, is a highland flower of exceptional hardiness. It grows in West Sutherland Caithness and Orkney, and is found nowhere else in the UK

 Spring Squill,  Scilla verna

Flowering Spring Squill brings a violet-bluish haze to the coastal cliffs. It likes wild places where winds beat the cliffs with spray.

Spring.

Spring is in the air

Well the spring weather has finally reached us in Orkney; The last ten days have been very good ,Clear skies and only a light breeze. The Bluebells, Ransoms & Primroses are out in full bloom, the spring migrants have started to return ,but still no reports of any Stonechats which were hit very hard by the winter weather, also Robin and Wren are in short supply. In the last week, we have seen  Great Skua and there were three Red-throated divers in summer plumage in the bay all week. Sandwich  & Arctic terns were at Newark bay on the weekend . An unexpected sighting were a pair of Sand martins,at Eastside, there were also signs of nesting holes, if so this could turn out to be possibly the first breeding record for South Ronaldsay for quite a few years. 

Below, just a few pictures from the last few week’s.

 Great Skua

 Hooded Crow

 Meadow Pipit

 Red-throated Diver

 Skylark

Arum italicum,

I had noticed the fruiting stalks back in December ,when the snow was on the ground but as there are no leaves at that time of year, I could not identify the plant. At the end of February I returned to the site to get pictures of the plants, after looking on “ Orkbottany” and the  National Biodiversity Network site, I could find no listing for Arum italicum, in Orkney so posted a message on Orkbottany requesting information.  I received a message from Eric Meek , quoted below

I have to admit that I did not know of the existence of Arum italicum until your posting but it has made me do a bit of investigation.  The only Arum on the Orkney list is A.maculatum and that is introduced and only found in 'neglected gardens' in 10 km squares HY40, HY41 and HY45 i.e the Kirkwall and Holm areas and Papa Westray.  I only know it from the walled garden at Graemeshall, Holm.  To my knowledge, A.italicum has never been recorded in Orkney or perhaps it has and it hasn't been entered anywhere because the observer thought it was an obvious garden escape.

I later received an email from John Crossley .

Hello Mike,

I live in South Ronaldsay and am also the County Recorder (BSBI) for plants. I would very much like to look at the Arum. Can you give me a grid ref and/or site description?

Bets wishes,

John

It may well be that it is an escape from a garden but it was not listed as growing in Orkney.

Spring

Autumn

Winter weather

Well the harsh weather of November and December seems to have taken its toll on Orkney’s birds.  Large numbers of wildfowl and waders appear to have left the islands and it can only be hoped that they found safe refuge somewhere to the south-west.  Many small birds have been greatly reduced in numbers and we simply don’t know yet whether they have left or died.  One of the most obvious species to have been affected is Wren – this is usually one of our most widespread birds but I have only seen a few over the last two months.  Not seen any Stonechats at all, Only one Song Thrush,  and just the odd Reed Bunting

 Hopefully things will improve over the next few months. Oystercatchers and Black-headed Gulls have started to return , Greenfinches seem to have coped well as I saw a flock of over  fifty the other day,  although the weather made a turn for the worse over the weekend with more snow and gale force winds.

 Skylark (Alauda arvensis)

 Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus)

 Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) juvenile.

 Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos)

Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus)

 Black Guillemot (cepphus grylle)

 Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)

 Great northern diver (Gavia immer)

 Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)

 Black-headed gull (Larus ridibundus)

 Common gull (Larus canus)

 Redshank (Tringa totanus)

Long-tailed duck (Clangula hyemalis) male.