13th to 14th November

Two days of solid, gale force westerly winds yet still some birds are passing through the island and it remains worthwhile spending time outside avoiding winter paperwork. Highlight on the 13th was an 18 strong flock of (almost certainly Greenland) White-fronted Geese which touched down briefly near Ancum before continuing south. The Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 19 Pink-footed Geese and 8 Barnacle Geese were all seen again as were 35 Long-tailed Ducks and the redhead Smew. The male Northern Harrier was noted at Hooking late in the day with a juvenile Iceland Gull and Great Skua of the Bridesness coast and a Short-eared Owl near Westness. Moving wildfowl were again the feature of the 14th with an even larger, and impressively noisy flock of 52 White-fronted Geese (again not confirmed to race but likely to have been Greenland birds given the winds) coming in off the sea at the Lighthouse before quickly sliding down the east coast to be bound for nearby Sanday. Several groups of Whooper Swans were also logged passing south totalling 29 birds and the Pale-bellied Brent Goose, female Common Scoter and Smew were also recorded. An attempted sea-watch from the Lighthouse yielded 4 Little Auks in an hour and a half with another losing its bearings and heading inland at Hooking while at least 2 ringtail Hen Harriers and 6 Grey Herons were present.