Migrant birds herald the true start of autumn
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The movements of pink-footed and greylag geese coming in from the north have been noticeable in recent weeks signalling the start of autumn.
To tell them apart at a distance can be quite difficult – however, it is worth listening out for their calls. The smaller pink-footed geese make a ‘wink-wink’ call while the greylags give heavier, louder sounding ‘honking’ noises like a domestic goose.
On September 21, a flock of 21 brent geese landed on the sea at Scrabster. These grey and black geese are much more interesting than the colours suggest, especially their movements.
From colour-ringing and radio-transmitter project, East Canadian High Arctic breeding light-bellied brent geese cross the ice-caps of Greenland, pausing in Greenland and Iceland before heading across the North Atlantic to spend the winter in parts of the UK, Ireland, Channel Islands, France and Spain.
A short pause from migrating brent geese in Scrabster is always a welcome sighting.
In contrast to the North American visitors, on September 19 a yellow-browed warbler was near John O’Groats, which is likely to have come from Siberia.
To add a southerly element, a hoopoe was reported near Olrig on the 21st, on the same day a glossy ibis was photographed at Westfield. Both these species are likely to feel more at home in the warmer climates of France or Spain.
It seems that the local seabird populations have had a successful breeding season. The bays at Thurso, Dunnet and Sinclair’s have been teeming with this year's fledged guillemots, razorbills, shags, terns and kittiwakes.
A few years ago, it would have been unusual to see a newly fledged kittiwake, but some bays have had large flocks of them. Locally breeding Arctic skuas also seem to be doing well, despite national declines, so it’s encouraging to see juveniles flying around.
Finches are starting to form large flocks around wildflower meadows and dropped seed patches. When spooked they quite often fly off in sync, swirling around until it’s safe to return to the ground.
The mixed jingling of calls are often predominantly linnets and/or twite with a few goldfinches, siskins, redpolls or greenfinches with them. There appears to be a lot more stonechats around this year, sitting prominently on fence posts or wires, as with the seabirds, a lot of juveniles suggests a good breeding season for the chats.
I have been trying to keep tabs on when I’m seeing my last swallows and martins. I suspect the sand martin flying south over Freswick on September 19 could be my last of the year, but the swallows and house martins are still clinging on.
Territory-holding robins are the only species likely to be in full song at the moment. Numbers are currently higher than in the summer with migrants heading south from Scandinavia for a warmer winter. Look out for frantic territory battles between robins in your gardens!
- Rob Hughes, originally from Conwy in North Wales, has been into wildlife, particularly birds, since he was about eight years old. Now living in Castletown, Rob can often be found birding around Dunnet and the surrounding area. To report sightings, email Rob at xema_sabini@hotmail.co.uk
