British (English) |
Scientific name |
Category |
Breeding |
Comments |
vernacular name |
|
|
|
|
Mute Swan |
Cygnus olor |
B |
|
Common resident in Orkney, seen flying past the wood. |
Whooper Swan |
Cygnus cygnus |
B |
|
Winter resident in Orkney, groups seen flying past the wood. |
Pink-footed Goose |
Anser brachyrhynchus |
B |
|
Seen regularly on passage in autumn with flocks feeding in the fields below the wood. |
Greylag Goose |
Anser anser |
B |
|
Common resident and migrant in Orkney with flocks feeding in the fields below the wood. |
Snow Goose |
Anser caerulescens |
B |
|
Rare visitor. A group of seven were around the area in 2008. |
Barnacle Goose |
Branta leucopsis |
B |
|
Uncommon but regular on the other side of Blows Moss. |
Shelduck |
Tadorna tadorna |
B |
|
Summer resident in Orkney and seen flying past the wood. |
Wigeon |
Anas penelope |
B |
|
Breeds in places around Orkney but mainly seen here in winter on Blows Moss or flying past - a large group gathers in Windwick. |
Teal |
Anas crecca |
B |
|
Seen occasionally in Blows Moss or flooded fields in autumn/winter |
Mallard |
Anas platyrhynchos |
A |
|
Common resident and seen in and around Blows Moss. |
Eider |
Somateria mollissima |
B |
|
Common resident, seen flying past the wood. |
Quail |
Coturnix coturnix |
B |
|
One heard calling in a field next to the woods. |
Pheasant |
Phasianus colchicus |
A |
|
Introduced resident breeding species seen in numbers in the fields and occasionally in the wood. |
Red-throated Diver |
Gavia stellata |
B |
|
Summer resident in Orkney and seen flying past the wood. |
Fulmar |
Fulmarus glacialis |
B |
|
Breeds on the cliffs and can be seen flying past the wood occasionally. |
Gannet |
Morus bassanus |
B |
|
Breeds on Westray and a common passage migrant and can be seen flying past the wood occasionally. |
Cormorant |
Phalacrocorax carbo |
B |
|
Common breeding bird and can be seen flying past the wood occasionally. |
Shag |
Phalacrocorax aristotelis |
B |
|
Common breeding bird and can be seen flying past the wood occasionally. |
Grey Heron |
Ardea cinerea |
B |
|
Mostly seen in autumn either flying over or in Blows Moss. |
Marsh Harrier |
Circus aeruginosus |
B |
|
One record of a bird hunting over the fields adjoining the wood. |
Hen Harrier |
Circus cyaneus |
A |
|
Breeding visitor seen regularly - almost daily in autumn - hunting over the fields adjoining the wood. |
Goshawk |
Accipiter gentilis |
B |
|
One record of a bird flying over the fields adjoining the wood. |
Sparrowhawk |
Accipiter nisus |
A |
Y |
Common visitor, hunting in the wood and has nested. |
Buzzard |
Buteo buteo |
A |
|
Seen flying past the wood and regular in the wood in some years. |
Osprey |
Pandion haliaetus |
B |
|
One record of a bird flying over the fields adjoining the wood. |
Kestrel |
Falco tinnunculus |
B |
|
Occasionally seen hunting over the the fields adjoining the wood. |
Merlin |
Falco columbarius |
B |
|
Occasionally seen flying past the wood. |
Hobby |
Falco subbuteo |
B |
|
Rare autumn visitor hunting swallows. |
Peregrine |
Falco peregrinus |
B |
|
Breeds in the vicinity and seen fairly regularly flying over the wood. |
Corncrake |
Crex crex |
B |
|
A male was calling from Windwick in 2011 and could be heard from the woods. |
Moorhen |
Gallinula chloropus |
B |
|
Common in Blows Moss and can be heard calling. Occasionally visits the pools in the burn. |
Coot |
Fulica atra |
B |
|
Can be seen in Blows Moss. |
Sandhill Crane |
Grus canadensis |
B |
|
Extremely rare vagrant. Seen in 2009, the third British record of the species. |
Oystercatcher |
Haematopus ostralegus |
B |
|
Very common in the fields adjoining the wood. |
Ringed Plover |
Charadrius hiaticula |
B |
|
Occasionally seen and heard flying over the wood. |
Golden Plover |
Pluvialis apricaria |
B |
|
In autumn, can be seen (sometimes in large numbers) flying over the wood or in the surrounding fields. |
Lapwing |
Vanellus vanellus |
B |
|
Very common in the fields adjoining the wood. |
Snipe |
Gallinago gallinago |
A |
|
Very common in the fields adjoining the wood. |
Woodcock |
Scolopax rusticola |
A |
|
Autumn migrant which roosts in the wood with up to ten or more birds present at times. |
Black-tailed Godwit |
Limosa limosa |
B |
|
One record of a bird flying over the fields adjoining the wood. |
Whimbrel |
Numenius phaeopus |
B |
|
Regularly heard on passage flying over. |
Curlew |
Numenius arquata |
B |
|
Very common in the fields adjoining the wood. |
Greenshank |
Tringa nebularia |
B |
|
One or more birds heard and seen on migration. |
Redshank |
Tringa totanus |
B |
|
Common in the fields adjoining the wood and in Blows Moss. |
Turnstone |
Arenaria interpres |
B |
|
Birds occasionally fly over. |
Arctic Skua |
Stercorarius parasiticus |
B |
|
Summer visitor to Orkney, occasionally seen flying past the wood. |
Great Skua |
Stercorarius skua |
B |
|
Summer visitor to Orkney, regularly seen flying past the wood. |
Kittiwake |
Rissa tridactyla |
B |
|
Summer visitor to Orkney, occasionally seen flying past the wood. |
Black-headed Gull |
Chroicocephalus ridibundus |
B |
|
Summer visitor to Orkney, breeding in Blows Moss. |
Common Gull |
Larus canus |
B |
|
Summer visitor to Orkney, breeding in Blows Moss. |
Lesser Black-backed Gull |
Larus fuscus |
B |
|
Summer visitor to Orkney, occasionally seen flying past the wood. |
Herring Gull |
Larus argentatus |
B |
|
Regularly seen flying past and in the fields adjoining the wood. |
Great Black-backed Gull |
Larus marinus |
B |
|
Regularly seen flying past and in the fields adjoining the wood. |
Little Tern |
Sternula albifrons |
B |
|
Rare breeding visitor to Orkney and seen flying over on one occasion. |
Sandwich Tern |
Sterna sandvicensis |
B |
|
Summer visitor to Orkney, regularly seen flying past the wood. |
Arctic Tern |
Sterna paradisaea |
B |
|
Summer visitor to Orkney, occasionally seen flying past the wood. |
Guillemot |
Uria aalge |
B |
|
Breeds on the cliffs and can be seen and heard from the wood. |
Razorbill |
Alca torda |
B |
|
Breeds on the cliffs and can be seen and heard from the wood. |
Black Guillemot |
Cepphus grylle |
B |
|
Seen occasionally from the wood. |
Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon |
Columba livia |
B |
|
Breeds on the cliffs and can be seen regularly over the wood and in the adjoining fields. |
Woodpigeon |
Columba palumbus |
A |
|
Migrants roost regularly in the wood, especially in autumn. |
Collared Dove |
Streptopelia decaocto |
A |
Y |
Two pairs are present and nest in the wood. |
Cuckoo |
Cuculus canorus |
B |
|
A migrant seen (and heard) occasionally around the wood. |
Long-eared Owl |
Asio otus |
A |
|
A migrant seen occasionally in the wood. |
Short-eared Owl |
Asio flammeus |
B |
|
Breeds in the vicinity and seen fairly regularly hunting over the fields adjoining the wood. |
Nightjar |
Caprimulgus europaeus |
A |
|
One record of a bird in the woods in 2012. |
Swift |
Apus apus |
B |
|
Uncommon migrant seen flying over. |
Wryneck |
Jynx torquilla |
A |
|
Rare migrant seen in the wood on a few occasions. |
Red-backed Shrike |
Lanius collurio |
A |
|
Uncommon migrant but one or two seen almost annually. |
Jackdaw |
Corvus monedula |
B |
|
Breeds on the cliffs and can be seen daily in the surrounding fields. |
Rook |
Corvus frugilegus |
B |
|
Seen regularly but not in great numbers in the surrounding fields. |
Carrion Crow |
Corvus corone |
B |
|
One or two seen regularly in company with the Hooded Crows. |
Hooded Crow |
Corvus cornix |
A |
Y |
Common resident in the area and has bred in the wood. |
Raven |
Corvus corax |
B |
|
Breeds on the cliffs and can be seen regularly. |
Goldcrest |
Regulus regulus |
A |
Y |
Common migrant and has been proved to breed - only the second site in Orkney for breeding. |
Coal Tit |
Periparus ater |
A |
|
Rare in Orkney and only seen on one occasion. |
Skylark |
Alauda arvensis |
B |
|
Common breeding and migrant bird in the fields adjoining the wood. |
Sand Martin |
Riparia riparia |
B |
|
Occasionally seen flying over in autumn. |
Swallow |
Hirundo rustica |
B |
|
Summer visitor which breeds in the vicinity, regularly seen flying over the wood. |
House Martin |
Delichon urbicum |
B |
|
Summer visitor, regularly seen flying over the wood. |
Long-tailed Tit |
Aegithalos caudatus |
A |
|
Rare in Orkney, a flock of six was in the wood in 2012. |
Yellow-browed Warbler |
Phylloscopus inornatus |
A |
|
Uncommon migrant but one or two seen almost annually. |
Wood Warbler |
Phylloscopus sibilatrix |
A |
|
Rare migrant seen on one occasion. |
Chiffchaff |
Phylloscopus collybita |
A |
|
Common migrant, especially in autumn. |
Willow Warbler |
Phylloscopus trochilus |
A |
|
Common migrant, especially in autumn. |
Blackcap |
Sylvia atricapilla |
A |
|
Common migrant, especially in autumn. |
Garden Warbler |
Sylvia borin |
A |
|
Common migrant, especially in autumn. |
Barred Warbler |
Sylvia nisoria |
A |
|
Rare migrant seen on one occasion. |
Lesser Whitethroat |
Sylvia curruca |
A |
|
Uncommon migrant but seen annually in small numbers. |
Whitethroat |
Sylvia communis |
A |
|
Uncommon migrant but seen annually in small numbers. |
Subalpine Warbler |
Sylvia cantillans |
A |
|
Very rare vagrant with one record. |
Grasshopper Warbler |
Locustella naevia |
A |
|
Uncommon migrant heard singing in spring in most years. |
Icterine Warbler |
Hippolais icterina |
A |
|
Rare migrant seen in the wood on one occasion. |
Sedge Warbler |
Acrocephalus schoenobaenus |
A |
Y |
Summer visitor and migrant which breeds in the the wood. |
Reed Warbler |
Acrocephalus scirpaceus |
A |
|
Uncommon migrant seen occasionally, but annually, in autumn. |
Waxwing |
Bombycilla garrulus |
A |
|
Four seen in the woods in 2012. |
Treecreeper |
Certhia familiaris |
A |
|
Rare in Orkney and only seen on one occasion. |
Wren |
Troglodytes troglodytes |
A |
Y |
Very common resident which breeds in the wood. |
Starling |
Sturnus vulgaris |
A |
|
Very common resident, augmented by migrants in autumn/winter. |
Ring Ouzel |
Turdus torquatus |
A |
|
Uncommon migrant seen occasionally, but annually, in autumn. |
Blackbird |
Turdus merula |
A |
Y |
Very common resident which breeds in the wood augmented by many migrants in autumn. |
Fieldfare |
Turdus pilaris |
A |
|
An autumn migrant seen regularly in the wood, sometimes in large numbers. |
Song Thrush |
Turdus philomelos |
A |
Y |
Summer visitor and migrant which breeds in the the wood. |
Redwing |
Turdus iliacus |
A |
|
An autumn migrant seen regularly in the wood, sometimes in large numbers. |
Mistle Thrush |
Turdus viscivorus |
A |
|
Rare migrant in Orkney, only seen in the wood on one or two occasions. |
Spotted Flycatcher |
Muscicapa striata |
A |
|
Migrant seen annually in small numbers. |
Robin |
Erithacus rubecula |
A |
Y |
Common resident and passage migrant which has bred in the wood. |
Bluethroat |
Luscinia svecica |
A |
|
Rare migrant seen in the young plantation on one occasion. |
Pied Flycatcher |
Ficedula hypoleuca |
A |
|
Migrant seen annually in small numbers. |
Redstart |
Phoenicurus phoenicurus |
A |
|
A migrant seen regularly in the wood. |
Whinchat |
Saxicola rubetra |
A |
|
Uncommon migrant seen occasionally in the young plantation |
Stonechat |
Saxicola rubicola |
A |
|
Breeds locally and seen in the young plantation |
Wheatear |
Oenanthe oenanthe |
A |
|
Breeds locally and seen regularly in the young plantation and in the fields adjoining the wood. |
Dunnock |
Prunella modularis |
A |
Y |
Summer visitor and passage migrant. Has bred in the wood. |
House Sparrow |
Passer domesticus |
A |
|
Resident in small numbers. |
Grey Wagtail |
Motacilla cinerea |
B |
|
Uncommon migrant seen flying over. |
Pied Wagtail |
Motacilla alba |
A |
|
Summer visitor which breeds in the vicinity, regularly seen flying over the wood. |
Tree Pipit |
Anthus trivialis |
A |
|
Uncommon migrant found occasionally in the wood. |
Meadow Pipit |
Anthus pratensis |
A |
Y |
Very common summer visitor which has bred in the young plantation. |
Chaffinch |
Fringilla coelebs |
A |
|
Seen regularly in autumn, probably as a migrant. |
Brambling |
Fringilla montifringilla |
A |
|
Seen regularly in autumn, sometimes in reasonable numbers. |
Greenfinch |
Chloris chloris |
A |
Y |
Resident breeding bird in small numbers. |
Goldfinch |
Carduelis carduelis |
A |
|
Rare in Orkney (but increasing). A few seen in and around the woods. |
Siskin |
Carduelis spinus |
A |
|
Occasional winter visitor in small numbers. |
Linnet |
Carduelis cannabina |
A |
Y |
Resident breeding bird . |
Twite |
Carduelis flavirostris |
A |
|
Resident in the area, but seen infrequently around the wood. |
Lesser Redpoll |
Carduelis cabaret |
A |
|
A few migrant birds are seen each autumn. |
Common Redpoll |
Carduelis flammea |
A |
|
A few migrant birds are seen each autumn. |
Two-barred Crossbill |
Loxia leucoptera |
A |
|
Very rare vagrant with one record of four birds. |
Common Crossbill |
Loxia curvirostra |
A |
|
Seen most years and can be in large numbers in an irruptive year. |
Common Rosefinch |
Carpodacus erythrinus |
A |
|
Rare migrant seen on just a few occasions |
Bullfinch |
Pyrrhula pyrrhula |
A |
|
Rare migrant seen on just a few occasions |
Snow Bunting |
Plectrophenax nivalis |
B |
|
Winter visitor seen occasionally flying over or in the adjoining fields. |
Yellowhammer |
Emberiza citrinella |
A |
|
Rare in Orkney and just one record. |
Little Bunting |
Emberiza pusilla |
A |
|
Very rare vagrant with one record. |
Reed Bunting |
Emberiza schoeniclus |
A |
|
Resident which breeds in the area and reasonably common. |
|
|
|
|
|
Legend: |
|
|
|
|
Category - "A" is actually recorded within the woodlands. "B" is seen either flying over or in the fields surrounding the woodlands |
|
|
|
|
Breeding - only species proved to have bred are shown |
|
|
|
|