http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Orkbird/ Orkneybirding Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:53:34 GMT diomedea http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Orkbird/message/4149 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Orkbird/message/4149 malcolm, Seen from below only, it soared above us as we were in the wood, but no, I'd say it was a standard medium colour phase. Alastair Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:04:59 GMT R MATSON http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Orkbird/message/4148 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Orkbird/message/4148 I had 48 GWFs feeding on the west shore of Swannay Loch this morning, presumably the same flock as Alan's.  If this is the total for the north of West Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:22:56 GMT keith fairclough http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Orkbird/message/4147 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Orkbird/message/4147 On Monday, I had c60 Whitefronts fly in from the south, (didn't see where they came from), then northwards along the Marwick Head cliffs, no doubt moving Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:31:50 GMT Leitch, Alan http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Orkbird/message/4146 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Orkbird/message/4146 Just in from squeezing in my Loch of Harray WeBS count for the month and not a moment too soon. The heavens appear to have opened. Harray Highlights 24/11/2009 Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:52:23 GMT Meek, Eric http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Orkbird/message/4145 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Orkbird/message/4145 Highlights of Stenness Loch WeBS count yesterday were 197 Scaup, 76 Gadwall and a female/imm Common Scoter, only about the third or fourth time I've seen one Mon, 23 Nov 2009 23:33:03 GMT alamootie http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Orkbird/message/4144 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Orkbird/message/4144 Barn Owl - Probable alba, reported at Rennibister Farm, Firth on Saturday by Ken Watson. WeBS - Sun 22/11/2009 Greenland White-fronted Geese - 49 The Loons Sun, 22 Nov 2009 21:14:36 GMT MALCOLM RUSSELL http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Orkbird/message/4143 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Orkbird/message/4143 Orkbird went a bit strange today and my initial posting was "terminated". However it actually got through. Sorry for the other two postings as I thought the Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:41:51 GMT diomedea http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Orkbird/message/4142 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Orkbird/message/4142 Julian, There have been very good numbers of Purple Sands at Birsay too. I ran out of steam today and didn't count them and missed the best moment of the tide Sun, 22 Nov 2009 19:50:37 GMT MORRIS RENDALL http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Orkbird/message/4141 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Orkbird/message/4141 Thank’s Paul I managed to get a photo of the drake Goosander. It stayed far out on the loch this is the best i could get. Morris Thank’s Paul I managed to Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:23:24 GMT Julian Branscombe http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Orkbird/message/4140 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Orkbird/message/4140 Highlight of a long walk around Deerness today was 260 purple sandpiper at Newark Bay at high tide - I've never seen so many - they were absolutely fantastic. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:55:52 GMT bty64669193 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Orkbird/message/4139 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Orkbird/message/4139 On Saturday Brian Ribbands came across the 6 taiga bean geese in the same field between the Birsay Hall and the old school where he found them originally. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:30:29 GMT malcolm124245 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Orkbird/message/4138 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Orkbird/message/4138 Saturday: Siskin and Chiffchaff (tristis) at Stenaday. The Chiffchaff is an absolute belter of a bird and it's high time that tristis is split as in my humble Sun, 22 Nov 2009 16:59:04 GMT malcolm124245 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Orkbird/message/4137 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Orkbird/message/4137 Grey Wagtail, Stenaday. Pied Wagtail, Firth School. Chiffchaff, Firth Manse. Webs count at Finstown Ouse turned up 89 Common Snipe. Also there, perched on an Sun, 22 Nov 2009 16:51:24 GMT malcolm124245 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Orkbird/message/4136 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Orkbird/message/4136 Saturday: Siskin and Chiffchaff at Stenaday. The Chiffchaff is a belter of a bird, a pale tristis type. It's high time tristis is split from the nominate sp as Sun, 22 Nov 2009 16:06:31 GMT steve.sankey http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Orkbird/message/4135 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Orkbird/message/4135 Small flock of 18 snow bunts at Eastside on Friday in stubble field as I was picking up bales; & 3 purps along with turnstones at Manse Bay this afternoon.