The Orkney RSG was the most recent of the Scottish RSGs to be established, dating only from 2004. This was far from being due to a lack of raptors in Orkney, more due to the fact that, in an area with a small population, most of those involved with raptor fieldwork were conservation professionals feeding data into their respective organisations.
Orkney is perhaps best known, in terms of its birds of prey, for its Hen Harriers and, in fact, studies of this species in the islands provide probably the longest run of data of any species anywhere in Scotland. The study was begun by Eddie Balfour in the 1940s, was taken up after Eddie's death by Nick Picozzi of CEH, and was continued as far as possible by RSPB staff during the 1980s and '90s before becoming the subject of a PhD study by Arjun Amar in 1998-2000. Since then coverage has again been by RSPB staff but with financial support from SNH. The population fluctuations of this species have been the subject of a number of recently published papers.
The other species with a long data run from Orkney is the Merlin. Originally covered as a sideline to the Hen Harrier work, from 1981 onwards all known sites began to be checked each year. This work resulted in a 1988 Bird Study paper by Eric Meek but a further analysis of results is now badly needed.
The Orkney Kestrel population is well known for its ground-nesting habits although only a proportion of the population use such nest-sites, others using sea-cliffs, inland crags and old buildings. The ground nests are notoriously difficult to find, often being hidden in long tunnels in heather or even being below ground level in dessication cracks in the peat. Full coverage of Kestrels is impossible to achieve and this is also the case with our Peregrines, some 15-20 pairs of which nest, chiefly on sea cliffs some of which, on Hoy, are over 300 metres high! However, one observer does usually manage to assess breeding success of Peregrines at all Mainland Orkney sites where the cliffs are somewhat more workable. The Orkney population has not experienced the marked upturn recorded further south possibly due the problems presented by Fulmars around the falcons' nest sites and possibly also due to continuing contamination by, for example, PCBs.
Only about five or six pairs of Sparrowhawks nest, the lack of trees in the islands contributing to a lack of nest sites and, perhaps more importantly, to a lack of small woodland birds for prey. Our two or three nesting pairs of Buzzards are confined to Hoy although hopes are high that the Mainland or Rousay may soon see breeding begin. Finally, amongst the true raptors, we have a single pair of Marsh Harriers that have bred successfully in most years since 2000.
Amongst the 'honorary' raptors, Short-eared Owls are especially common, our abundant Orkney Voles supporting perhaps up to 50 pairs in a good year. They remain, however, one of the most difficult species to study. Ravens are going through a purple patch having almost doubled in numbers in the last decade and one local observer covers the Mainland population in detail every season.
As noted above, our Group is a young one and we have not yet got down to a system of regular meetings, something we hope to rectify in the future. Anyone with an interest in the raptors of Orkney is encouraged to get in touch with one of the two contacts given below.
Photographs © RSPB
Contacts: Keith Fairclough & Eric Meek
Aerial shot showing mosaic of habitats
Valley on Hoy which shows a
different landscape to mainland Orkney
Moorland on mainland Orkney
Ground-nesting Kestrel site