Trip to Sanday, Orkney – Friday 31st July to Monday 3rd August
www.orkney.com:
"The largest of Orkney’s north isles, Sanday is a place of contrasts.
It has a land and seascape more akin to the Outer Hebrides, with
beautiful beaches, sand dunes and machair, found at the fringes of some
of most fertile farmland in the islands. Its low-lying landscape offers
expansive vistas all around, and the light here is particularly dramatic
throughout the year.
It’s a haven for wildlife, with birds,
otters, seals, and orcas regularly spotted. But it’s also an island that
has attracted attention over millennia, with hundreds of archaeological
finds and important Viking sites discovered in the sandy soil...."
This is a somewhat entertaining account of my trip!
The last time the Blue-cheeked Bee eater had been seen on Sanday was Wednesday 29th July, but it hadn't been seen anywhere else and I nearly cancelled my trip, but then decided to go anyway, it could still be there and if it wasn't, it would be a fun weekend trip away to somewhere I have never been to.
FRIDAY 31st JULY
Finished work on Thursday and ended up going to bed very late into the early hours of Friday morning, making sure I had packed everything I needed for my trip to Sanday and then slept in until 12pm on Friday. I was very pleased with my light packing, which included my "Healthy Back Bag" for camera and binoculars etc and my GITZO camera rucksack which I bought not long before I moved here – I've not made good use of this at all, as have only used it to store camera gear in that I'm not currently using – it was very useful this weekend and I managed to get everything I needed in it, which actually was mostly food stuff like a couple of porridge pots and snacks etc for Sanday, as I had not had time to research the island to find out about shops etc etc. I also had my lightweight sleeping bag, pillow and a blow up cushion for my hip, as I would be sleeping on the floor on the Northlink ferry – I told myself that I would never do that again, but for a Blue-cheeked Bee eater it was an exception! There was no cabin or flat lie sleeping pod available anyway and no space on the ferry for my car.
I had typed up my itinerary, which is something I always do – I like everything clear in my mind and believe it or not, there is just as much to sort for a short trip as a long trip. Took anti-sickness tablets mid afternoon and after watering the entire garden and pots and cleaning the bird ponds out, I left my house at 15.30. Parked up by the fish market in Lerwick as no spaces left next to ferry terminal. Checked in and very quickly made my way up to my favoured mid-ship sleep spot, which is the floor above the main reception desk – I was very, very lucky as after I camped out at about 15.50, 5 minutes later and all these spots had gone! Northlink ferry departed at 17.30 and the restaurant opened at the same time. I left my sleeping gear, but took camera stuff with me and went to have my tea. I have never been on this ferry when its this busy, it was chaotic and far too many people for me. I returned to my sleeping spot and tried to rest for a few hours. Its only five and a half hours to mainland Orkney and the ferry arrived in Kirkwall at 23.00. The ferry then continues onto Aberdeen.
Got off the ferry and along with some Shetland folk (from the Bowls Club here) got onto a bus outside the ferry terminal which took me as far as Tesco. Another lady and I got off and I found out she was also staying in the Kirkwall Youth Hostel where I had booked, so we walked along together in the rain! The bus driver said it was no more than a 15 minute walk, my ass was it, much longer than that!!! I was very glad I bought my head torch with me, otherwise we would have never found it in the total darkness, not well sign posted at all and situated set back along a track between two houses in a residential street. Firstly the code that you had to put in the keysafe was not required, as someone had left it hanging open, excellent security and our packs with our names on were just there for anyone to pick up! We then had to put another code to get into the next door and then we parted and went to our rooms with allocated keys. My room had two single beds in and was very clean and tidy and the shared bathrooms all looked immaculate. Dumped my gear on bed and because I had to get up very early, needed to know where the green bins were that it stated you had to put your linen in when you left and where the kitchen was to do my porridge pot in morning (no kettle in room). As I walked towards the kitchen which had a huge dining area, I was a little startled to see around twenty men sitting at the table eating, which felt very intimidating as there was no one else around. I said "good evening" to be polite and said nothing more – I didn't get a response as no one spoke English that I could hear. I spotted the microwave and retraced my steps back to my room quickly. Got into bed at about 12.15pm after managing to write my daily blog post on my phone. I did not have room to take my laptop, which I usually always take when I'm away.
SATURDAY 1st AUGUST
Alarm went off at 5am, but I was awake anyway as the mattress was way too soft and I had tossed and turned for hours. Jumped in the shower and packed. Took anti-sickness tablets. Went to the kitchen to do my porridge and a man and presumably son were in the kitchen who said "you're up early"....... explained I was catching a ferry shortly. Returned to my room with my porridge and half a cup of coffee. Left the hostel to stand outside for my taxi I had booked with Craigies Taxis (don't bother) at 6am. It got to 6.05am and I walked up the track to stand at the main road to save the taxi and me time. 6.10am, no taxi. Phoned taxi, no answer. 6.15, no taxi. Angry Penny. Phoned the only other two taxi companies, one didn't answer and the other "Harbour Taxi's" had an answerphone message service and I left a desperate message on their phone. Not long afterwards a lady from Harbour Taxi's phoned me up and said she could pick me up in 10 minutes and I thanked her massively. The taxi got me to Orkney Ferry Terminal just in time with a minute to spare. I had to be there by 6.45am latest to check in for departure for 7am. I was feeling stressed and angry. I gave the lady a fairly good tip which she seemed very pleased about, she deserved it. Had she not saved the day, my entire trip would have failed and I would have got myself to the office where Craigie's Taxi's are based and there would have been trouble!!! I phoned later in the morning to find out why they hadn't turned up and all I got was a weak apology and "don't know why they didn't turn up, it was in the book" – not good enough, I will never use them again.
The ferry (MV Varagen) across to Sanday was the best and smoothest and most relaxed ferry I have ever been on – it was a long journey as stopped at two other islands on route. I made my way up to the top floor and laid down on the cushioned long seating area and closed my eyes. I didn't need to lie down, but I was tired and needed to make sure I had as much energy as possible when I arrived on Sanday. On route I went down two decks to the canteen, which tickled me pink – it was merely a hatch at the end of a small, narrow area of seating, which reminded me of Kiosk Kev on Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! Purchased a very expensive small cheese roll which was £3.60. Towards the end of the 2 hours and 25 minute trip someone spotted some Dolphins leaping out of the water, which were a joy to see in the sunshine. Arrived on Sanday at 9.25am.
The Sanday bus (which I had to book prior to trip) met me and others at the ferry and dropped me off at Ayres Rock Hostel and Campsite where I was staying for the night – the original destination they had written in their diary was "drop off at Blue-cheeked Bee-eater" and they would have done, but there was still no news. I had heard that a few birders who were coming over, had cancelled as there had been no news – well there was no news quite simply because there were very few birders looking and with a massive island to cover, it would have been a miracle to relocate the BCBE, had it moved to a different area and also I was the only visiting birder on Saturday and Sunday as far as I know!
I could not check into my booked Pod on the camping site until 14.00 and I had no intention of walking around with all my heavy gear, so stuffed everything I didn't need into a large stuff sack which I purposefully brought with me and left this with Claire who runs the campsite to look after for me. The lovely driver and his wife/or assistant, don't know which, very kindly said that after they dropped the other passengers off, they would return in about 15 minutes to pick me up again and take me to "Lady Village" which is the area where the BCBE had been seen last, which was very kind of them indeed – they pointed out it was a three mile walk from here. I was dropped off next to the Fire Station which is exactly where the BCBE was first found perched on a fence post! I felt very excited to be here and long story short, I walked miles over the weekend to try and find this bird, miles!!!
I spent the rest of the day searching all the spots it had been seen, which included Riverside Cottage, Myrtle Lane, Seville Green, Otterswick, Beafield Farm and way beyond all of those areas. I imagined and visioned that BCBE on every post and wire that I scanned, it was both exciting and disappointing all rolled into one. I met a lady who lives on the island called Islay who is a birder and she joined me when I walked to Beafield Farm and back to the community shop. Sanday is a very beautiful island and they were lots of birds to see, but I didn't see anything particularly unusual. Lots of arable land including crop fields, which was so nice to see and reminded me of Norfolk – it was lovely to see wheat I think I recall it was, wavering and swaying in the sunshine. Lots of cattle (more than any other livestock), goats and sheep – Steve Dudley (well known birder on Westray) recommended to check out all the areas where I saw cattle for the BCBE. As I covered all the favoured areas, I hadn't realised how huge this island was, I desperately wanted a car and even with a set of wheels it would be difficult to cover all areas in the short time I was here. All beaches seemed way off on the horizon and I was worried I wouldn't have time to at least walk to one of them, as the beaches here are meant to be amongst the best in Scotland I was told.
I found out that you could hire a bike at the Community Shop near the Fire Station at Lady Village, so I returned there to enquire. I was told that it was a very busy weekend as lots of people were staying here currently (there was a big show yesterday) and they had 18 bikes out for hire, which only left a handful and in fact there were only two I could try: one was too high for me to sit on with the seat at its lowest and the other looked brilliant but sadly wasn't – it was an old fashioned type shopper bike with very long bike handles and when I had a little go at riding it, I was laughing my head off – it was veering left and right violently – now, either I have lost all sense of balance or that was the worst bike I have ever ridden, so using my common sense I didn't hire a bike as I had clear visions of being whisked off island by helicopter with broken hip and such like. So sadly, I could not whizz round to find the bee eater. I then enquired about hiring a car, which I could, but when I phoned the place up, I would have to wait 12 hours to be 'cleared' to prove I had a driving licence etc etc and that meant I wouldn't get the car until half way through Sunday, so not worth the £140 for half a day at all! I would just have to keep walking!
The Sanday bus team had very kindly said that they were picking people up at the Community Shop at 5.35pm if I wanted a lift back to Ayres Rock and after walking all day I felt utterly exhausted so I took up this offer and returned to Ayres Rock to check into my Pod. If I had been considerably younger and fitter I would have stayed out and returned when it was dark, but I'm not. Unpacked my gear in my Pod (never stayed in one of these) which had 2 single beds with a bedside table between with a kettle on top (no cups or anything else). A switch to turn the light on and a small heater behind the bedside table. Nowhere to put anything so good job I was not in a couple situation, as I used the other bed to put all my gear on.
This campsite is next to a private stony beach below the cliff and its a very scenic area, as is the entire island. I went to explore what was where etc – there was a "loo with a view" opposite my pod, a conservatory, a toilet which was actually a small block with a very small shower and separate toilet and after I asked there was a much larger normal size shower after you walk through the conservatory and this is also where there are rooms to stay in, which I presume must cost more than the pods. There was a kitchen for use for everyone, which included (I think) three tables and chairs and all the usual things like kettle, cutlery, hot plates, microwave, pots, pans and plates etc. The highlight was the meals that Claire and her husband Phil make, including yummy desserts and cakes which are kept in a fridge for you to take and put money in a honesty box for you to heat up in the microwave, excellent idea and seemed very popular. Ayres Rock Camping & Hostel has three Pods, Rooms and they accommodate for tent campers, campervans, and wild campers. Walked across to the kitchen and microwaved my meal for the evening that I had brought with me. I then purchased a cheesecake dessert from Claire which was divine! Went to bed early and slept extremely well on a much firmer mattress than the youth hostel had.
SUNDAY 2nd AUGUST
I set my alarm for 5am and got up just after that. Walked across to the best shower/bathroom and had a fabulous shower and returned to my pod. Walked to the kitchen and sat and had a porridge pot, banana and small cup of coffee. Packed up all my gear and put all the stuff I didn't need into the large stuff sack again as I had be checked out by 11am and had arranged with Claire for me to leave it there for me to pick up at the end of the day. I set off walking at 6am.
I concluded that it was highly unlikely that I was going to see the BCBE – it wasn't in any of its favoured areas yesterday, the island was huge, I was on foot and I was the only visiting birder this weekend, so I decided to head slightly south and walk to the nearest very scenic beach, this meant quite a bit of walking on a tarmac road which I'm not a fan of, but not much choice. The light was stunning early morning and it was lovely to be somewhere different, hay bales were stacked differently here (see pictures), lots of cattle which all seemed extra frisky – I don't mind walking through cattle fields normally, but I wouldn't have joined any of these, they were running around like they were possessed!
Birds seen on my trip were (hope I can remember them all) lots of Linnets, House Sparrows, Blackbirds, Starlings, large flock of Golden Plover, Turnstones, Dunlin, Ringed Plovers, Sanderlings, Redshanks, Fulmars, Mute Swans with cygnets, Greylag Geese, Ravens, Hooded Crows, Mallards, Eiders, Pied Wagtails with several juvs., tons of hirundines including Swallows and Sand Martins (far more than on Shetland), a Meadow Brown butterfly and lots of bees mostly feeding on the extra fragrant rose bushes everywhere. There were masses of waders on all the shores and tidal areas which you needed a scope for, which I didn't have with me due to extra weight. Sanday is very rich in flowers and there was loads of flowers and plants on the beaches, I wish my flower identification was better, something I need to improve on.
After following Google maps, I turned off along a long narrow grassy track from the main road which descended to the absolutely stunning "Backaskaill Beach". At the end of the track was a convenient picnic table where I paused for a few moments. The beach was breathtaking with pure white sand and turquoise sea and scenic rocks on the beach. I only found about four shells and there almost no stones, just total white sand! Took lots of pictures. I walked back a different route and climbed up through the dunes, surrounded by lots of plants and flowers and walked through a farm area and house back along an adjacent track to the one I had walked down. It was a long slog on a warm day back up the tarmac main road.
I walked back as far as the junction where I had walked from earlier and then set off in different direction and walked to Sinclair General Stores where the owner very kindly let me plug my iphone in for a while as it had almost run out of battery. I bought a cheese pasty and sat outside on the picnic table for a good rest and took my shoes off for a while. When I returned to inside the shop to retrieve my phone the rain came hammering down, but luckily it was short lived. I left and continued walking a very long way, past a school and the airport. I was heading back to Lady Village, but when I checked the map again I realised I was still a very long way off and I had had enough of walking on tarmac. I phoned Claire up to let her know that I would be collected my gear at just before 5pm as the pre-booked bus was picking me up at 5.05pm to take me back to the ferry for my departure at 17.40. Long story short, a friend of friend on the island very kindly offered to lend me their car for the rest of the day!!! This massively lifted my spirits! After picking the car up I had from 12pm for about 4.5 hours to explore the island and also may be lucky enough to refind the BCBE!
I headed north in the car – it was a joy to cover so much ground instead of walking everywhere when I had so little time. I checked all the cattle fields on route etc, no bee-eater. I decided to get round as many beaches as possible too, now that I had a set of wheels. I started off at one of the most northerly points and parked up at a very remote beach accessed along a very long narrow track called Whitemill Bay. It was raining and the weather now looked awful and that's how it stayed for the rest of the afternoon. This beach was stunning and dramatic and the waves were crashing violently on the shore – I didn't stay long sadly as it was raining quite hard. I was just climbing back over the dunes when an RBA MEGA text message bleeped through "MEGA Orkney BLUE-CHEEKED BEE EATER North Ronaldsay on fence at Burray". My heart sank to the very bottom, that was it, it was over! It was just across the bloody sea from where I was standing!!! If I could have flagged down a fishing boat to take me across I would have! I returned to the car and sat feeling very sad and fell asleep, I didn't care about anything else any more. I then gave myself a good talking too and decided not to waste any more precious time. I phoned North Ron Observatory, Orkney Ferries and Loganair to find out the logistic of getting there. I sent my colleague Catherine a message (an indirect message and hint) – she knows me well enough to understand I was asking for two days's annual leave for Monday and Tuesday, but I never got a reply and don't think she read the message. Anyway, if I had been able to have annual leave I would have gone back on the ferry tonight to Kirkwall as planned, booked somewhere to stay and there was seat left to fly to North Ron at 7.30am tomorrow and a return flight later I found out. I would then have had to book somewhere to stay Monday night as the ferry back to Shetland doesn't operate on a Monday and would then depart Tuesday getting me back for 7.30am Wednesday to start work at 9am. All a waste of time as I hadn't got two days annual leave off!!! The most frustrating and sad thing is that it was highly likely that the BCBE WAS THERE on Saturday whilst I was there and possibly part of Sunday. There are no other islands between or near North Ronaldsay, so the chances were high that it had still been here and simply found a different area of the island to catch bees and insects before it did another island hop!
Trying to think about this in a positive and scientific way, isn't it fascinating that this beautiful Blue-cheeked Bee eater has been 'twitching' the islands from Westray (where it was first seen), then Papa Westray, Sanday and now on North Ronaldsay! Where will it head next?! It has to be Fair Isle next surely (possibly Foula) and then onto Shetland? PLEASE! Wherever its goes next its will be exciting to follow and hear about, can't wait! Fingers crossed its found here!
Anyway I pushed myself to explore the other stunning beaches here in the time I had left, even though it was continuous rain for the rest of the afternoon. In the short time I had left I visited "Lopness Bay" which was in a very remote northerly part of the isle and further south "Cata Sand" and Treshness – well I didn't actually get to Treshness which is known as shell beach as it was a 3.5 mile I found out from a couple that had just walked it from the parking area at Cata Sand beach and I simply had not got time to walk to it. I drove back and returned the borrowed car and paid some petrol money which was going into a charity pot for wildlife on the island and then returned to Ayres Rock Campsite to pick up my gear and and repack into two bags and enjoyed one of Claire's cakes whilst waiting for the bus. Took one of my serious anti-sickness tablets.
The Sanday bus picked me up promptly at just before 5pm and took me to the ferry terminal where I was dropped off – now gorgeous sunshine. A different ferry today, MV Dolphin and just as smooth and comfortable as the last one. Ferry departed at 17.40 and arrived in Kirkwall at 19.05. The tablets I had taken completely knocked me out and I wandered off the ferry like someone who had had a few drinks. It was a massive effort to even decide what to do next. I had time to kill as the next ferry home didn't leave until 23.45. Ambled to a fish and chip shop just next to the terminal and sat in and enjoyed a huge portion (double the amount of chips you get here) of fish n chips which were excellent. I then realised that I did not have the energy or willpower to walk to the Northlink Ferry Terminal which was at least a couple miles I was told, so phoned for a taxi which cost me £12.50.
Sat in the waiting area in the terminal which is upstairs and from this point on, the rest of my journey was rubbish. I was overtired and couldn't nap as nowhere comfortable to sit. Hard plastic chairs and I didn't fancy putting my sleeping bag in the cold hard floor. Later on, the Shetland Bowls Club Team arrived in extremely jovial spirits including the lady I had walked to the hostel with on Friday night and she told me something shocking! When she entered her booked room in the hostel there were two men in there!!! She had to phone the hostel number and long story short they allocated her another room, what a terrible mix up and ordeal for her, poor lady! I met a lovely lady called Rhona (from the bowls club) who starting chatting to me about the BCBE since she had seen the pictures on FB, it was lovely to meet her and listen to all the antics going on with the team – they were celebrating and Rhona had won "a silver plate" someone said.
Got on the ferry which left at 23.45. I was amazed to find the same mid-ship sleep spots all free, I'm guessing they were full and the passengers there had got off in Orkney maybe. Set up my sleeping arrangement and tried to sleep, but tossed and turned on the hard floor all night as my (very old) square blow up cushion that I used for my hip failed, the stopper was obviously leaking – its since been binned!
MONDAY 3rd AUGUST
Arrived back off the Northlink Ferry in Lerwick this morning at 7.30am after a night of sleeping on the floor and almost no sleep due to my inflatable hip cushion (as I call it) failing. Whizzed home to Scalloway, dumped gear, shower and got to work at 8.59am. Managed to get through the day, just about and fell asleep as soon as I got home.
SUMMARY
Huge thanks to Steve Dudley who lives on the island of
Westray (Orkney), who very kindly assisted me and went above and beyond with lots
of information and pin maps of where the BCBE was and also to Hrafn
Archer who had arrived with others and left whilst I was on route and
had worked very hard to find the BCBE and sadly also had not seen it –
thank you for your updates and support.
I would like to visit Sanday again with more time, it was a unique and stunningly beautiful island and I imagine that there must be so many missed rarities there! I'm really glad I went in the end, overall it was worth it, apart from having to try and sleep on the ferry floor!
Since writing this up on Wednesday evening, I have ordered some new gear, an inflatable sleep mat + tiny pump, cushion, new sleeping bag that zips out fully (my old one doesn't) and a insulating blanket. I can see myself doing island hopping trips in the future and at short notice for a rarity, there are rarely any cabins available and also it will cheaper to camp on the floor but with more comfort under my bones. Looking for forward to another trip! I fancy returning to Fair Isle again, but not flying any more, so will maybe wait for the new ferry which is arriving fairly soon I hear?!
PICTURES TO BE ADDED ON THURSDAY EVENING
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