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