Scottish Wildlife

Here are a few pictures of some of the wildlife seen...

Harbour Porpoise

Crested Tit

Long-tailed Duck

Razorbill (1st Winter)

Moray Firth, then home.

Friday was the only really wet day of our week in Scotland, but we still made the most with a boat trip on the Moray Firth before the worst of the rain.

Numerous Grey Heron fed on the shored edge, with Cormorant and Shag on the exit from Inverness harbour. The boat first sailed into Beauly Firth under the Kessock Bridge. I scanned towards the Black Isle hoping for a glimpse of the White Tailed Eagle that has been in the area. A brief view of an Eagle sp, dwarfing LBB Gulls over a field, but only a flying away view so not 100% conclusive.

Back under the Kessock Bridge we sailed east into the main part of the Moray Firth. Close up views of Long-tailed Duck, Guillemot and Razorbill, with more distant Common Eider, Goosander and Common Scoter. Red Throated Divers flew past regularly and a Slavonian Grebe was also seen at our furthest point.

On our return a couple of Harbour Porpoise swam in the boat's wash, and both Common and Grey Seal bobbed around the boat. Throughout the trip skeins of geese flew north and south of the firth, a mixture of Pink-footed and Greylag Geese.

Photos by Simon of the wildlife seen this week to follow...

Today was the long journey back. Four Red Kite and a dozen Common Buzzard down Strathspey. Numerous Pink-footed Geese north and south of Perth.

Cairngorms

Tuesday was a bit damp so time in Inverness, but I did get across to the Black Isle and its numerous Red Kites - always lovely to see. Impressive views west from Knock Farrell fort...

Wednesday began a couple of days around the great forests of Strathspey.

Loch Garten was first, with a large tit flock soon encountered giving excellent views of Crested Tit. Finches were also notable with Chaffinch and Siskin most numerous. Several flocks of Crossbill flew over, with calls linked to both Common and Scottish birds.

Loch Morlich was next. Several hours spent here along Allt Ban produced more finches, with Redpoll, Siskin and Chaffinch most notable. Crossbills were quite numerous as well, with at one point a large mixed flock of Common and Scottish giving good flight views. Then a small group appeared that the call was spot on for Parrot Crossbill. Alas they didn't land in sight for us to check out and be 100%. Fascinating with each of the different calls and easy to compare with so many birds about. 

We finished off Wednesday with a drive up to the Cairngorm Ski Centre. Snow Buntings could be heard on the slopes above the centre, but the strong wind at altitude meant they were hard to pin down. A nice Icelandic Redwing showed well, large and dark compared to the normal Redwings... a beast of a bird.

Thursday took us to Loch an Eilein and a wonderful morning with friends. Very quiet birdwise, but a beautiful place.

We finished the day with another trip down memory lane... Almost 30 years since I last visited the Findhorn Valley. Spectacular scenery in the late afternoon sun. After about 20 minutes at the end car park, a Golden Eagle finally appeared with a couple of Raven and Common Buzzard for comparison. Marvellous. A Red Kite added to the raptors as we drove back to our cottage.

Fort George

A sunny, but breezy day on the Moray Firth meant a belated visit to the spectacular Fort George, followed by a more sheltered stroll along Nairn beach.

Whilst walking the walls of the Fort, regular stops to check the firth for Dolphins. No sign today but plenty of good birds out there.

By the end of the day the following had been seen on, over or next to the water...

Black Throated and Red Throated Divers, Slavonian and Great Crested Grebes, Black Guillemot, Long-tailed Duck, Wigeon, Common Eider, Gannet, Great Skua, Cormorant, Shag, Turnstone, Oystercatcher, Hooded Crow, Kittiwake.

 

Culbin Forest

After a quiet summer and early autumn, thoughts do go back though to two new ticks with the BB Albatross at Bempton, and the Elegant Tern at Hightown.

A long awaited return north of the border yesterday, with numerous Buzzards through the Southern Uplands and Highlands. Highlight though was a Golden Eagle near Dalwhinnie.

Today, we woke to blue skies and hardly a breath of wind. Twenty five minutes from our cottage in Cawdor (Macbeth quotes welcome) is Culbin Forest. I last visited here 30 years ago and enjoyed close views of Created Tit. They were less co-operative this morning with several calling birds in amongst Coal Tits, Goldcrests and Siskins. Numerous skeins of Pink-footed Geese flew over, their calls echoing around the massive forest.

We walked to Hill 99 - an impressive tower built above the trees with amazing 360 degree views. 

As we walked back to the car we finally heard and saw several small groups of Crossbill fly over. Comparing the call with xeno-canto they sounded spot on for Scottish Crossbill. We will hopefully explore some more forests later in the week and look for their chunkier Parrot cousins.

Raised Brows at Bempton

With a couple of days planned on the Holderness coast doing some A Level fieldwork, fingers were crossed that the Black-browed Albatross would still be at Bempton Cliffs RSPB, after its brief disappearance. Simon and I left Chorley at 5.30am and after a quiet crossing of the Pennines we arrived at Bempton at just after 8am. A returning birder to the car park told us it had been showing but had flown off...

On arrival at the viewpoint it was negative, but the spectacle of Gannets, Kittiwakes and Auks made up for it whilst we waited. Then the call went up, the albatross had sneaked back in and was sat with the Gannets. Good scope views, it also stood out from distance even with the eye. What a fabulous bird.

Over the next 20 minutes the albatross took off, flew around and then re-landed. Wonderful to watch in flight. It's next flight though took the albatross on a prolonged flight out to sea, eventually lost as it landed on a bright, sunlit sea. We counted ourselves lucky as it was not seen again for the rest of the day!

We weren't due at Hornsea till 11am so we spent the next hour exploring this fabulous reserve. Dozens of auks on the sea included numerous Puffin, with the occasional adult still appearing on the cliffs with some nests still active.

The Gannets were the real stars though, with so much behaviour to watch and take in.

An occasional scope out to sea meant Fulmar also seen, and a group of 6 Common Scoter as well. Later in the day a Hobby blasted through at Mappleton, scattering the hirundines above the cliffs there.

Our second day meant a morning at Flamborough Head itself, and an exploration of the geology at Selwicks Bay. Both Common and Grey Seal showed well, and a couple of Porpoise further out. A juvenile Yellow-legged Gull showed well briefly, and a Greenshank was a surprise in-off the sea. House Martin were nesting in the chalk with chicks fledging as we watched.

An excellent couple of days in East Yorkshire and very blessed to have seen the magnificent Black-browed Albatross.

Third time lucky for the Duke

The weather forecast was perfect for butterflies yesterday (1st June), warm and a gentle breeze. We have been to Gait Barrows in the north of the county twice before and missed out on the rare butterfly we were seeking. Third time lucky?

We strolled along the Yew trail, spotting Orange Tip and Small White butterflies. Then a 'blue' shot past unidentified. A Broad-bodied Chaser perched a few feet away.

Simon then spotted a Roe Deer just a few metres away staring at us, not at all bothered.

As we arrived at the roped off area, positive news of several Duke of Burgundy butterflies showing well. Joining the other camera lenses we spent about half an hour enjoying a close encounter with at least 5 individuals, with male and female often spiralling high up into the air.

As we walked back to the car, smiles on faces, we noted large amounts of Lily of the Valley. Also seen were Holly Blue and Brimstone.

Next stop was Warton Crag, to explore the stony south facing slopes again.

Common Blue were the most numerous butterfly, with some confusing brown females keeping us guessing. Eventually though, Simon managed to get a picture of a brown one to confirm Northern Brown Argus.

A couple of university students were out with nets, as part of a (Small) Pearl-bordered Fritillary study. We helped out identifying their first Small Pearl-bordered of the year. Four in total of the fritillaries seen. A couple of noticeably larger ones were possibly Pearl-bordered.

Plenty of Small Heath about, as well as Speckled Yellow moths. Dingy Skipper also still present but all looking a bit worn. In the end we saw 13 different species of Butterfly today, and we didn't see Peacock or Small Tortoiseshell. A great day out 😎

Warton Crag Butterflies

Sunshine and showers meant today was always going to be a bit hit and miss. We started at Gait Barrows hoping for a Duke of Burgundy. Sunshine was in short supply and as dark clouds approached, a single Brimstone, and a brief unknown flypast of something small, we headed back to the car before the heavens opened. We decided to drive through the storm to Warton Crag where we hoped to find our other target butterfly.

The plan worked well as we arrived at Warton Crag as the rain stopped. The open areas were full of flowers. Early Purple Orchid were everywhere, hundreds seen by the end of the walk.

Cowslips, Birds-foot Trefoil, and numerous other flowers too. Butterflies soon started to appear with Orange Tip and the first of half a dozen Dingy Skipper. Near the summit, 4 Small Heath were seen.

Speckled Yellow moth and Speckled Wood were next, with several Small White also. Then came the hoped for Pearl-bordered Fritillary - only brief views, before it fluttered off not to be seen again. 

The final new butterfly of the day were a couple of Green Hairstreak, one of which perched briefly by my feet!

Hopefully we will pop up again in the next couple of weeks for another try for the Duke...

Small Heath and Dingy Skipper respectively below...

Winter wanders (lockdown local birding)

Everything a bit Groundhog Day at the moment, but feel very lucky to have Yarrow Meadows as my patch.

Apart from a few after work visits to Lower Rivington, and a few cycles to Eyes Lane and back, this year has been racking up the miles (with Bertie the dog of course) on Yarrow Meadows. The joy of Winter is the changing conditions... snow and ice, heavy rain and flooding, and even a few warmer hints of Spring.

This Kingfisher has been a regular customer on the southern of the two small ponds. It's not too bothered by passers-by, and is sometimes joined by a Grey Heron. On the nearby river, this Dipper has shown on and off, but can range the full length of the meadow and even on the streams flowing into Common Bank Lodge. Grey Wagtail also present.

Up to four Common Buzzards have been up and about, presume the adults and a couple of last year's youngsters. One of the birds is a daily regular in the trees, sometimes allowing close inspection. Sparrowhawk have been regular and a great patch tick was a Merlin flying powerfully west.

Finches are well represented on the meadows, with groups of Bullfinch, Goldfinch, Chaffinch and Greenfinch pretty much daily, with the odd Brambling too. This winter a group of 4 Lesser Redpoll has spent time near the southern small pond. One day elusive, the next they will feed several feet away. Always lovely birds.

Passage birds are well represented along the valley. Cormorant are regular, commuting between here and Birkacre. Redwing (75+ is the largest group so far), Skylark and Meadow Pipit have been overhead as well. On the ground I have been pleased to pick up the trio of Common Snipe, Jack Snipe and Woodcock. A couple of Golden Plover last week were a cold weather bonus.

In the trees, the Great Spotted Woodpecker have begun drumming again, with 15+ Nuthatch scattered about. One possible call from last year's Lesser Spotted Woodpecker but birding Parker's Wood is challenging - very dense and difficult to access. A few viewpoints along the river help but it is often needle in a haystack stuff. As well as the commoner tit species, Willow Tit has been present a few times, but overall very elusive. Treecreeper are becoming more obvious as they call more, with birds throughout the valley.

Next to the meadows is Common Bank Lodge. There is still a slight oil smell after a significant leak in January. The birds on the lodge seem fine, with possibly 8 Little Grebe present (4 adult and 4 1st Winter) during the winter. Mediterranean Gull and Goosander have visited, as well as the usual Coot, Moorhen and (wandering) Mute Swan and Mallard. 

My bike rides have added very little, just good to be able to be out exercising. Working in Bolton has meant a couple of visits to Rivington to carry on the excellent gulling that took place around Christmas last year. Juvenile Iceland Gull has been regular (have there been 3, as the two I had one day seemed different to the regular?)

The Yellow-legged Gulls have remained also with the 2 2nd Winter birds. An interesting adult bird last week had me thinking back and forth between Yellow-legged and Caspian. Features seemed good for both, but it was a dark backed bird, right at the extreme end on the Kodak scale for these birds. It also looked similar to the hybrid Herring x LBB Gull that had been seen nearby.

Spring is now approaching, Snowdrops are flowering, and the subtle garlic smell of Ransoms now noticeable. Stay safe everyone.