Hi all, I know this isn't specific to this forum but i know some of you guys have been up to Scotland a fair bit (and I haven't!) I'm going to be staying at the Glen Nevis camp site nr Ben Nevis for a week in Mid June and was wondering if anyone could help me out with some good birding locations. Not really sure what is possible in than area having never been that way before. Would like to connect with some of the following (if possible). I;ve just ordered the WTWB Scotland Book but any gen on the following would be cool!!!!:

Crested Tit
White-tailed and Golden Eagle
Osprey
Wood Warbler/Twite
Red-necked/Slav Grebe
Scot/Parrot Crossbill
Ptarmigan
Capper
Quail/Corncrake
Dotterel
Hen Harrier
Shearwaters/Petrels

Please feel free to drop me a PM if it is deemed necessary.

cheers

Andy

Tried out timble ings last night after getting some quality directions from bitterntwisted. Got on site at 8.30pm but only had 3 wood cock to show by 9.45pm. Possible large owl flushed on forest track (long wings and brown) and maybe a cuckoo (brown kestrel sized) near the farm. Both views were fleeting. May need some more advice about best places to watch.

On a better note, went back to Bolton Abbey after dipping on the spotted flycatchers last week and took the wife along. (bonus points needed for leeds final on sunday)
Saw all the star performers (Graham - wood warbler still on station) including redstart in the strid. Finally caught up with the spotteds (wife spotted high up in an oak) she's got eyes to match bitterntwisteds ears. Also refound ravens during our picnic, bonus of cuckoo getting mobbed by a chiffchaff and a possible LSW (need to check calls on CD). Red Kite again over west bank fields.

Marcus, i think i know where you got the fantastic shots of the nuthatch from. Literally feeding from my hand today!

Had a quick check for Quail at Armthorpe this morning, no joy should have gone to Bubwith.. Checked Beal Carrs, just Yellow Wagtail & 2 Roe Deer of note, finished at Lyne Dyke, Fairburn, and just chatting with Vince, when a Osprey appeared at 13:20, circled and flew off on the prevailing winds west, towards Swillington Ings.

Best
Daz

Can't have missed that osprey by much, damn. Was in that area by 1:45, though probably wouldn't have noticed it unless it was reasonably low and really obvious. Did see a marsh harrier but that was about the only thing of interest today, well maybe the hares on the morning dog walk too.

Had my first day at Bolton Abbey today, nice place, but expensive. £5.50 for car parking and £7.80p for 2 teas, 1 piece of cake and 1 J2o......

Birds:
Garden Warbler
Wood warbler
Chiff Chaff

Redstart

Blackbird
Song Thrush
Starling
Robin

Blue Tit

Chaffinch

Mallard
Mandarin

Jackdaw

Greylag

Pheasent

Spotted Fly
Pied Fly.

My purpose for the visit was to capture images of Pied Fly's and following Marcus' advice soon located.

Dave, next time go early and park in Storith's Lane for nowt. Don't go giving ole man Devonshire yer hard earned brass. I never buy anything at the Cavendish Pavillion now as the tight-fisted b@st@rd kicked out the previous people who used to run the cafe there, didn't give them a chance when the lease came up for renewal a couple of years ago. They were quite reasonable with their prices, now that it is the estate that are running the cafe, all they want is your credit card details and your PIN number so they can bleed you dry.
Gripe over....very tasty pictures. I hope I have as clear a view of the pied flys when I'm there tomorrow morning about 5.00am.

Keith
Do you know where the Pieds are?

Graham and Marcus have both pm'ed details so I'm confident of scoring at least one sighting...

Got your pm Dave and noted the details... I should be one happy bunny tomorrow I reckon

I had very mixed results at Spurn this afternoon. After a very busy morning at work, I planned to watch the football at home, however the chance of Broad-billed Sandpiper proved too tempting.

To cut a long story short, I missed a Common Rosefinch by 5 minutes, had a possible Arctic Tern too distant to be 100% on ID. I also had a very distant wader that I was told was BB Sand. It took flight before I was satisfied I was on the correct bird!

As some consolation I had two decent flight views of Female/Juv Golden Oriole and several Cuckoos.

Back from Bolton Abbey, all target birds achieved! Thanks Marcus, Graham and Dave, info was spot on.
On site for 5.30, parked on Storiths Lane as advised, I made a complete circuit of the Strid, crossing from East to West bank at the aqueduct and back to the East bank at the Cavendish Pavilion.
Spot fly in the place you saw your first bird Graham, I was watching a garden warbler when the spot fly landed in same tree, moved up through foliage and then took off to cross the river.
Pied fly, at least 7 or 8 males, at all location given and I managed to find a couple myself right at the top end of the wood.
Wood Warbler, I reckon I saw your showy bird Graham, but also managed to locate a singing male on the other bank, singing in full sunshine.
Redstart, the only real disappointment, I located a singing male but it was high in an oak tree and couldn't get a decent view of it.
Mandarin, found 2 drakes, one by the aqueduct and the other by the Cavendish Pavilion.
Dipper, only saw one but got some good pictures, digiscoped with the camera on normal... no zoom needed.
So a happy chappie with 6 year ticks from the mornings excursion.
I'll post the dipper pics later when downloaded them from camera

Look forward to the "dipper" photos Keith, looked hard yesterday bu could not locate one.

Wood warbler, at Bolton Abbey - I was there dawn yesterday!

Had a couple of trips to Spurn this weekend, I saw the BBS yesterday but the views were poor so went back again today and fared a little better.
Quite a few waders on show with Curlew Sandpiper,Sanderling (summer plumage),Knot,Bar-Tailed Godwit,'Tundra'Ringed plover etc.
The BBS was quite active as the tide flooded and took some pinning down.This shot was taken south of the warren, but it was later re-located at the Northern end of canal zone.
Tried for the bluethroat but no sign, didn't bother with the golden oriole but it was there again.
Not a bad day considering the wind.
More shots on the blog.

I enjoyed my day at Bolton Abbey last year despite the drizzle and I'm planning a visit there the week after next. This time I hope to get to the valley of desolation and not be stopped with a headache. Didn't see redstart last time round so there's one target and I'm still being foiled by garden warblers. The other birds mentioned will all be year ticks so please be kind weather.

Could any of you Yorkshire birders please give me any advice.I will be spending a couple of days around Robin hoods bay near Whitby at the end of June and was wondering were the best places to watch seabirds might be.I would particularly like to see Sandwich Roseate and Little terns as well as the usual sea bird species.Any help would be most appreciated.Thanks

Here's a couple of pictures from this morning, the best of the dipper photos and the best of the others I took. Didn't have the light to get any pictures of pied flycatcher but if time allows I'm going back to have another bash.
This afternoon I was talked into going for a walk with Sheila, we finished up walking to the summit of Beamsley Beacon from Addingham, only 6 miles and almost a thousand feet of ascent. Very B windy at the top but coming down we were treated to a sight that was a first for me. A hen red grouse with downy chicks crossed the path in front of us.

You'll struggle to find Roseate or Little tern but there should be sandwich tern round about, not sure where the nesting ground is. The main sea bird colonies are Bempton/Flamborough but you may see small numbers of razorbill/guillemot/gannet along the coast. The cliffs at Ravenscar will probably have a few birds there. I think there are normally Fulmar nesting at Sandsend, but only the odd pair.

You're in a good position for North York Moors and for Teesside so I'd check the DUrham birding page.

Finally, take a hammer and chisel because Ravenscar can be good for ammonites and belemnites.
http://www.ravenscar.ukfossils.co.uk/
http://www.dinocoast.org.uk/sites.html
http://www.ukfossils.co.uk/nyorkshire.htm

The best place for seawatching from around Whitby is Ness Point:

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap...506680&A=Y&Z=3

You should see Sandwich Terns from there, and Manxies, at that time of year. Alternatively try the high-tide roost at Saltwick Nab where there is often a roost of terns (and waders) at Black Nab

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap...510500&A=Y&Z=3

This is a lot more hit and miss than it used to be due to distrubance and also there are not so many terns offshore at that time of year so you may well draw a blank on that one.

Roseate Tern is exceptionally rare off Whitby, though does occasionally get picked-up and Little Tern is almost equally as rare - so not much chance of either off there I'm afriad unless you get very lucky.

HAve a good trip.

Little Tern
 

Hi Gossypots
Try South Gare (Redcar), if you have time for Little, they normally roost with the Sandwich on the rocks to the right of the Gare at the end, above Cabin Rocks, Rosy normally quite a bit further north to Northumberland.

Good/windy day at Spurn today, BBSand showed well in the scope, after everyone had seen it at around 10:00, so eventually it took 1.5 hrs & seemed like hundreds of Dunlin later, when I re-found it @ distance, in the end good views with Ray S. & Garry T.

Only my second in York's - but the best views...

Blacktoft was quite, best 79 Avocets on Marshland.

___________________________
Best
Daz

Just got an email from Billy Shiels. Sailing not garanteed for tomorrow - gutted :-C

Anyone got any suggestions in how to use the day pass. Anyone fancy some birding?

go to south gare redcar for little tern a few pairs breed there and are easy to see and its only c45 mins from robin hoods bay

A big thank you to all of you who replied so quickly,have got a couple of days so may head north to try and find the roseates,once again thanks and will post my sightings when I get back.

Just back today from the east coast having been there since Thursday evening. What a disappointment. An easterly airstream (albeit north-easterly) for the whole time, and one decent bird between Filey and Flamborough combined, and that I missed!

I was two miles away from the Marsh Warbler and not doing much in particular (serves me right for not being there birding myself and relying on other people to find stuff - but not always easy with family in tow). By the time my 'phone went off with details it was 21:55pm and too dark even as close as I was.

Next morning I was on site at 06:00am but it had gone. A bit more stuff down the coast at Spurn which I did say would happen.

Anyhow got tomorrow off so may head to Spurn if anything from today sticks.

Edit - Just had Icky through from Flamborough - class!

Spent a few hours at Spurn, "dipped" the Red Breasted Fly and the Icky, but caught up with the Broad Billed Sandpiper. The wind is howling from the East!! may be an interesting week...

Absolutely no proper birding for me but getting settled into new home. Garden list has kicked off nicely with a baby Grey Wag being fed by a parent on the shed and a male Bullfinch in the trees overhanging the garden. Regular visits also from a Song Thrush are all good. Just trying to get running water piped in but council says it'll be at least ten years before we get gas. Not sure i'll be alive when the village gets broadband (at an internet cafe aka my parents currently).

Also at Spurn this afternoon. The tide was too far out for my target bird- BB Sand. However, two lifers in the form of RB Fly and brief views of the Icky more than made up for it.

Also had a couple of decent flight views of the Golden Oriole while looking for the Icky, and bumped into Marcus and Darren Ward.

Busy but an amazing day;

Fox cubs in the morning
Ring Ousels feeding young at lunch. Tricky year tick complete at Yorks site.
Red B FLy and Icterine Warbler both lifers!! Massive bogeys removed.
Golden Oriole, Yorkshire tick!

Thanks for the gen all!

Your text message makes much more sense now Marcus....

Some from today.

You still going 'up moors Wednesday Keith?

Fantastic views of a Greater Cammo'd birder this morning displaying plumage.

Did you go to Warley Marcus?

Fantastic views of a terrible sight coming back across M62, about a mile front of moorland on fire just to north of the motorway on Yorks/Lancs border. High winds obviously fanning the flames 'cause its well alight.

If you specifically want to see Roseates the best view I've had is on Filey Brigg when they start the migration. Obviously timing has got to be right but there's no access to Coquet Island, don't know how many pairs are on Farne now but there was only one when I was last there (15 years, too long!)

Unfortunate for our breeding Twite - the last breeding range in England.

Marcus, was the Icky seen into the afternoon - no news since mid morning?

Looks like the long awaited fall of migrants might be happening, 3 Icterines, Red Backed shrike and 20+ Spotted Flycatchers so far today at spurn.

According to the spurn sightings blog that Icky was the 200th species for 2008. That's gotta take some beating - I wonder how it compares to other top sites in UK?


Cheers,
Bob.

I make it Red-breasted Flycatcher, Bluethroat, 2 Red-backed Shrikes, 3 Icterine Warblers, Golden Oriole and Serin in the Spurn/Kilnsea area. Bah, this is so unfair, why is there so little in comparison in Norfolk :C. Just so greedy... :eek!:

Yer broadband shouldn't be too long a wait but wouldn't hold much hope waiting for the gas. My Dad was told the same story when he moved in 20 years ago. Then later on they were told it could be piped in for £5k per household so long as a certain threshold of houses in the village wanted it.

Er yeah birds and stuff...


Cheers,
Bob.

Here's a picture of the Icterine Warbler trapped at the point this morning, and a picture of one of the many Red-Backed Shrikes, digiscoped through a fogged up lens in a howling gale.

Just checked the latest score from Spurn ;
1 Icterine Warbler
2 Grey-headed Wagtail
1 Marsh Warbler
1 Red-spotted Bluethroat
1 Red-backed Shrike
1 Serin
1 Golden Oriole
1 Red-breasted Flycatcher

Hope Lawts went eventually. Keith, how ridiculous does this have to get before we head east instead of west?

PS anyone know if the Howden RFF is an adult male?

Saw Lawts there but left him to it as I was bringing him bad luck