Hotspur
James Spencer
Had a great week and a bit working on a moray firth and islay with a few stops inbetween. On the way up we managed a few Ospreys including one over the fish farm at Aviemore. Goshawk was the next highlight. When we were out on the firth we managed 120 Bonxies and 10 Arctic Skuas over 2 days plus a number of Porpoise and a corking Minke Whale. A few Arctic and Common Tern were about.
On the way across to Islay we managed a couple of stops in Speyside with a walk around Grantown woods providing Redstart, Tree Pipit & Cuckoo. A quick move on to Loch Garten saw us get lucky with a Capercaillie showing well if distantly, grazing on the small pines. The Ospreys were in good form as well. We had to push on and get to islay. From the ferry we saw a good few Great Northern Divers in full sumplum.
On Islay we had a down day due to the wind and a few Whinchats on wires were a year tick. At Gruinart I was fortunate to see a Corncrake in an Iris bed - great views. 2 Whoopers were on the flood with a Greenshank but no Pec Sand or GW Teal.
At sea over the next few days saw a pod of 12 Bottle-nosed Dolphins off Macherinish, Kintyre. These guys gave a great display. Birdwise it was pretty rubbish with only a few Puffins and Manxies plus a reasonable passage of Swallows at sea.
The highlights birdwise were all in the last ten minutes of the last day with a Whooper flying high at sea and my first Storm Petrel crossing paths with a House Martin at sea - bizarre. Great views were had of a subadult Golden Eagle dragging its feet as it circled on the cliff face of the Oa - we saw it above the boat so surely a sea eagle?
On the way across to Islay we managed a couple of stops in Speyside with a walk around Grantown woods providing Redstart, Tree Pipit & Cuckoo. A quick move on to Loch Garten saw us get lucky with a Capercaillie showing well if distantly, grazing on the small pines. The Ospreys were in good form as well. We had to push on and get to islay. From the ferry we saw a good few Great Northern Divers in full sumplum.
On Islay we had a down day due to the wind and a few Whinchats on wires were a year tick. At Gruinart I was fortunate to see a Corncrake in an Iris bed - great views. 2 Whoopers were on the flood with a Greenshank but no Pec Sand or GW Teal.
At sea over the next few days saw a pod of 12 Bottle-nosed Dolphins off Macherinish, Kintyre. These guys gave a great display. Birdwise it was pretty rubbish with only a few Puffins and Manxies plus a reasonable passage of Swallows at sea.
The highlights birdwise were all in the last ten minutes of the last day with a Whooper flying high at sea and my first Storm Petrel crossing paths with a House Martin at sea - bizarre. Great views were had of a subadult Golden Eagle dragging its feet as it circled on the cliff face of the Oa - we saw it above the boat so surely a sea eagle?
