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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Western Scotland birding (2 Viewers)

I'm heading to Argyll tomorrow to do a short walk near Benmore Gardens. I'm getting the ferry across to Dunoon, so hopefully a chance of some Manx Shearwaters and other seabirds on the short crossing.
 
Well, I didn't see a Manx Shearwater, but saw some other impressive birds, including (from the full trip, not just the ferry crossing):

Shag
Cormorant
Gannet
Black Guillemot
Common Tern
Dipper
Redshank
Rock Pipit
 
Just had five days camping at the Bay of Luce. I wont bore you with the many birds I saw but was pleased to get the Black Guilliemot at Mull of Galloway. I had walk along the cliffs by the cafe. Glad to see west coast Kittiwakes doing as well as on the east. Nice views of a Peregrine and some young Fulmars.

Very impressed by the beach at Sandhead, bet it's great in winter. 20+ Ringed Plover and had a good long look at a Greenshank.

One question. Has Corncrake been seen at RSPB Barcyle near the Wood of Cree?

Had a small dumpy bird there but it was pissing with rain and kind of forgot about it. Ruled out pheasant by size and lack of tail, partridge by lack of colours.
 
Yesterday:

Portencross:
between 11 am - 2 pm:
320 manxies, 70 gannets, black guillimot, guillimot, 2 kittywake, 2 bonxies, hunting peregrine, 3 cormorant, about 70 shags.

Huntersons/Largs:
42 Knots, dunlin, 5 black tailed godwitt (I think scare around here because most of the time I see here barr tailed) 13 ringed plovers, 2 wheatear, 3 Wigeon, 1 teal, 2 turnstones, 4 wimbrels, allot of curlew and redshanks. also a group of 30 swifts.
 
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Yesterday (17 august) a good day of birding.
In a bay between cloche point (Gourock) and Inverkip:

Little Egret. (maybe same as in spring?)
Mediterranean gull second winter in a group of black headed and common gulls.
pictures of the Mediterranean gull has been taken.

other seeing were: about 90 manxies, 50 guillimots, black guillimot, common seal, 16 ringed plover.
 
Hi Rik,

I don't have a car anymore, so are any of these coastal locations easily accessible by public transport? I'm in Glasgow, so thinking of either bus or train to Largs or Greenock.
 
Hi,

by train the best is stopping @ IBM Halt (near Greenock) from there it would be 2 miles walking.
by bus the best is to taken the bus from greenock to Inverkip harbour.

I've been to the Benmore gardens last weekend and saw there Dipper.

JTweedie said:
Hi Rik,

I don't have a car anymore, so are any of these coastal locations easily accessible by public transport? I'm in Glasgow, so thinking of either bus or train to Largs or Greenock.
Click to expand...
 
Caledonian said:
Hi,

by train the best is stopping @ IBM Halt (near Greenock) from there it would be 2 miles walking.
by bus the best is to taken the bus from greenock to Inverkip harbour.

I've been to the Benmore gardens last weekend and saw there Dipper.
Click to expand...

Thanks - I'll think about making a trip out at the weekend, I'm still missing a lot of seabirds from this year so far.
 
7th septembre from Portencros/near West Kilbride between 5 and 7.30 pm:
2400 manxies (best record for me)
4 Balearic
4 red throated diver
2 arctic skua
black guillimot
30 auk/guillimot
25 kittiwakes
6 fulmar
30 dunlins
wigeon
sandwich tern
3 common terns
and alot of gannets and shags

wednesday 6th from same spot between 5 and 7pm:
700 manxies
3 arctic skua
20 kittiwakes
12 fulmar
2 black guillimot
50 auk/guillimot
2 turnstones
8 common terns/arctic tern
 
today 12th september
Portencross/West killbride from 5 till 7.30 pm during the storm:

800 manxies
50 kittiwakes
2 sabine's gull, adult winter and juv (possible a 3th)
adult little gull
7 Arctic Skua
1 pomerines skua
sandwich tern
12 auk
3 guillimot
2 black guillimot
possible little auk
14 fulmars
alot of Gannets and Shags
 
Hi Rick, those are pretty impressive species and numbers lists you have for the last few days. I was out in the storm at Kinghorn on the forth today and all I got was a lot of gannets, kittiwakes, cormorant and sandwich tern. They all seemed to be loving the storm though.You might get the odd north american rarity over your way in the next day or two. All the best, Mark
 
Hi Mark,

To bad you didd't saw much from Kinghorn. I hope you get better records in the next period. The forth is a nice area so that woudn't be a problem. good luck!
Yesterday I did some seawatch again after work, so here the results again of 2 hours watching.

13th september from Portencross/West Killbride:
17.05-19.05

550 Manxies
150 Gannets
30 Shags
30 Kittiwakes
1 Adult summer Sabine's gull 50 meters offshore!
1 Balearic shearwater
2 Storm Petrol (10 minutes after each other, unfortunaly both signtings very short because of the big waves)
6 Sandwich tern
8 Fulmar
1 arctic skua
1 skua spec (to far)
1 black guillimot
10 guillimot
5 auk
25 auk/guillimot

forthbirder said:
Hi Rick, those are pretty impressive species and numbers lists you have for the last few days. I was out in the storm at Kinghorn on the forth today and all I got was a lot of gannets, kittiwakes, cormorant and sandwich tern. They all seemed to be loving the storm though.You might get the odd north american rarity over your way in the next day or two. All the best, Mark
Click to expand...
 
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Hi Rik, I think that Kinghorn is just too far up river for any significant seabird passage (other than skuas, which I love), that's why I follow this thread with such interest.
I see you managed a couple of storm petrels. Talk about jealous, that's a bird I'd love to see, or any of the smaller petrels for that matter. I might head over the west coast in the spring if work/time/money allows, which month is best for spring passage and what are the best locations? Cheers, Mark
 
forthbirder said:
Hi Rik, I think that Kinghorn is just too far up river for any significant seabird passage (other than skuas, which I love), that's why I follow this thread with such interest.
I see you managed a couple of storm petrels. Talk about jealous, that's a bird I'd love to see, or any of the smaller petrels for that matter. I might head over the west coast in the spring if work/time/money allows, which month is best for spring passage and what are the best locations? Cheers, Mark
Click to expand...

Put 25th May in your diary:t: http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=201293
 
Hi Mark,

As you can see in the reaction of Bongofury, 25th may this year was a very good time in the west of Scotland with lots of long tailed skua's. I heard from other seawatcher that the skua's were late this year and in most years, the best time in spring wil be around 15th till 20th may.
Most seawatcher in this area are watching from Saltcoats or Ayr/Troon.
I just find out that watching from Portencros (near West Kilbride) gives also some good results as you can see.
I just immigrate last february from the netherland to Scotland so this is my first year for active birding in Scotland.

forthbirder said:
Hi Rik, I think that Kinghorn is just too far up river for any significant seabird passage (other than skuas, which I love), that's why I follow this thread with such interest.
I see you managed a couple of storm petrels. Talk about jealous, that's a bird I'd love to see, or any of the smaller petrels for that matter. I might head over the west coast in the spring if work/time/money allows, which month is best for spring passage and what are the best locations? Cheers, Mark
Click to expand...
 
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Mark, there were good numbers of Storm Petrels visible from Fife in late July (I saw my first ever on the 25th) for 4 or 5 days. I heard about them on the Sunday, and travelled to Crail the following day, more in hope than expectation, where I picked up 1 over the water within a minute of arriving. I then walked along the coast to Fife Ness, and saw more of these great wee birds almost every time I stopped to look. I didn't count but saw at least 20 in around 3 hours or so. Also saw Sooty and Manx Shearwaters that day. I did manage photos, although the birds were distant, the conditions were almost perfect for viewing the birds.
A few pics here (including 3 together in the one photo).
http://www.flickr.com/search/show/?q=storm+petrel&w=93995449@N00&z=m
 
Great pictures there Stonefaction. The birds must have been quite close to shore. I must try to get the bus out there sometime as Kinghorn is just too far upriver for goodies like that. Never even seen a manx from there, although I suppose it would help if I got a scope as all I have are binoculars for now. All the best, Mark
 

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