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The Highlands and Islands Thread (5 Viewers)
- Thread starter TheSeagull
- Start date
Goodness.... did they manage that during a break in the weather do you think?
B Whyte
Active member
had my first Redwings over at Redcastle today
Ah! We had a break from it for a couple of hours over lunch time.
Not been hit too badly by the weather where I am, but roundabout is suffering rather with flooding from the Isla and Tay rivers.
Not been hit too badly by the weather where I am, but roundabout is suffering rather with flooding from the Isla and Tay rivers.
Scozmos
Well-known member
Morning all, just had a quiet but blustery walk along the Fort George shore, LOTS of Cormorant, Guillemot and several Gannets, my first highlight was identifying Long tailed ducks, quite a few birds, solos and flocks then photographing two birds I thought might be young Divers but turned out to be Black Guillemot, ID help from Paul and as we chatted and I said, "I always hope to see something special" a bird passed behind then over us both .... a Short-eared owl 👍🥳👍three lifers!
PS Photos edited on my phone, no glasses on 😳🤣
PS Photos edited on my phone, no glasses on 😳🤣
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Nice one Scoz.
Take care lad.
Take care lad.
Scozmos
Well-known member
It's no been too bad, so far 🤣👍🤞
You're right, they don't usually come too close, perhaps they don't like the breaking waves?
Bit rough here still Scoz.
Bit rough here still Scoz.
Scozmos
Well-known member
It's actually pretty decent up here just now, bit rough out at sea though
It's not raining for now, but due to come back again, I think.
Scozmos
Well-known member
Afternoon all, spent ab hour or two out in the pishin doon near Fort George again this morning got 17 ish Long tailed ducks, 2 Black Guillemot (same birds?), a diver, photos awaiting ID and all the usual suspects, Turnstone, Redshank, Cormorant, various gulls, Sandpiper, Guillemot, Razorbill, possible Little Auk and a couple of seals, not bad in miserable conditions. Had a chat about our Short eared owl sighting the other day with Paul again then headed back to the car. I forgot how sheltered it was by the Fort but was quickly reminded when my pants got a hood soaking! Upside? There was the owl again, hunting along the front of the Fort before heading into the ranges👍🌧👍
The flock of several hundred waxwings seen in Avoch, Black Isle seem to have gone now. They'll have moved down to you southerners in Aviemore. 
Yesterday I had hundreds of fieldfares and redwings feeding in local fields, plus a flock of 30 skylarks. There were also dozens of finches and sparrows (mainly tree sparrows) too. I think the weather system on Wednesday plopped them here and yesterdays sun gave them a chance to feed. Todays rain might push them on again. It's all go!
Yesterday I had hundreds of fieldfares and redwings feeding in local fields, plus a flock of 30 skylarks. There were also dozens of finches and sparrows (mainly tree sparrows) too. I think the weather system on Wednesday plopped them here and yesterdays sun gave them a chance to feed. Todays rain might push them on again. It's all go!
Scozmos
Well-known member
November 18th & 19th
Good morning all, I'll not repost everything from the first evening here but link to the Slavonian Grebe and Long-tailed ducks who were feeding just offshore from Ardersier shore path on Saturday.
Yesterday morning, 19th, I was up and out a bit late, these dark mornings 😴 and off to the Fort. The red flags were flying , sadly so the ranges were out as was a full loop around the Fort shore. Never mind, the tides was out-ish and it was a decent morning. I always hope for a repeat sight of an Otter, not today though 😳
Actually it was pretty quiet, plenty Cormorant/Shag around but not the numbers seen before. Oyster catchers were plentiful with the odd Curlew among them but that's about it for waders and I started seeing Guillemot & Razorbills once out on the point, a few Black Guillemot showed just offshore towards the open sea side. I started seeing Long-tailed ducks flying by then a few Eider got some nice shots of the Eider, ducks too far out but I'll add shots later, wifi not great up here.
Walking back from the back shore, I spotted a pair? of Hooded x Carrion crows on a couple of the old post and another couple exploring the sand, made me wonder about the pair I've seen often, was this a family?
So I headed back eventually, spotting a few Black headed and Herring gulls before noticing a bird feeding very close to shore, Slav? Nope, Long-tailed female maybe 6 feet offshore and she allowed me really close gorgeous some closeup shots. As I finally turned away to head for the car a large bird flew right over me so I tried a few shots, turned out to be a Rook, I'd originally hoped it was a Skua the way the sun lit it as it flew over.
Back at the car I spotted 3 Greenfinch on the brambles and that ended my morning.
We drove over to Findhorn beach in the afternoon but it was really busy and only a fine Stonechat male posed for a few shots, I really must visit the reserve there next time.
So it is 07:30 and time to up, dressed and off to the Fort again, maybe the flags will be down? 🤔🤞👍
Good morning all, I'll not repost everything from the first evening here but link to the Slavonian Grebe and Long-tailed ducks who were feeding just offshore from Ardersier shore path on Saturday.
Yesterday morning, 19th, I was up and out a bit late, these dark mornings 😴 and off to the Fort. The red flags were flying , sadly so the ranges were out as was a full loop around the Fort shore. Never mind, the tides was out-ish and it was a decent morning. I always hope for a repeat sight of an Otter, not today though 😳
Actually it was pretty quiet, plenty Cormorant/Shag around but not the numbers seen before. Oyster catchers were plentiful with the odd Curlew among them but that's about it for waders and I started seeing Guillemot & Razorbills once out on the point, a few Black Guillemot showed just offshore towards the open sea side. I started seeing Long-tailed ducks flying by then a few Eider got some nice shots of the Eider, ducks too far out but I'll add shots later, wifi not great up here.
Walking back from the back shore, I spotted a pair? of Hooded x Carrion crows on a couple of the old post and another couple exploring the sand, made me wonder about the pair I've seen often, was this a family?
So I headed back eventually, spotting a few Black headed and Herring gulls before noticing a bird feeding very close to shore, Slav? Nope, Long-tailed female maybe 6 feet offshore and she allowed me really close gorgeous some closeup shots. As I finally turned away to head for the car a large bird flew right over me so I tried a few shots, turned out to be a Rook, I'd originally hoped it was a Skua the way the sun lit it as it flew over.
Back at the car I spotted 3 Greenfinch on the brambles and that ended my morning.
We drove over to Findhorn beach in the afternoon but it was really busy and only a fine Stonechat male posed for a few shots, I really must visit the reserve there next time.
So it is 07:30 and time to up, dressed and off to the Fort again, maybe the flags will be down? 🤔🤞👍
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B Whyte
Active member
great sight alright. i had around 20 just further up Tower Road near Culloden woods the other day. great to know they're still in the area and in growing numbers
