• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

The Highlands and Islands Thread (1 Viewer)

I am very, very surprised as I said earlier. There are higher numbers heading out towards Durness on the waters too.

Very nice to see.

Well I'm counting the days to my trip North, 9 days, never seen a RTD only BT and a very far winter plumaged GN, actually a bloody speck on the horizon, so looking forward to this explosion of divers.

Damian.
 
I was interested to see what non-seabirds were present/breeding on Hirta, St Kilda, on my day trip on May 29, so I logged the following -

3+ Snipe (2 drumming)
Oystercatcher 10+
Lapwing 2
Pied Wagtail 4+ (juv seen)
Starling - common breeder
Meadow Pipit - 3+ singing birds
Swallow 1
St Kilda Wren -1 seen, 2+ others singing

Easterly breeze, but no obvious migrants seen around the village (apart from poss the Swallow?)

Plus the usual quarter of a million seabirds!.......an amazing place, mist shrouded and other-worldly.......
 
Brilliant sighting last week of a Long-eared Owl interacting with a Short-eared on territory. SEO attacked the LEO as it passed overhead, both falling to the ground talons locked. Shame no camera!
Seems to be several LEO pairs breeding locally, still very under-recorded.
 
I'm heading up to Lewis and Harris Mid September time, anyone one got any tips for the best birding sites, will be there for 3 or 4 days so a variety of sites would be good.

thanks
 
Hi all,

I am writing a report on my recent wildlife and photography trip to Rum and Canna, in the Inner Hebrides, this June.

Link is here (also posted in West Scotland, and Vacational Reports):

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=3004479

I hope to cover all kinds of wildlife seen - birds primarily, but also mammals, fish, insects and flora - as well as give a taste of the landscape and history.

Paul

P.S. Notable sightings included 1 Minke Whale spotted between Rum and Canna (on two occasions), and a shoal of 50+ Moon Jellyfish, 4 Comb Jellyfish and 1 Barrel Jellyfish by Canna Harbour.
 
Brilliant sighting last week of a Long-eared Owl interacting with a Short-eared on territory. SEO attacked the LEO as it passed overhead, both falling to the ground talons locked. Shame no camera!
Seems to be several LEO pairs breeding locally, still very under-recorded.

J, im a local member of a raptor study group, if you wouldn't mind pm'ing me where you saw the owls I can do a bit more investigation. Understand though if you don't want to

Neil
 
There is a real possibility that Findhorn Valley/Strathdearn could be closed to birders for the foreseeable future if plans go ahead to build a new electrical substation at the turn off to the Farr Road. As this is arguably the number one destination for birders visiting the area, this could have serious implications for our hobby, as well as impacting on the livelihoods of assorted tour leaders etc.

More details here http://www.savestrathdearn.com/

I have written to company about access for birders but have had only an acknowledgement back so far. The date for objections to be submitted seems to have passed but you might like to write anyway.

I'm sure that some of you locals can fill in more details as to what exactly is happening/going to happen.

Please post any updates here.

Cheers,

Gordon
 
A substation at Garbole and the associated powerlines running over the hills and along the Glen would industrialise Strathdearn and cause irreparable damage to its natural, historic and cultural heritage and destroy the amenity of local people and the thousands of visitors who come to enjoy this spectacular area.


That made me laugh like a drain. The Scottish government and Westminster have slated the nation to be one giant windfarm and neither give two hoots about tourism. They'd rather have every one move to the lowlands and cities, leaving them and their foreign money spinners and donors to have at the land as they see fit. Clearences MK2 by attrition imho.
 
A substation at Garbole and the associated powerlines running over the hills and along the Glen would industrialise Strathdearn and cause irreparable damage to its natural, historic and cultural heritage and destroy the amenity of local people and the thousands of visitors who come to enjoy this spectacular area.


That made me laugh like a drain. The Scottish government and Westminster have slated the nation to be one giant windfarm and neither give two hoots about tourism. They'd rather have every one move to the lowlands and cities, leaving them and their foreign money spinners and donors to have at the land as they see fit. Clearences MK2 by attrition imho.

Ratal you are so right. Having fought against a wind farm, which even the local council voted against, then to go to a public enquiry paid for and backed by 4 major local businesses and the result was the Scottish government just waved it through. Now they want more and bigger turbines. There is no point whatsoever trying to stop them doing just what they want! So depressing :-C.
 
Highland and Moray Birds Website

Whats happened with the Highland and Moray Birds website on Yahoo ?
When I went on It,It Is coming up that the site Is no longer In use.

Would be a real shame,If this was the case.
 
Thank TS.

It Is working fine,right enough.It Is when I click on the site link on the SOC website,that there seem's to be a problem.
 
Three pairs of Black Throated Divers have eight chicks between them up North North West way, Red throated Divers on the Loch have three chicks.

Good day for Merlin and Hen Harrier too -especially when the Hen harrier decided to fly low over the Lapwings. Poor guy.

Nice to spend a day out in the nowhere.
 
Three pairs of Black Throated Divers have eight chicks between them up North North West way, Red throated Divers on the Loch have three chicks.

Good day for Merlin and Hen Harrier too -especially when the Hen harrier decided to fly low over the Lapwings. Poor guy.

Nice to spend a day out in the nowhere.

Glad you finally shook the cobwebs of and got back out there pal, glad your back amongst it mate doing what you love in the wilds of Bonny Scotland.

Your pal.
Damian.
 
Three pairs of Black Throated Divers have eight chicks between them up North North West way, Red throated Divers on the Loch have three chicks.

Good day for Merlin and Hen Harrier too -especially when the Hen harrier decided to fly low over the Lapwings. Poor guy.

Nice to spend a day out in the nowhere.

Sounds like a great day to me Ratal. :t:

Nice to read some positive news for a change.
 
Whats happened with the Highland and Moray Birds website on Yahoo ?
When I went on It,It Is coming up that the site Is no longer In use.

Would be a real shame,If this was the case.

Hi,

It ran in conjuction with the H&M Forum for sometime and the forum became more popular and effectively replaced it. With so few people using the Yahoo Group it was suspended as little news was put on it and I thought better to concentrate people on to just one website, especially in these days of so may other media ie Twitter/Fbook etc.
 
Hen Harrier snatching a Kestrel off the telephone post was my highlight today along with a non-Loch Ruthven pair of Slavonian Grebes.

Weather was a beast - hotter than a hot thing up on the moors.
 
Hen Harrier snatching a Kestrel off the telephone post was my highlight today along with a non-Loch Ruthven pair of Slavonian Grebes.

Weather was a beast - hotter than a hot thing up on the moors.

Bet that was some sight and a pair of Slavs in breeding plumage, sounds like you had another great day, was out myself on the moors today (North Yorkshire) and my highlight was a Merlin perched on a fence post, not a Hen Harrier but still a cracking bird.

Damian.
 
Bet that was some sight and a pair of Slavs in breeding plumage, sounds like you had another great day, was out myself on the moors today (North Yorkshire) and my highlight was a Merlin perched on a fence post, not a Hen Harrier but still a cracking bird.

Damian.

Found a nice (Non-RSPB reserve) breeding pair. Hen Harriers just up the way across the road so its a cracking location.

Red Throated Divers on the Loch too.

As for Merlins? I love them birds - hard to find though up here at the moment.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top