Dipping in Scotland (again) 2018 (1 Viewer)

Saturday 12 May 2018 and the morning of our latest trip to Scotland and Northumberland for a whole week of birding finally arrived. My gear was packed, birding mate Mark collected and after a bit of shuffling the kit to fit in the boot we were on the road at 0730. The weather was set fair and spirits were high (along with those packed B .

Due to the fact that someone had decided to close the entire M1 between Jct 23a and 24 for the whole weekend in order to install a new bridge, a quick re-route soon saw us heading north up the A46 on the start of the 430+ mile 8 hour trip to our first destination on Mull.

Due to another cock up on the travelling arrangements, entirely my fault this time, all the Oban to Craignure ferries were booked solid so we were taking the long route round via Lochaline/Fishnish ferry. At least that gave us a chance to pop by Strontian and have a peek at the Black duck.

It was at this point that the title of the thread was born. OK its not all bad but lets get it out of the way right here and now. The list is long and distinguished and we must be the only birders to spend four days on Mull and dip one of our main target birds, Hen Harriers. but more of that later.

Arriving in Strontian we stopped by the post office and had a great view of a summer Greenshank. Apart from a couple of Mergansers the water, despite the tide being mostly in was completely devoid of ducks. Not to be deterred we continued up to the river. Willow warblers shouting at us from every tree, but not a duck in sight apart from one solitary drake Mallard.

With a ferry to catch we reluctantly had to move on, Strike 1!

On arrival on Mull it was only a short drive to the static caravan we had hired at Crannich, a stones throw from Loch Frisa beyond the hills. The Owner of the site told us that they regularly saw the White Tailed Eagles and that they sometimes could be seen perched on the hillsides.

View from caravan window attached

As we were unpacking we were told the Eagles were up. Expecting to see White tails, there were a couple of Buzzards circling around and a Golden Eagle Hovering above the nearest ridge. All thoughts of Black Ducks were erased........This is what we had come for after all. After watching it for a good ten minutes or so it finally drifted off and we finished unpacking the car, settled in and opened the aforementioned spirits to a dusk chorus of Willow Warblers, Swallows, Sand martins and assorted finches.

To be Continued...................................

Paul Longland said:

Due to another cock up on the travelling arrangements, entirely my fault this time, all the Oban to Craignure ferries were booked solid so we were taking the long route round via Lochaline/Fishnish ferry.

....

On arrival on Mull it was only a short drive to the static caravan we had hired at Crannich, a stones throw from Loch Frisa beyond the hills. The Owner of the site told us that they regularly saw the White Tailed Eagles and that they sometimes could be seen perched on the hillsides.

View from caravan window attached

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I too have stuffed up booking ferry crossings and ended up Fishnish to Lochaline but on the way off rather than on.

Also stayed at the Crannich statics a couple of times, found them to be most satisfactory as a base, but never scored Goldies there (just rather distant White-tailed), so good job with that.

Sorry to hear about your Duck dip, hope things didn't pan out too badly, thread title notwithstanding, I will follow your fortunes with interest.

I can empathise with you on the duck Paul. Looking forward to reading the rest of the report. Congrats on the Goldie.

Rich

JWN Andrewes said:

Also stayed at the Crannich statics a couple of times, found them to be most satisfactory as a base, but never scored Goldies there (just rather distant White-tailed), so good job with that.

.

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The site owner was surprised too. She said that they had not seen Goldies across that side before.

ClarkWGriswold said:

I can empathise with you on the duck Paul. Looking forward to reading the rest of the report. Congrats on the Goldie.

Rich

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Thanks Rich

Day 2

We arose at 6AM and watched the comings and goings at the feeder I had set up the previous evening whilst knocking a quick fry up together. Having been caught out before on previous trips with no handy trees to hang the feeder in I had come prepared.... Having no spare feeder pole I set up a Gerry rigged affair using a garden umbrella pole spike, an extending line prop and short garden candle hanger and some insulating tape (se pic below). It may have been a bit heath robinson but the birds didn't seem to mind and it didn't take a couple of Goldfinch, Chaffinch and tits to find it.

Having suitably fuelled up we set off for Iona via Loch Na Kiel road. Stacks of Great Northern Divers in a variety of plumages including full summer dress but no signs of any Eagles as none of their usual perching rocks were exposed due to the high tide. Rock Pipits and Wheatears by the score provided a distraction which soon turned into a bit of a competition to see who could count the most of the latter before we got to the car park at Fionnphort. Final score was 37-34 to Mark. A reasonable effort on my part considering I was supposed to be making sure that we didn't drive into the Loch. 3

A couple of Black Gillies later and we were on Iona. Having arrived a week or so too early last year we were optimistic about our chances this time as the sun was shining and we had had a period of favourable winds.

We set off along the trail past the farm. We staked out a large iris bed close to the large information board at the crossroads in the path and settled down for a bit of a vigil while we munched our sarnies. An hour later having emptied the contents of the thermos and in danger of serious caffeine poisoning we reluctantly came to the conclusion that there simply were no birds there. Undaunted we set of across the island for the Abbey.

A small brown bird settled on the wire fence a few yards ahead of us but flew off before I could get a proper look at it and landed in the next field amongst a small flock of linnets. We decided to check out the flock and my suspicions were confirmed when we discovered three Twite amongst but slightly set apart from the linnets foraging in the field. An unexpected result.

Despite checking out every Iris bed on the way to and from the abbey still no sign of crakes. Deciding to give the fire station half an hour before the ferry back we arrived to a half hearted sedge warbler in the reeds and a single blackbird. But just as we were about to give up there it was......Crex Crex call not 10 yards away behind a small bank behind a small gravel storage yard with a couple of BT poles in it. Right said I "Sod the ferry we will get the next one". Constant calling was getting us very excited, then it all went quiet for about ten minutes until another call was heard this time appearing to come from the other side of a small channel running up the field. Hearing no response from the bank we concluded that it was probably the same bird that had somehow managed to sneak past us unseen amongst the vegetation. The calls gradually got further away over the next 20 minutes or so until it finally went totally quiet.

Strike 2! At least it was one up on last year when we didn't even hear a peep.

On the way back we decided to take a short detour down the Uisken road from Bunassen. What a great decision that turned out to be........... High over a ridge a raptor was circling. A quick check by Mark revealed it to be a buzzard. However as we rounded a bend in the road what we thought to be the same bird came back into view. Was it my imagination or had it suddenly grown? No the buzzard was still circling high. Stopping the car to get a better look it soon became obvious we were looking at a Goldie that had sneaked in low over the ridge. At this point the buzzard took umbrage at this unwanted intrusion to its hunting ground and went into a full on stoop straight at the eagle. Taking evasive action it showed it full colours, revealing the golden head from which its name derives, but obviously a sub adult bird with some white under wing patches remaining and white tail base.

At this point though things got really exciting. Whilst fully occupied avoiding the irate buzzard a Merlin suddenly flashed in from the right and made a few high speed passes. A Hooded crow then did what corvids do and joined in. Not to be outdone a passing Herring Gull also had a bit of go. At this point the Eagle decided that it simply wasn't worth the aggro and that there must be easier ways to grab a snack so made a tactical withdrawal back the way it had come. Total madness but my closest and best views of Golden Eagle and probably on of my best overall birding experiences that will stay in the memory for a very long time.

A nice winchat sitting on a fence on the way back to the digs for a few cold ones and a chicken Jalfrezie rounded of a day that seemed destined to be a bit of a disappointment but, as can often happen with birding, produced something a bit special.

Stay tuned for the next instalment..........

Day 3
After a late night watching match of the day and probably one pop too many it was a relatively relaxed start to the day. having seen the weather forecast we decided to change the itinerary and save the Adnamurchan peninsula until the next day when westerlies were forecast and decided to do the northern loop of Mull instead.

cutting up the minor road towards Dervaig we visited the hide at Loch Torr. a few Redpoll and siskin were all that revealed themselves. next stop was Dervaig itself. A couple of Dunlin, redshank and a solitary silent Sedge Warbler was all that was about. Not exactly stirring stuff. a brief stop off at Calgary beach for a coffee also failed to produce anything of note. However, we decided to explore the woodlands behind the toilet block at the picnic spot just down the road. As we walked along the track towards the woods a large raptor drifted into view low in front of the cliffs beside the beach. Bingo our first White Tailed Eagle of the trip. A young bird but stunning in its enormity showing well against the hillside which revealed a missing primary on its right wing. Perhaps beginning its final moult into adult plumage or the result of an altercation?

As we followed a path we came across the remains of a fallen down small cottage and a walled garden. it was apparent that some maintenance had been going on although no longer in its prime there was an eclectic mixture of planting with traditional climbing roses and an eucalyptus tree. As the gates were open we decided to have peek inside. Almost immediately the first Spotted Flycatcher of the year presented itself for our delight. This was quickly followed by a Blackcap, a singing Chiff Chaff and a Garden Warbler.

We decided to pop over to Ulva for a couple of hours before the last ferry and managed to clock up another couple of year ticks in the form of Tree Pipit and Wood Warbler, both of which we were lucky to come across, as like the garden warbler earlier both were surprisingly silent.

To end the day we visited Aros park and spent a great half hour watching a dipper doing its thing in the stream then it was to the caravan for spag bol.

Day 4

Our final day on Mull started overcast as forecast. A uick breakfast and we were off to the ferry at Tobermory for a day on the mainland.

We arrived at the lighthouse viewpoint on the peninsula to heavy mist and drizzle with the promised westerly winds so although visibility was not great we had high hopes for a profitable bit of seawatching and hopefully a skua or two.

After a quiet start with the usual gannets, fulmars and kittiwakes a pair of Manx Shearwaters close to shore soon whet the appetite. These two were shortly followed by several more in groups of three or four which steadily built into a constant stream of birds all heading in a southerly direction. Obviously heading from the breeding grounds on foraging trips. after about an hour they started returning in the other direction and a group of about twenty settled down on the water right in front of us. A summer plumage GND was also on display.

Despite our best efforts and clearing visibility lunchtime arrived and no sign of either artic or great skuas

Strikes 3 & 4!

We decided to drive down to Strontian via the rspb Glenborrodale forest. As we drove inland past Loch Mudle a pair of Goldies showed themselves briefly over the ridges despite the low cloud and mist. We pulled in at a likely looking spot looking over the valley in the hope of spotting a hunting hen harrier to no avail. It was here that I managed another "first". Hearing a strange call I was stumped as to what it could be. It sounded vaguely waderish but unlike anything I had ever heard before. after a lot of speculation out came the ipad loaded with the Collins guide and I started listening to the very handy vocals included of potential likely candidates. Having eliminated all the obvious stuff inspiration hit me and I turned to the page on Greenshank and there it was. Now I have heard plenty of greenshank calling before but never heard its "song" as it is described in the guide. We live and learn.

Arriving at Strontian as the weather began to clear surely this would be third time lucky after missing out last year and earlier in the week. Well guess what

Strike 5!

We stopped of at the top of the loch just over the bridge on the road to Lochaline where there was a small group of ducks........... surely our luck was about to change?......... No chance. Just a bunch of mallards and a solitary teal along with a group of very striking Goosanders a little further out. But wait, "hang on what's that" declared Mark. Closer inspection revealed not the Black but one of his offspring or Grandchildren......Close but no cigar.

Back on Mull we had a last go along Glen More for Hen Harrier. Spotting a group of birders at a pull in we stopped to be told that we had missed a stunning male flying through just ten minutes before. After an hours vigil two more Goldies over the ridge but no Harrier. It was time to head back to the caravan to start packing for the mornings journey over to Northumberland for the second part of our trip

Strike 6! :-C And I still cannot believe that after four days birding on mull we did not connect with a single Hen Harrier. On top of that we only saw a single White Tailed Eagle (although we did not visit any of the known nesting sites) but a total of seven Golden eagles, including the fantastic spectacle we were treated to on the road to Uisken.:t:

Shame you didnt get onto Corncrakes. I did some Altlas work there and had some great views (while the rest of the team wandered off!) but it did involve 2 hours of standing at the fence in intermittant drizzling rain and waiting for the proverbial trotting across a break in the vegetation by the bird that was calling. This was adjacent to Baille Mor overlooking the field on the opposite side to the nunnery. Btw, the Starlings greet you pretty good crake impressions as you get off the ferry which could be a red herring for the unaware!

Deb Burhinus said:

Shame you didnt get onto Corncrakes. I did some Altlas work there and had some great views (while the rest of the team wandered off!) but it did involve 2 hours of standing at the fence in intermittant drizzling rain and waiting for the proverbial trotting across a break in the vegetation by the bird that was calling. This was adjacent to Baille Mor overlooking the field on the opposite side to the nunnery. Btw, the Starlings greet you pretty good crake impressions as you get off the ferry which could be a red herring for the unaware!

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Really thought we were going to crack it this time but despite narrowing the location down to a very small patch it just stubbornly remained hidden. At least it gives us an excuse to go back next year.

Deb Burhinus said:

Shame you didnt get onto Corncrakes. I did some Altlas work there and had some great views (while the rest of the team wandered off!) but it did involve 2 hours of standing at the fence in intermittant drizzling rain and waiting for the proverbial trotting across a break in the vegetation by the bird that was calling. This was adjacent to Baille Mor overlooking the field on the opposite side to the nunnery. Btw, the Starlings greet you pretty good crake impressions as you get off the ferry which could be a red herring for the unaware!

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Corncrakes are fairly common where I am in Russia, I hear them all the time but I have yet to actually see one in 5 years.



A

Day 5
Over breakfast it was decided to give the Pied Billed Grebe at Loch Feorlin a miss (known skulker with no recent conformed sightings involving a detopur and along walk) in favour of the American White Winged Scoter and Surf Scoter at Mussleburgh (recent reports, easy parking and on our route)

After disembarking the ferry at Oban first on the agenda was to feed the beast. Not my companion but the car. The stop start driving on the single track roads had reduced the 50+ MPG I usually get on my usual Mway slogs to below 38MPG. Thank god I had decided to top up at Glasgow on the way up. Diesel was an eye watering £1.44 on Mull!

A quick stop at Tesco and with my Wallet £70 lighter we set out for Northumberland. As we exited the petrol station we saw our first Swift of the summer. I am sure we are not the first to be thinking they were somewhat late this year even this far north.

An uneventful trip via the Trossocks where there was still some residual snow on the mountain tops and we arrived at Mussleburgh.

Despite the tide being well and truly in and rafts of Eider at the River Esk mouth and all along the sea wall there was not a single single of any description to be found. Scopinhg the bay at various points along the track fail to materialise any either

Strike 6 & 7!

Arriving at our digs in Whittingham we were pleasantly surprised at the huge size of our accommodation. Quaintly named Bluebell cottage turned out to be an annexe to a former dowager house believed to have been the former servants quarters. The lounge alone was 6.5x6M, the bedrooms the size of small dormitories and you practically needed a scope to find the hoover at the back of the cupboard off the kitchen. I was certainly looking forward to curling up in the king size bed in my room.

We decided to take a drive down into amble to check out the timetable for the Coquet island boat trips only to find a large sign taped to the board informing that all sailings were cancelled until further notice due to northerly winds and adverse sea conditions .:eek!:

We got some very distant scope views of Roseate Tern sitting on the nest boxes from the sand dunes but not very satisfactory for a lifer view.

We decided to retire to the Taj Mahal to discuss alternative tactics for the next day.

Day 6

5.30Am saw us setting of for Langdon Beck. The satnav resolutely refused to recognise any of the villages within about a ten mile radius of the palce so we set off for Barnard castle and used the good old fashioned road map. After a somewhat directionally challenged jopurney we arrived at the right spot around 0745 and within minutes were onto Black Grouse in the sheep fields. A snipe sitting on a fence post was a rather incongruous sight too.

We headed off towards Hamsterly forest and Muggleswich area for a bit of woodland birding and were rewarded with year first Redstarts and Pied Flycatchers along with a dippers and Grey wagtails nesting as next door neighbours.

Having called Puffin Cruises office we were informed that they would be running to Coquet at 3.30 that afternoon so we set off back to Amble. Once on the boat our guide informed us that it was in his words "a wee bit humpty bumbty and rather exciting" on the seaward side of th eisland so we would not be doing a full circuit. That suited us just fine as it gave us more time to se the terns on the Leeward side of the island. As the tide was high we got quite close and had great views of Roseate Tern showing their pink flush and also in flight. With a full supporting cast of Puffin, Common, Arctic and Sandwich Terns as well as the odd Fulmar etc it was certainly a tenner well spent. Just as we were leaving, the RSPB staff walked over the hill on the island and everything took to the air. The sky was thick with gulls and terns and the boat was visited by several inquisitive seals.

Back on dry land and with a couple of hours to spare before dinner it was off the Druridge Pools where we connected with the Glossy Ibis, a couple of Gargany, A yellow Wagtail and two Little Stints to add to the growing year list.

A long but rewarding day we headed back to the cottage lit the fire and partook of a couple of cold beers and a chilli.

Day 7

A lazy start after the previous days long hours in the field and a report on the news service of three Purple Sandpipers had us heading up to Boulmer a few miles up the coast.

unfortunately the tide was well out when we got there exposing acres of rocky shoreline. We gave it a good go put admitted defeat. It was always a bit of an off the cuff long shot and would have been a nice bonus so we were too disappointed.

We headed off to Longleeford in search of tree pipits and Ring Ouzel. As we got out at the car parking area we could hear Red Grouse calling from the opposite hillside. A quick scan revealed a couple of birds which standing proud. more calling followed by a few display flights ensued.

A Few chats were in evidence but Tree Pipit was noticeable by its absence as was any sign of Ouzels.

Back in Amble for excellent fish and chips from the Quayside chippy and we then headed off to a pre-arranged rendezvous at Washington services. (no large amounts of used notes in brown paper bags were involved)

A local Birder (who I will not name - He is on here and will know who he is) who we had met at the previous years Birdfair at Rutland Water had promised, having sworn us to secrecy as to the exact location, to take us to a local site where we were treated to the fantastic spectacle of a Long Eared Owl hunting during the early evening. Whilst this was not a lifer for either of us, the only previous one I had seen was some 40+ years ago when, as teenagers myself and Mark (yes the same one) had accidently flushed one roosting in a sapling at Swithland Reservoir in Leicestershire so it felt like one especially as we had prolonged views of it both perched and hunting. As a supporting cast we also saw a Barn Owl catch no less than 5 voles in the space of half an hour. Amazing stuff.

Finally it was back to the cottage to pack and plan a couple of stop overs for the return journey home.

A good read Paul!......I particularly warmed to the "trossocks" presumably you needed them in a king size bed. :-O

:t:

KenM said:

A good read Paul!......I particularly warmed to the "trossocks" presumably you needed them in a king size bed. :-O

:t:

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Whoops getting late.8-P . For our foreign readers that should obviously be Trossachs. an area of outstanding beauty and not what a Scotsman keeps under his Kilt3

Homeward bound

A quick review of the news feeds revealed an adult Rose Coloured Starling still near the college in Ashington. As this was practically on our way home we called in and got great close up views as it fed on fatballs in one of the nearby back gardens. Another stop off at Saltholme RSPB did not deliver the Teminks stint or Black necked grebe but we did pick up the long staying Ring Necked Duck and a solitary Wimbrel


We considered popping in at Rutland water for the Black Winged Stilt that had been there for the last couple of days but time was against us so it was straight home with a loose plan to try and nip out the following day for the Stilt if it was still around and subject to getting the pass stamped by OH after being away for a whole week.

As Sunday morning approached lunchtime, no sign of the Stint so it looked like a day of gardening. That is until up popped reports of a Bairds Sandpiper at RW. As I grabbed my bins before any significant objections could arise I was out the door and on my over to Marks place. Well we all know how that one turned out and the less said the better!

Still content in our ignorance at that stage we also picked up both a fine Spring Black Tern (my first having only ever seen them in Autumn before) and a splendid White Winged Black Tern, similarly attired at Eyebrook Reservoir.

Although As I said at the top of this, what has turned out to be a somewhat longer than I intended, tome the list of targets we dipped was long and distinguished, we also saw some absolutely cracking birds and rare spectacles which will live long in the memory. The trip provided us with a total of over 130 species including around 45+ year ticks and a lifer for me in Roseate Tern as Mark had seen one previously many years ago in Notts, although there was some doubt as to the parentage of that particular bird(possible Common X Roseate)

All in all an excellent week spent in fantastic locations, watching some great birds. We also met a few fantastic people along the way and were grateful for the camaraderie and local knowledge of those we met.

As for those we dipped................ there's always next year :t:B

If you need to see Hen Harriers go to Wicken Fen around February -an hours drive for you?
usually get good views of 1 or 2 males.

Corncrakes are notoriously tough to see even when you hear them.

An enjoyable read !!

I'd much rather see a Long Eared Owl than a Black Duck.

Rich

ClarkWGriswold said:

I'd much rather see a Long Eared Owl than a Black Duck.

Rich

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Must admit it was a bit special:t: