Marcus Conway - ebirder
Well-known member
Yes James - it was a Red Grouse last time. Just need to add a couple more to the 'car dancing on ice' list now!
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The Highlands and Islands Thread (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter TheSeagull
- Start date
Yes James - it was a Red Grouse last time. Just need to add a couple more to the 'car dancing on ice' list now!
alan kennedy
Well-known member
Assuming Marcus is correct and you mean Red-Necked Phalarope, a good place to try is the RSPB reserve at Balranald on N Uist.
Have a look at www.western-isles-wildlife.co.uk for more information.
Alan
Dmacaskill
Well-known member
Last may i was out on the uists but it was on benbecula that i managed to connect with red necked phalarope. it was at loch of olavat on the A865 just south of griminish the lochs are easily viewed from the road,
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ring ouzel
Well-known member
Erm, tomorrow, if the weather is OK I was thinking of driving up Strathconon to look for eagles. Could you please stay well away from there Marcus as driving along icy, single-track whilst looking for birds is dangerous enough without also having Landies pirouetting towards me.
Cheers mate, much appreciated. |
|Marcus Conway - ebirder
Well-known member
A few sightings from the last few days;
Merkinch
Red Breasted Merganser, Little Grebe, Wigeon, Goldeneye
Artlurie
400 Scaup, 20 Common Scoter, Dunlin, Ringed Plover, 100 Curlew
Culbin Forest
2 x Goshawk skydancing and calling low over the forest, 30 Bullfinch (my biggest flock yet)
Nairn
Distant Auk specied may be Little
Burghead
King Eider still present. 25 Barwits in the sheltered bay.
Merkinch
Red Breasted Merganser, Little Grebe, Wigeon, Goldeneye
Artlurie
400 Scaup, 20 Common Scoter, Dunlin, Ringed Plover, 100 Curlew
Culbin Forest
2 x Goshawk skydancing and calling low over the forest, 30 Bullfinch (my biggest flock yet)
Nairn
Distant Auk specied may be Little
Burghead
King Eider still present. 25 Barwits in the sheltered bay.
Marcus Conway - ebirder
Well-known member
Marcus Conway - ebirder
Well-known member
alan kennedy
Well-known member
Very nice set of pictures Marcus. I particularly like the Bullfinch.
Alan
Alan
hi, I'm spending a week in the Highlands around the middle of next month and for the first time....I'll have a decent camera! I think I know the main spots for most of the speciality birds though I'm worried I'll be too early for lekking capers & black grouse. Any thoughts on this? I'm particularly interested in any B&B's in the Speyside or Inverness area with pine martens coming to feeders and any large photogenic gatherings of LT ducks in the Moray Firth area would be nice too.
(I'm also after wildcats on the Ardnamurchan though think I'm more likely to see Nessie en route to Inverness!)
thanks for any advice.
(I'm also after wildcats on the Ardnamurchan though think I'm more likely to see Nessie en route to Inverness!)
thanks for any advice.
Hello everyone. My wife and I are comparitive novices to birdwatching and have so far satisfied ourselves with watching and photographing birds in our garden and local vicinity. However, we have a caravan near Inverness which we usually visit in April , May and August for about a week at a time. Can any of you knowledgeable people recommend hides/screens near feeding stations in or near the Highlands where we can watch and photograph woodland birds at close quarters? I know the visitor centre at Loch Garten has feeders where you can see Great Spotted Woodpecker quite closely . Can anyone suggest any other feeding stations with hides on any other reserves /sites where we might see Crossbills , Siskins , Crested Tits , etc ? Hope you can help...it would be much appreciated ! Also , without leaving the Mainland , where is the best place to view Puffins....is Dunnet Head worth the trip ? Thanks a lot !
jpoyner
Well-known member
The RSPB may have their screen up at Tulloch moor by then for Black Grouse, as for lekking Capers I don't think there are any sites at all you can "legally" visit as far as I know. VIsiting any lek to photograph would have to be done under licence being a schedule one species, and I can't see SNH giving many of those out in the present climate!
At the moment there just don't seem to be many LT Ducks at all in the Moray Firth, but this may change by then as they move north. They often gather in the Cromarty Firth in spring or failing that Roseilse/Burghead Bay. You're correct re. Wildcats! Unless you happen to be Simon King a shot of Nessie is far more probable
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Dmacaskill
Well-known member
If you can visit Embo you can get excellent views of long tailed ducks from the pier,there are only small numbers at the moment but in early spring numbers can build up.
Is anyone taking any notice of the "Reduce speed" sign John:-O
Strange, isn't it... you're basically just the other side of the mountains to me, and there's no snow here at all (some on Wednesday, but all gone by Thursday am)
D
Strange, isn't it... you're basically just the other side of the mountains to me, and there's no snow here at all (some on Wednesday, but all gone by Thursday am)
D
ring ouzel
Well-known member
If anybody is near Inverness (Marcus?) then there is currently an otter showing well under the bridge over the River Ness on Bridge Street. Despite being in the city centre it is showing no fear at all. I saw it at 4.55pm and I put my mate onto it and it was still feeding at 5.30pm. People are there with cameras and the otter is putting on a good show, diving and leaping about the place.
Also dolphins were showing well today near Rosemarkie beach and there are a couple of dozen whooper swans in their favourite field near Beauly railway station.
Also dolphins were showing well today near Rosemarkie beach and there are a couple of dozen whooper swans in their favourite field near Beauly railway station.
Marcus Conway - ebirder
Well-known member
Just missed it!
jpoyner
Well-known member
Yes, it started snowing Wednesday morning and finally stopped Friday afternoon! Remarkably cleared from the roads very quickly by an army of snow ploughs attached to just about any contraption you could think of! Hats off to the local farmers, they have done a superb job keeping the place up and running, Highland council too. I think after this winter it's now a pretty well rehearsed routine.
Hello everyone , We have a static caravan near Charleston on the Black Isle and have been coming to this neck of the woods for years to see the dolphins and enjoy the scenery. My son has always been interested in the birds of prey and has photographed some of the Buzzards and Red Kite .Unfortunately , his partner doesn't seem to share his interest, so it's unlikely he'll come up this way again in a hurry . Now I've developed an interest in birding ( my wife would probably suggest it's an obsession) and I curse the opportunities we've missed to photograph many of the birds we've seen over the years like treecreepers and others that we don't see locally . Fortunately , we'll be back to this veritable birding wonderland in April , May and August for a week at a time . Could anyone suggest places where we are likely to see Crossbills , Siskins , Snow Buntings , Crested Tits and other small birds ? Many Thanks ! COLG .
Hello Again , I've just encountered Marcus' long feature on where Crested Tits might be found ( on another part of the forum) so probably , if I search about , I'll find the answers to my other questions....I'm just too impatient ! I also need to buy the 3 crucial Scottish birdbooks I've seen mentioned....I've just bought the one by Madders . Thanks guys ! Annoying Sassenach COLG .
dave123
Well-known member
i would definately recommend the best birdwatching sites ih the highlands by gordon hamlett
