HE2's 2007 Birding Forays (1 Viewer)

[Helenelizabeth2]

Wow! Wow! Wow!

Second attempt at Capercaillie began with the kids opting to stay in bed in the warm hotel. Can't imagine why!

Although still pretty cold and misty, neither were quite as bad as yesterday and when I arrived at the hide I was staggered by how much of the landscape was visible today. We heard the Caper popping almost immediately on the microphone rigged up in the hide and I settled at a window facing the rough direction it was being heard in. After about 15 minutes, a big black bird flew across the trees and settled in the open area behind the Osprey nest. It was out of sight from the hide but the camera picked it up and identified it as a handsome male Capercaillie! This gave me a 15-minute moral dilemma as I pondered whether a sighting of a bird that you couldn't have identified with certainty but was subsequently identified by video counted as a sighting or not. Answers on a postcard, please.

Fortunately my dilemma was ended when the bird flew again and landed in plain view half way up a short tree. We then watched it feasting on pine needles for about half an hour, turning and showing well from all sides. And aren't they fabulous? And incongruous? Seeing a bird the size of a turkey with a pretty prehistoric form sat halfway up a tree is kind of bizarre. But very, very welcome. What ever happens now this trip was brilliant.

More of today's news later.

161. Capercaillie (lifer)

 

[turkish van]

What ever happens now this trip was brilliant.

Am very, very happy for you Helen, sounds brilliant... only wish I'd been there with you!

 

[delia todd]

Well done Helen! I'm so pleased for you. :bounce:

I was looking for a S**w this afternoon so I could get you down to see it but .....:h?:

D

 

[Helenelizabeth2]

Well done Helen! I'm so pleased for you. :bounce:

I was looking for a S**w this afternoon so I could get you down to see it but .....:h?:

D

Hadn't realised you were so close to where we were going, D, or I'd have suggested we meet up. Passed a sign that said Blairgowrie 14 mi today so clearly you're not too far. Lucky you for living in such a fabulous part of the world.

 

[Helenelizabeth2]

And there's more...

Well, the day didn't end at the very welcome porridge I ate back at the hotel.

Next stop was Tesco car park Inverness for Hooded Crow (thanks, Will).

162. Hooded Crow

How weird - there were 6 here and I haven't seen a single one anywhere else yet!

Then we drove on to Spey Bay so the kids could visit the WDCS where they sponsor a dolphin. Sadly, no scopable dolphins on the firth but there were the most phenomenal number of Long-Tailed Ducks and Scoters (including some Velvets), a couple of Red-Breasted Mergansers, loads of Eider and:

163. Black-Throated Diver (3 of them)

I don't think I've ticked that this year but I'll double check when I'm home with more computer time just in case.

We drove back from Spey along the road to Braemar (spectacularly, heart-breakingly beautiful) - hoping to scope some Ptarmigan from the road at Spittal somethingorother but no joy. We were all absolutely thrilled, though, by not 1 not 2 but 3:

164. Red Grouse (lifer), all males and all close to the road giving beautiful views.

Final tick of the day goes to one that I shouldn't have had to travel all the way up here for:

165. Grey Wagtail

Another cracking day. I love it up here. One full day to go and still hoping for Crested Tit (possible views at Loch Garten already but I wasn't certain) and Black Grouse (someone called Neil (ta v much) showed me a good site this morning but it was too misty so another dawn attempt tomorrow, I think).

Wish me continued luck.

Helen

 

[J Jones]

Next stop was Tesco car park Inverness for Hooded Crow (thanks, Will).

162. Hooded Crow

How weird - there were 6 here and I haven't seen a single one anywhere else yet!

Interesting - I remember in Speyside we saw a fair few Hoodies last year. Can't remember if you're getting in to hybrid/Carrion zones where you are, though. Think we saw a few hybrids in the Spey area.

Go a bit further west and they're as common as muck.

 

[delia todd]

We drove back from Spey along the road to Braemar (spectacularly, heart-breakingly beautiful) - hoping to scope some Ptarmigan from the road at Spittal somethingorother but no joy. We were all absolutely thrilled, though, by not 1 not 2 but 3:

That would've been Spittal of Glenshee?? In which case you really weren't very far from me.

I've tried there a few times - I'm sure Ptarmigan don't exist :eek!:

D

 

[Helenelizabeth2]

Interesting - I remember in Speyside we saw a fair few Hoodies last year. Can't remember if you're getting in to hybrid/Carrion zones where you are, though. Think we saw a few hybrids in the Spey area.

Go a bit further west and they're as common as muck.

Yes, we saw loads when we went to Skye last year but still no more today even though we went up to Inverness again. I have seen one or two that could have been hybrids though.

 

[Helenelizabeth2]

Lazy Birder

Well, 2 pre-dawn starts had proved too much and today I had a lie-in until 8 and a leisurely breakfast and chill-out with the kids before setting off for Abernethy Forest at about 10am. We had a long walk through this really lovely woodland - the kids looking for fairies in all the boggy areas of miniature trees. Surprisingly, they didn't find any but we did see Coal Tits, Treecreepers, Goldcrests, Great Tits and the ubiquitous Chaffinches and, finally, much to our delight, four different:

166. Crested Tits

I try to avoid calling birds cute because I know it has connotations of robin-stroking but they really are darn cute, aren't they?

This afternoon to reward the kids for pretty perfect behaviour these few days I gave them the choice of what to do next and we ended up back in Inverness for an afternoon's shopping. Euan came away with a Scotland football kit and Lizzie with yet another pair of ultraskinny black jeans.

Tomorrow we head back to the borders so I will definitely be getting up early for the Black Grouse attempt before we go. Wish me luck.

 

[Helenelizabeth2]

That would've been Spittal of Glenshee?? In which case you really weren't very far from me.

I've tried there a few times - I'm sure Ptarmigan don't exist :eek!:

D

I'm sorry we missed the chance of seeing you then.

And, of course, you're right about the Ptarmigan - another Emperor's New Clothes of a bird if ever there was one.

 

[Helenelizabeth2]

A Pair of Grice

Thanks for the luck wishes - anyone who made them.

A slightly post-dawn start (6am) and a drive up to the moorland spot pointed out by Neil (see above). I could hear them when I arrived and after 15 minutes of scanning the trees and the moor they popped into view. A pair of beautiful:

167. Black Grouse

I followed that up with a final visit to Abernethy forest but still no Crossbills. And now we are back in the Borders. Just watched the local Raven mobbing the local Buzzard and chasing it across the hill with a few pretty serious divebombs. Nice afternoon's entertainment.

Tomorrow we head back to England (maybe via St Abb's Head if it's fine again).

P.S. We saw badgers last night at the Speyside Wildlife evening watch - but I might put that on Laura's thread.

 

[Helenelizabeth2]

Back to the Usual Haunts

Came home from Scotland feeling a bit dodgy so today was my first day out again. Dragged the loved ones over to Norfolk for a bit of recuperative fresh sea air (and hoping for a few Hirundines).

A walk round Holme yielded nothing new - stacks of Waders on the beach though. But on the way back, flying over the golf course, being mobbed by a gull:

168. Hobby

I'm so glad they're back - Hobbies are one of my favourite birds (I say this about roughly half of UK species but what the heck).

A quick stop at Titchwell to water the kids. Scanned the car park as usual hoping for a still missing 'easy' year tick and at last!:

169. Bullfinch

Lizzie spotted it and I nearly got narky with her when she couldn't describe clearly where it was - hadn't realised I was getting quite so desperate about my Bullfinch gap.

On a wander round the Meadow Trail we could hear quite a few Chiffchaffs, and saw a silent Phylloscopus which we watched for a while hoping it might declare itself to be a newly arrived Willow Warbler. It never did utter a peep and since the legs were darkish I guess it was another Chiff.

We had a nice lunch at the Deepdale Cafe and scored our last Norfolk tick not far away afterwards:

170. Sand Martin

After the drive back, I dropped the family off at home before enjoying an hour out on my own. At Maxey pit, there were loads more Sand Martins and on the pit:

171. Little Ringed Plover (another favourite)

I just possibly might have had a quick check of the Old Wader Scrape at Langtoft on the way home just in case there was any S*** stupid enough not to have noticed how warm it has got. But if I did, I didn't see one. (Cue Josh to turn up here later and say there were 2 still there today).

 

[davebenj]

I just possibly might have had a quick check of the Old Wader Scrape at Langtoft on the way home just in case there was any S*** stupid enough not to have noticed how warm it has got. But if I did, I didn't see one. (Cue Josh to turn up here later and say there were 2 still there today).

Erm. Have a look on Birdguides.
There was something stupid there, apparently...

<run, ducks and hides>
(please don't mention divers)

Dave

 

[Helenelizabeth2]

Erm. Have a look on Birdguides.
There was something stupid there, apparently...

<run, ducks and hides>
(please don't mention divers)

Dave

Oh no, I can't bear it. Reported at 5.30. I was there at 5.

I can't take it anymore. Where did I put the shotgun?

 

[Helenelizabeth2]

An hour at Langtoft first thing this morning. Another hour about 4 this afternoon.
No bl**dy S***.

If I tell anyone I'm going to have another look this Spring, for Christ's sake take out a restraining order.

 

[pduxon]

An hour at Langtoft first thing this morning. Another hour about 4 this afternoon.
No bl**dy S***.

If I tell anyone I'm going to have another look this Spring, for Christ's sake take out a restraining order.

Look Helen just forget about them. open a nice bottle of wine and put your feet up.

 

[Helenelizabeth2]

Look Helen just forget about them. open a nice bottle of wine and put your feet up.

Great idea. Think I'll crack open the Easter Egg too. Thornton's Eden, Laura, large piece on its way by pm.

 

[Helenelizabeth2]

Ha ha. Just opened the Easter Egg and the chocs that come with it are pretentiously titled: Seduction, Desire, Passion, Lust, Original Sin, Temptation, and a scarily appropriate last one - I'll pm it to the first person who can guess what it's called (not you Laura since I just told you).

 

[turkish van]

Great idea. Think I'll crack open the Easter Egg too. Thornton's Eden, Laura, large piece on its way by pm.

Just the ticket Helen, ta v much. I forgot to enclose some of my special mystery mini eggs for you in my last pm, but they'll be in the next one - enjoy

 

[pduxon]

Ha ha. Just opened the Easter Egg and the chocs that come with it are pretentiously titled: Seduction, Desire, Passion, Lust, Original Sin, Temptation, and a scarily appropriate last one - I'll pm it to the first person who can guess what it's called (not you Laura since I just told you).

smew?