The Highlands and Islands Thread (1 Viewer)

[gordon hamlett]

Out of interest has anyone had a Goldie a Findhorn in the past months - I've not had one since winter and I do that route a fair bit. Had more success north of Inverness.

.

Had one on 16/5 but very distant - way down valley from car park

Gordon

 

[Dmacaskill]

Brief glimpse of sub ad last week ,but tends to be quiet this time of year .

 

[Marcus Conway - ebirder]

If anyone's interested the Pergerines have been out the back of my house for two weeks.

Typically adult female and two young.

http://twitpic.com/22bv0t

Please pm for details.

 

[Marcus Conway - ebirder]

Keep seeing Goldies!

Have now seen four or five in the past two weeks after my last post - none in the Findhorn Valley as I have not been there lately.

Also had a female Merlin with three young in a new area for me - near the pass of Drumochter.

 

[Pugs1]

Hello all, I move up to Nairn (bought a bungalow) next week, so looking forward to posting some reports here.

Bit of risk cause I have no job to go to but redundancy money and sale of my house in Sussex should keep me going for a fair few months. I'm hoping to do IT Database consultancy and also help out with raptor conservation in the area. Still been a life long ambition to move to the Highlands and it's finally happening. :t:

 

[Henry B]

Hello all, I move up to Nairn (bought a bungalow) next week, so looking forward to posting some reports here.

Bit of risk cause I have no job to go to but redundancy money and sale of my house in Sussex should keep me going for a fair few months. I'm hoping to do IT Database consultancy and also help out with raptor conservation in the area. Still been a life long ambition to move to the Highlands and it's finally happening. :t:

Welcome to the area Pugs ,I,m sure you will settle in nicely .

 

[Allen S. Moore]

The shots of Beinn Eighe brought back memories of a very long day, a very long time ago. Couldn't do it now! :-C

Same here. With 2 mates back in August 1978 I walked up most of the summits of Beinn Eighe. We had camped the previous night at Taagan just above the head of Loch Maree and it was terrible for midges, probably the worst I have ever encountered.

Allen

 

[Allen S. Moore]

If anyone's interested the Pergerines have been out the back of my house for two weeks.

Typically adult female and two young.

http://twitpic.com/22bv0t

Please pm for details.

That is an amazing photograph!

Allen

 

[jpoyner]

Same here. With 2 mates back in August 1978 I walked up most of the summits of Beinn Eighe. We had camped the previous night at Taagan just above the head of Loch Maree and it was terrible for midges, probably the worst I have ever encountered.

Allen

Avon "Skin so Soft"....no idea why, but it really does work.

 

[Pugs1]

Welcome to the area Pugs ,I,m sure you will settle in nicely .

Thanks Henry.:t:

 

[Peter Dolton]

Friday 7th August late afternoon
Two Golden Eagles in Findhorn valley. First seen distantly perched against skyline looking up valley from car park, then it flew joined by another and both soared closer before disappearing behind ridge. Both sub adults

 

[Marcus Conway - ebirder]

Some more of the Peregrines at the back of the house. The lights not been too good this week though.

 

[Pugs1]

Down at the dunes at Culbin this morning, one Merlin, Goshawk and another unidentified raptor being mobbed by hoodies at the forest edge

 

[Marcus Conway - ebirder]

Bit of a treat in the garden graveyard this morning :t:

And on of the young hunter calling for more food (even though he's just demolished a pigeon)

 

[jpoyner]

Ocean Sunfish seen between Arisaig & Eigg last week !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTodA1z93OA

 

[Marcus Conway - ebirder]

Out yesterday taking someone on a birthday workshop - the luck was with us.

Dolphin action in the early morning.
Into the Glens north of Inverness
Hundreds of butterflies including Scotch Argus, Dark Green Frits, Small Pearl Bordered Frits some obliging Small Copper, Common Blue etc.
A cracking and obliging Golden Ringed Dragonfly (I think still unusual this far North)
Lots and lots of Red Deer
Three family parties of Stonechats

Whilst watching the Deer a Golden Eagle came in low over head - mobbed by a merlin. The bird landed on a boulder and started calling until another Eagle came over and they took flight straight back overhead. Absolutely incredible scenes.

Then on our way back home we had 5 Buzzards and 11 Red Kites on the wing together.

Later I also had three Otters at Merkinch on the rising tide.

- Anyone know if there is still a hide/access at Glen Orrin fish farm?

 

[Marcus Conway - ebirder]

Finally got some of the Perigrines in a different spot. Took some finding but am happy with the results.

 

[Hotspur]

Ocean Sunfish seen between Arisaig & Eigg last week !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTodA1z93OA

Had a similar sized one in the outer Moray firth last week along with 4 Basking Sharks off Wick

 

[Marcus Conway - ebirder]

Still plenty of young birds around and birds nesting. Spot fly families in particular seem to be in most of the woody glens.

The Otters were back in Inverness last night outside Eden Court Theatre.

 

[Stewart J.]

Hi all, will be touring your area for a couple of weeks from 5th Sept looking forward to some good birding. Keep the updates coming.

Good birding all