The Highlands and Islands Thread (7 Viewers)

[jpoyner]

Great views of two White-tailed Eagles yesterday in Strathdearn. Certainly being seen more often now in this area, be nice if we eventually get them to breed. With birds now east and west of here seems likely this will happen and the gap will fill! It should be a breeding bird of the Cairngorms National Park!

 

[jpoyner]

Just doing a bit of research and noticed on Wikipedia mentions of historical Crested Tit records for England. Does anybody know when and where??

 

[jpoyner]

No need to reply...as usual Birdforum is a mine of information.....http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=160207

Reason I was asking is I heard a claim of one being seen at a garden feeder regularly somewhere in Hampshire this year.......no I don't have any more info other than that I'm afraid.


I've copied John Cantello's post here as it is rather interesting. :-

Crested Tit is an extremely rare bird in England (as distinct from the Bitish Isles). Oddly and contra the experience with virtually all small passerines, reports were fewer in the 20th C than the 19th. I suspect a mixture of fraud & honest incompetence accounts for many old records and, personally, feel only a handful (if that) are at all convincing. I did some research on this topic a few years back which revealed the following 20th C records:-
1904 - Croydon, Surrey
1930 - Wiltshire
1936 - Berkshire
1938 - Devon
1945 - 2 reports - Torquay & Surrey
1947 - 2 reports - Devon & Scilly
1971 - Scilly
1984 - Northumberland
1992 - Cumbria
1997 - Sussex

Of these the first three I find less than convincing, but the 1938 report has a fair stab at a description although the 1947 report is the first one which comes with a really good description. Some of these reports originate from non-birders and, unfortunately, detailed descriptions are rarely published. Interestingly, one confident report of Crested Tit by a non-birder - with a convincing description - turned out to be Red-whiskered Bulbul.
If anyone knows of more Englsih reports - particularly those backed by published descriptions, I'd like to hear from them ...

 

[RichC]

Went out on the boat today over Soay, Canna and Rum way. A razorbill, several black gillies, bonxies x 2, about 30 GBB gulls on a rock off Rum, 2 manx Shearwaters and a good view of a pair of WTSE off the cliffs of Rum. Lots of close views of diving Gannets, a few porpoise, good numbers of grey and harbour seals and then a nice wee basking shark as we got back into Elgol. Weather stayed dry and sunnyish too....a nice afternoon .
Rgds
RichC

 

[jpoyner]

First dusting of snow on the Cairngorms this morning...brrrrrrr

 

[steve_zodiac]

First dusting of snow on the Cairngorms this morning...brrrrrrr

I notice some lying in the Carn Ban Mor area when I drove down the A9 from Inverness last month.

 

[jpoyner]

I notice some lying in the Carn Ban Mor area when I drove down the A9 from Inverness last month.

Yep, there are several small semi-permanent snow patches up there.

 

[cwpbirder]

A female Snow Bunting on the summit of Sgurr nan Conbhairean in Kintail yesterday at approx 3,600 ft, also groups of Ptarmigan totalling 16 birds flushed on the descent.

 

[Ratal]

Fantastic Skua migration overflights over Chanonry point. Pomermarine, Arctic, Great and Long tailed all presnt throughout the day in both light and dark morphs.

 

[jpoyner]

While watching the Scaup on the Cromarty Firth at the weekend watched a female Common Seal grab and drown a female Eider, presumably then eating it.

Must say never come across this before though searching online does seem to be recorded behaviour of Eider predation. Opportunist feeding I wonder or lack of other food?

 

[Ratal]

While watching the Scaup on the Cromarty Firth at the weekend watched a female Common Seal grab and drown a female Eider, presumably then eating it.

Must say never come across this before though searching online does seem to be recorded behaviour of Eider predation. Opportunist feeding I wonder or lack of other food?

http://scienceblogs.com/tetrapodzoology/2009/03/06/a-duck-killing-harbour-seal/

It was something I first saw in Stornoway harbour. There was a really aggressive seal who would snatch sea ducks off the water. It had a very distinctive set of scars down its back and neck - like prop slashes.

Gulls, ducks, cormorants, all fair game.

 

[Ratal]

RESULT!

Full adult summer plumage Great Northern Diver off the Moray Firth, seen this afternoon whilst on the beach off the Fortrose Golf Course.



:t:

 

[ring ouzel]

RESULT!

Full adult summer plumage Great Northern Diver off the Moray Firth, seen this afternoon whilst on the beach off the Fortrose Golf Course.

View attachment 467741

:t:

That was outside my house on Saturday morning. We had one last year too.

 

[Ratal]

That was outside my house on Saturday morning. We had one last year too.

Thats a very beautiful bird to have on your 'garden' tick list. I first saw it I thought 'no, no way, then got it in the scope and did a little jig!. Nice to know its a possibly returning bird, and even better Avochs such a nice place for a birdwatch.

 

[ring ouzel]

Avoch is great, especially living right on the shore. However, Marcus lives opposite me on the south side and seems to get even more birds!! Not that I'm competitive or anything, no siree, not me <whistles innocently>

I have just seen clouds of fieldfares above Dochgarroch so another sign that Winter is here.

 

[Ratal]

Avoch is great, especially living right on the shore. However, Marcus lives opposite me on the south side and seems to get even more birds!! Not that I'm competitive or anything, no siree, not me <whistles innocently>

I have just seen clouds of fieldfares above Dochgarroch so another sign that Winter is here.

I was just about to post about the Fieldfare and Redwing flock on the trees by Inverness Tesco as I passed by earlier.

Waxwings at this rate wont be having any berries left!

 

[Marcus Conway - ebirder]

Avoch is great, especially living right on the shore. However, Marcus lives opposite me on the south side and seems to get even more birds!! Not that I'm competitive or anything, no siree, not me <whistles innocently>

I have just seen clouds of fieldfares above Dochgarroch so another sign that Winter is here.

Not too much lately mind

 

[Ratal]

Not too much lately mind

Hopefully the Long Tailed Ducks and Scoters will be back in their hundreds soon. The speed the LTD fly along at never ceases to amaze me!

Heres hoping the winds stay favourable for Wednesday sea watch off of Findhorn.

 

[Ratal]

Munlochy mudflats absolutely chock a block with geese - including a nice smattering of white fronts in amongst the mix.

All the usual suspects present duck wise, and a tasty 148 count of Long tailed duck from Chanonry point along with a nice raft of Eider and Scoters.

All in all, peachy days birding.

 

[Pitvar]

A work trip north without time for birding sadly this week - but from the car: family party of 5 Whoopers and plenty of Pink Feet in the fields west of Thurso on Wednesday, juvenile and sub adult gannets really close in near just before Helmsdale from the A9 and a wing tagged Common Buzzard - feeding on worms on the outskirts of Thurso - a quick Google suggests it was a juvenile tagged this June on Orkney - I'll see if I can find where to report it fully.