Another 2 Iceland Gull today, an adult and a 2nd winter behind Home Bargains in Fraserburgh. ( Actually Aberdeenshire not Moray) .. 2 adult Lesser Black-backed Gull also seen here this afternoon. . A pair of Shoveler were also present in with the Wigeon out to sea . .
Short walk yesterday from Gardenstown up to Troup Head and back.. 2 Iceland Gulls ( adult and a juvenile off Crovie) and a Grey Phalarope off Troup Head was the best on a beautiful clear day ..
A few days on the Moray Coast from 16th Feb based at an Air B n B in Whitehills. Great weather all week and some nice walking.. Very quiet out to sea compared to other winter trips we have had here and fewer White winged Gulls about too. A couple of Glaucous Gulls, 4 Iceland Gulls, single Mediterranean Gull, a couple of ringed Herring Gulls from Aberdeenshire, plenty of Purple Sandpiper, 100+ Crossbill in the woodland around Binn Hill, plenty of colour ringed Shag around the Whitehills shoreline and a few Long-tailed Duck around the coast. One of the Iceland Gulls on the beach at Inverllochy was colour ringed and although I could not get the full details there was enough seen to know it had been ringed in NE Scotland. Still awaiting a reply.
Highlights of a few hours from chanonry point watching the Bottle Nosed Dolphins and Grey Seals on Monday morning: 2 Pomerine Skua Red Throated Diver 6 Black Throated Diver 100's of Pink Footed Geese over 15 Common Eider Long Tailed Duck 2 Red Breasted Merganser Purple Sandpiper 4 Turnstone Kittiwake Razorbill Black Guillemot Hooded Crow
Highlights of a Highland day trip today with Messrs Rigby & Rayner.
Loch Flemington:
American Coot, showing well when we arrived and associating with an Eurasian Coot from time to time. Whooper Swan 14 Yellow-browed Warbler heard in the willows on the small headland to the left of the lay-by on ourarrival but not seen or head again while we were there
Nairn Harbour:
Long-tailed Duck C20 including several smart males close in. Slavonian Grebe 2 Black-throated Diver 3-5 Great Northern Diver 1 close in Rock Pipit 2
Spent half a day along the Moray coast yesterday, highlights of which included:
Nairn:
Brent Geese Common Scoter Eider Long Tailed Duck Rock Pipit [the only place I can think of in the UK where I've seen a Rock Pipit on every visit!] ...missed out on the King Eider which had been a mile or so up the coast
Burghead:
Close in:
Eider - fishing for crabs and small flatfish Shag Long Tailed Duck [1M, 1F and 1imm M] Cormorant Turnstone Many of the more common gull species but no white wingers Kittiwake - originally mis-ID'd as a Little Gull - I was surprised to see one on the coast in winter in my defence :) Four seals mopping up the trawlers discarded fish Hooded Crow No divers within binocular range
Loch Flemington [a handy seven minutes from the airport]:
Good weeks birding around Moray Firth from Spey Bay across to Loch of Strathbeg. Some great sea watching that would have been even better a month or so earlier. Saw the following; Red Throated Diver, Black Throated Diver Great Northern Diver x 1(Burghead Bay) Slavonian Grebe x 1(Burghead Bay) Fulmar Gannet Cormorant Shag Grey Heron Whooper Swan Mute Swan Pink Footed Goose Shelduck Mallard Gadwall Pintail Shoveler Wigeon Teal Tufted Duck Pochard Long Tailed Duck.. Still hundreds in Spey Bay Common Scoter Eider Goldeneye Smew (2 RH at Strathbeg) Red Breasted Merganser Goosander Buzzard Kestrel Red Grouse (Ben Rinnes) Moorhen Coot Oystercatcher Ringed Plover Golden Plover Grey Plover Lapwing Dunlin Knot Turnstone Ruff x 2 Strathbeg Redshank Black Tailed Godwit Bar tailed Godwit Curlew Black Headed Gull Herring Gull Great Black Backed Gull Common Gull Iceland Gull x 2 Spey Bay Black Guillemot x 2 Guillemot Rock Dove Woodpigeon Collared Dove Skylark Rock Pipit Meadow Pipit Pied Wagtail Dipper Dunnock Song Thrush Blackbird Great Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit and long tailed Tit Jay Jackdaw Rook Carrion Crow Raven Hooded Crow Starling House Sparrow Tree Sparrow Chaffinch Goldfinch Greenfinch Bullfinch Yellowhammer Snow Bunting x 1m Troup Head
Also saw Otter, (Spey Bay) Dolphin(Troup Head) Roe Deer ,Common Seal and Grey Seal
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