Scotland - The Final Days (4, 5 and 6)

On the Wednesday of our birding trip in Scotland, we went to the Moray Firth area, to try and see some of the lifers (for us) that had been lingering up there. First stop was Dingwall, where we had a look for the Ring-billed Gull. No sign of that, so we carried on along the coast.

Next stop, Alturlie Point, where there were a flock of about 150 Scaup. A bit distant for photographs, but you got great views through a scope.

We then went to Nairn harbour, where we had some distant Long-tailed Ducks, along with Knot and Turnstone but not much else. Then on to Culbin Woods, where a 2 hour walk provided us with only 1 Crested Tit and not the hoped for Scottish Crossbill. At this stage it was about 14 degrees, so I was just down to my T-shirt!!! 

Next stop was Hopeman, where an Iceland Gull had been in the pig fields. But, with the luck how it was on that day, we didn't see it, so we moved on to our last stop at Lossiemouth, where we hoped to see a Green-winged Teal that had been there. Again, no sign of that - however, there was a nice Goldeneye which gave a lovely photographing oppurtunity in the fading light.

There was a large gull flock, which we couldn't be bothered to scan! Turned out we were idiots, and there was an Iceland Gull in there! Doh! Never mind....

Day 5

On Thursday morning, we headed back to Loch Garten, as the previous day we had seen someone hand feeding the birds - a regular activity at Loch Garten. So on that morning, I decided to give it a try. To bring a long story short (after 49 out of 50 peanuts were finally eaten over 2 hours!), I didn't get the hoped for Crested Tits on my hand. However, I did get one that hoped on my foot! The only species that grabbed all of them peanuts were some cracking Coal Tits. It was a great experience!

There was also lots of common woodland species, a Great-spotted Woodpeckers and of course Crested Tits present. I was relieved that the Woodpecker didn't land on my hand - would have been a painfull experience...

We then moved away and towards the Cairngorms through a village called Boat of Garten. We had a cracking Red Deer by the side of the road...

We had noticed that there was a flooded field by the side of the road that had a few gulls on it. I had a quick scan through, but nothing of note. I then scanned the gulls that were flying around. I picked up a Herring Gull, then a Black-headed gull, and then a .................... GLAUCOUS GULL! I followed it and sure it enough it came to land on the flooded field. A great self found bird for us amateurs! It was a bit distant for the camera, but here are some record shots before it flew off.

It was then time for us to meet our guide Stuart again in the Cairngorm Mountains car park. We set out as a snow shower stopped, and already we could hear and see Red Grouse.

After quite a hike up the mountain, we saw our first Ptarmigan. It wasn't the best view, as it flew distantly over some rocks, but it was a sighting. As we moved up the mountain Cairn Gorm a bit further, I then spotted one sitting on the snow about 75 yards away. We moved up to it, and it showed incredibly well! What birds! In total, we saw 11 birds. 2 Raven were also seen...

We also got a Mountain Hare too...

After a successful hike up the mountains in some shocking weather, we were rewarded with some lovely Snow Buntings by our car - about 20 I think - love 'em!

Day 6

Friday morning, we were being taken out by the RSPB Capercaillie manager to look for - well, you guessed it - Capercaillies. He took us round a long walk through a part of a Forest, but after examining a lot of their poo - we didn't see any birds. Something good from the walk however had to be in the form of a Scottish Crossbill, singing from a tree top.

In the afternoon, we went to the Findhorn Valley, for the last part of our trip. We had been told that there was a White-tailed Eagle up there, so we thought we would go and have a look. When we arrived in the car park, a Peregrine passed through, and a couple of Ravens were about. Then, the White-tailed Eagle took to the sky, being mobbed by Ravens, before drifting back along the road and out of sight.

A bit of patience rewarded us with good views of Golden Eagle, even if the picture doesn't do it justice, and a pair of Goosander on the river.

Well, that concludes our birding trip in Scotland, and what a trip it was! Some incredible birds seen, and would love to come back again at some stage - whether I will is another matter....

Thanks for reading and Happy Birding! 

What A Birthday Treat!

For my Birthday, Mum and Dad decided to take me out birding on Sunday. We were initially going to go to Cley, and Holkham, but the weather forecast wasn't brilliant, so we decided to go to Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth. As we were all going out, that meant that I had the little camera, so I could take videos. Yipeeeeeeeeeee! I left Mum and Dad to do the pictures, and me to do the videos. Splendid.

We started at Great Yarmouth, looking for the Shorelarks. We parked about 1/2 mile north of the pier, and then walked south. There was one birder, who we met, and asked if he had seen them. He said that the Shorelarks couldn't be towards the pier because the amount of dog walkers and fisherman down there was unreal. He was right, but we still went down there to have a look. On the walk, we saw 2 Med Gulls flying around.

I then had a scan around on the beach about 300 yards north of the pier, and blow me down I could see 4 Shorelarks flitting and feeding around the shingle. AAARRRGGGHHH! We got down there, and we got within 15 feet of some these birds. It was an incredible Lifer that I have tried for humpteen times, but we finally connected.

We then met 3 birders. A man, a woman and their daughter Lucy who was a late teenager, and she was a person who was looking for young people who are interested in birds, like me. She is part of the BTO. We enjoyed the birds together, and then left them to it. 

We then went to Links Hill Beach, in search of any Snow Buntings. Once again, there were plenty of fisherman, so no chance in them, but we did get 2 self found Purple Sandpiper on the rocks with Turnstone. Also, there were 4 Med Gull in the car park.

We then decided to go and try for the Glaucous Gull at Hamilton Dock, Lowestoft. This again would be a lifer. When we got there, there were about 13 birders, but we went away from them, and closer to the gull, which was one of the easiest lifers I'll ever get. It was soooo close. 

Then we ambitiously thought to go to Winterton to get the massive flock of Snow Buntings. We got there, and the 3 people we met at Great Yarmouth were there. We were at the North Dunes at this point, and we had seen nothing. We asked them if they had seen anything, but they had seen nilch too. They had just been to Sea Palling, to see the Humpback Whale, but they had seen nothing. However, I just had a message in the Whale was seen 5 minutes ago. I told them, and they couldn't believe it. They ran back to the car park. We thought about doing that too, so we started to follow them. But then, out of the corner of my eye, I caught a view of some small birds with white wings. I shouted to Mum and Dad "Snow Buntings," and we went back and got pics. There was about 40 birds present. The light was poor though.

We then started to head back to the car park, to go to Sea Palling. As we started to walk back, a further 60 flew over our heads really low. It was incredible. No picture though :( 

We then got to Sea Palling, and got to the crowd of people on the dunes. The viz was poor, and you could hardly tell the sky from the sea. We didn't see the whale, so we headed back and had a great lunch at The Countryman. The food was great. What a birthday treat.

Happy Birding!