A grand day out!

Up and out early today and headed straight to Lossiemouth to get Crested tit, found Micheal Morris's feeding station and what a place it is! Birds absolutely everywhere Great, Coal, Blue tit and good views of a pair of Great Spotted Woodpecker.  Unfortunately in this instance no Cresties.

Two Red Squirrels kept us highly amused with there feeding antics.

Good numbers of Wigeon on the estuary along with Goldeneye and Teal.

On the way home we called in at the newly refurbished "Captains Table" and had, by now the traditional, "Bacon and Egg roll" with lashings of tea, whilst watching Red Breasted Mergansers feeding just offshore. An excellent way to end the day!

View from the Captains Table Findhorn

Finally the next quiz picture...... what is this?







Quiz answer and a question?

So the answer to the last quiz was indeed Barnacle Goose, this small and extremely badly photographed group made a brief stop at Lossiemouth estuary.

The question is, and it's not the quiz question (new one to be posted tomorrow) does that look like a normal Pink Footed that was with them to the right hand of the flock?

Barnygiggles and a Pinker?

What are these then?

Well done John and Phil getting the last quiz correct.  Sand Martin Juvenile ringed at a colony near to Burghead, one of 27 individuals, wont be long until they are back...... cant wait my all time favourite bird.

Sooo folks what do you make of these birds then?

Burghead Workshop

A nice day weather wise but fairly quiet on the bird front, with even the lingering King Eider failing to give an appearance.

Two Grey Seals in the inner harbour were nice to watch and the first time I have seen two in the harbour together.

Grey Seals

Grey Seal

In the afternoon I managed to get a net up in the garden, once again loads of Blue tits, looks like they managed to survive the harsh weather in good numbers, but a Starling in the net was a new species for the Garden.

Starling

2011 so far........slow!

Year list so far, very slow start!  However workshops start on Wednesday so lets hope the year list starts to soar!

Mute Swan
Whooper Swan
Pink footed Goose
Wigeon
Teal
Mallard
Long tailed Duck
Common Eider
King Eider
Velvet Scoter
Goldeneye
Red Breasted Merganser
Goosander
Red Grouse
Grey Partridge
Pheasant
Red Throated Diver
Cormorant
Shag
Grey Heron
Sparrowhawk
Common Buzzard
Kestrel
Oystercatcher
Ringed Plover
Golden Plover
Lapwing
Knot
Purple Sandpiper
Dunlin
Bar Tailed Godwit
Curlew
Redshank
Turnstone
Black Headed Gull
Common Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black Backed Gull
Woodpigeon
Collard Dove
Rock Pipit
Pied Wagtail
Waxwing
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
Fieldfare
Redwing
Mistle Thrush
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Coal Tit
Jay
Magpie
Jackdaw
Rook
Carrion Crow
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
Siskin

The King of Burghead

Brilliant trip out today to Findhorn Bay and Burghead.

The first highlight was the superb bacon and egg roll for breakfast at the "Captains Table" at Findhorn, a little gem of a pit stop for birders!  As we left the cafe I heard a very unfamiliar bugling call and five Long tailed Duck flew past calling, in the still air it sounded fantastic.

Next stop was Burghead to try and pick up the almost resident King Eider, it has been reported showing well the last few days and today it didn't disappoint!

Good views of Purple Sandpiper, Golden Plover, Knot, Bar Tailed Godwits, and more Long Tailed Duck rounded off a very nice morning.

And a big thanks to my Girlfriend Lynda for letting me hog the camera!

Drake King Eider

King Eider with Common Eiders (click to enlarge)