Winter returns to Morayshire!

Out on a workshop today, but the weather was absolutely atrocious.

We did however get some good birds with the highlight of the day being a Ross's Goose just outside Forres.

Still hundreds of Long Tailed Ducks and Common Scoter at Burghead, unfortunately no sign of the White Billed Divers.  Gannets were putting on a good show close to shore.

Gannet



From Norfolk to Scotlands West Coast!

Well folks the last two weeks have been quite manic, but in a highly enjoyable way! Greate locations, great company and brilliant birds.

I will update the blog as I go along but so much has happened it will be  spread out over a few weeks but for now a few habitat shots of the places I have been.

Cley -Norfolk

Torridon Area -Scotland

Poolewe - Scotland

Gruinard Island - Scotland

Torridon Area - Scotland



Spring Holidays are here!

Off to Norfolk tonight for a few days birding and visiting friends, keep watching this space for reports or follow me on twitter @birdingecosse.

Be back soon folks!

103 Species and 14 lifers!

Just completed a fantastic three days guiding in Scotland, covering the West coast, Scottish Glens and Moors, the Moray Coastline and North to Loch Fleet and the Cromarty Firth.  Even though this was not a concentrated "how many species can we see" exercise we still managed to notch up a total of 103!

Applecross area

There is something really satisfying about getting people their target birds, sometimes it is a bird they have seen in a book as a child or a bird they have been longing to see for a very long time but have just never connected with it.  Today  Rab's bogey bird that had haunted him for sixty years was unblocked in grand style when I was able to present a whole telegraph wire full of them! I will leave the species a mystery so let your minds run riot!

Golden Eagle (one of three)

A little taster of what was seen:  Bean Goose, Scaup by the 100's Long tailed duck by the 1000's both summer and winter plumaged birds, Red, Black and Great Northern Divers all in summer plumage,  Ptarmigan, Black Grouse Lekking,Slavonian Grebes summer plumage, Red Kite, Ringtail Hen Harrier, Golden Eagle, Osprey, Purple Sandpipers in summer plumage, Iceland gull, Black Guillemot, Hooded Crow, Twite and Crossbill.

Two satisfied clients, 14 lifers between them and one very very happy "Birding Ecosse" Guide! 

Mountain Goat

Another cracking day

Another full day guiding this time across to the Applecross peninsula with Andrew.

The day got off to a good start with Dipper just outside Dulnain bridge, a good gaggle of Greylag Geese in a nearby field.

Heading into the highlands we stopped at a roadside layby to witness two Red Throated Diver going through their display ritual and giving their haunting calls, not to be outdone a nearby Black Throated Diver answered back!

Up over the "Pass of the cattle" we were treated to some stunning views but not even these could compare to the high flying Golden Eagle (a lifer for Andrew which he picked up himself)  and Ptarmigan (lifer number two) as it sat in full view on top of a rock calling it's heart out.

Applecross itself proved a valuable stop with six Slavonian Grebes, Common Scoter, Razorbill and two Great Northern Diver, a flyby Iceland Gull was a nice addition to the day list as well.  Also a distant Black Guillemot (lifer 3!)  however we did pick up a closer Black Guillemot nearer to the Sheildaig area.

Weather all day was superb, once again great company and most of all some stunning birds!

Roll on tomorow!!

Three lifers Andrew

Great Northern Diver (nearly full plumage)

Sheildaig Area

What difference a week makes!

Well this time last week we were basking in summer sunshine, a temperature of +24 and not a cloud in the sky.  Today, 7 inches on snow!!  Add to that no power from 04:30 until 13:00 and a chest infection it's been a swell day!