Sandhill Crane - A Lifer!

Went down to Strathbeg and St Combs with Lynda today to try for the Sandhill Crane. Pitching up at the main RSPB hide at Strathbeg we heard the dreaded statement, it flew about ten minutes ago and cannot be relocated!!
We stayed in the hide watching Greenshank and Spotted Redshank and then the  call came, the bird had been re-located at usual field at St Combs, a quick dash soon located a line of birders in a stubble field.

And here are the results :-)

Sandhill Crane - St Combs

A golden start to the day

Down at my local patch at Findhorn Dunes, started the day off with a flock of roosting Golden Plovers on the shingle beach. Light levels were still very low but happy with the couple of quick digiscoped shots below.

I was expecting a few migrants after the recent heavy rains and strong winds however not much about: a flock of 15 Coal tit, another flock of 7 Skylark one Pale bellied Brent Goose and Wheatear where the highlights.

Ansers on a postcard (get it? Anser?!)

Okay not a quiz, but genuine question.

What do you reckeon to this wee goose seen 17/9/11 in Moray? Lots of pointers to Ross's but note the grey (not black) wing feathers.

Autumn is here!

Managed a trip on my own today for a couple of hours,down to Findhorn bay which seems to be about my travel limits!

Beautiful day, flat calm and quite mild.

Seawatching produced an Adult winter Little Gull which is uncommon in this area plus plenty of Gannets feeding close to shore.

Another nice bonus was the two Wheatears hopping around in the dunes.

Also on Findhorn bay, 14 Whooper Swans and 3 Grey Plover.

A nice few hours.

Wheatears at Findhorn

Osprog at Findy.

Just a quick jaunt into the big outside world still suffering with vertigo :-( 

Nice flyby of Osprey.

I have a regular Osprey overfly at my house, this week it was so low and close I could see it was carrying a flat fish!  Obviously feeding out in the Moray firth and transiting back to feed young that must be fledged but still near the nesting area.  Job for next year...... find the nest!

What am I? Same bird part 2

Okay an easier angle and more in focus, still a lousy shot though :-)

What am I?

Still signed off, this time until 24 August, things are getting desperate now!! Getting into Skua season and I cant get the seawatching sites!

A wee teaser of a pic this time, I'm resorting to sorting out my picture folders now!

First day out on my own!

Red letter day today, I managed to walk out on my own for twenty minutes today and well worth it as well.

Nice mixed flock in the area, Goldcrest, Coal Tit, Two Crested Tit, Treecreeper.  Great Spotted Woodpecker and Common Crossbill in immediate area as well.

Not a bird but nice views of Scotch Argus Butterfly.

 Scotch Argus

Juvs in the garden.

Juv Dunnock

Two Juv House Martins

Juv Robin

Juv Blackbird

Felicity the Pheasant

House Martin.  Two adults notice the full crop on the bird in flight (click to enlarge)

Still crippled with Vertigo this must be the curse of the birder ailment.  Nice day weatherwise so managed to sit outside in the sun and watched some garden birds, lots of Juvs about so looks like a good breeding season.

Three weeks of no birding makes you appreciate the common stuff, like the markings on Felicity the Pheasant and studying the feeding timings of House Martins.

Itching to get sea watching though :-(

What am I?

Easy one for this quiz, what is the bird in the picture?