Caspian Gull Score at Shawell 2017

All those listed below are considered to be different individuals, however, some duplication is inevitable:

1. second-winter, January 4th (also seen December 2016)
2. adult, January 4th
3. adult, January 4th & 6th
4. second-winter, January 6th
5. adult, January 11th
6. sub-adult, January 18th
7. adult, January 27th
8. first-winter, January 27th & 28th and February 7th
9. third-winter, February 3rd & 4th
10. first-winter, February 3rd
11. first-winter, February 4th & 7th
12. first-winter, February 4th
13. first-winter, February 6th
14. first-winter, February 7th
15. first-winter, February 7th
16. second-winter, February 7th
17. first-winter, February 18th
18. first-winter, February 18th
19. first-winter, February 18th
20. second-winter, February 18th
21. first-winter, March 25th
22. first-winter, March 25th and April 1st
23. first-winter, April 8th, November 11th & 25th and December 9th (German colour-ring X312) probably a hybrid
24. first-winter, April 15th
25. first-winter, April 15th
26. first-winter, April 29th
27. first-summer, May 13th
28. first-summer, May 13th
29. first-summer, July 13th and 22nd, 27th & 29th
30. first-summer, July 15th
31. adult, July 16th and 22nd
32. second-summer, July 29th
33. first-summer, July 29th
34. juvenile, August 10th and 12th
35. juvenile, August 12th
36. first-summer, August 12th & 19th
37. first-summer, August 19th
38. third-summer, August 19th
39. juvenile, August 24th
40. juvenile (just staring post juvenile moult), September 7th and 9th
41. juvenile (just staring post juvenile moult), September 7th and 9th, 19th, 23rd plus October 14th and 26th (German colour-ring X477)
42. second summer/winter, September 7th and 9th, 16th
43. juvenile (just staring post juvenile moult), September 9th and 12th, 16th (German colour-ring X454)
44. juvenile (just staring post juvenile moult), September 9th and 14th, October 14th and November 11th & 25th (German colour-ring X739)
45. juvenile, small female (just staring post juvenile moult), September 9th and 16th
46. juvenile, large male (just staring post juvenile moult), September 9th
47. second summer/winter, September 9th
48. second summer/winter, large male, September 9th
49. juvenile (just staring post juvenile moult), distinct bird with some short outer greater coverts, September 9th
50. adult, September 14th
51. first-winter, September 16th
52. first-winter, September 16th
53. adult, September 23rd
54. sub-adult, September 25th
55. second-winter, October 14th
56. second-winter, October 14th
57. second-winter, October 14th (German colour-ring X072)
58. first-winter, October 14th
59. first-winter, October 14th
60. first-winter, October 14th
61. first-winter, October 26th and 28th
62. adult, October 26th
63. adult, October 26th
64. second-winter, October 26th
65. third-winter, October 26th
66. second-winter, October 28th
67. second-winter, October 28th and November 4th
68. second-winter, October 28th
69. first-winter, October 28th
70. first-winter, October 28th and November 4th
71. first-winter, October 28th
72. first-winter, November 3rd, 4th and 11th.
73. first-winter, November 4th
74. first-winter, November 4th
75. adult, November 11th
76. adult, November 11th
77. second-winter, November 11th
78. second-winter, November 11th
79. second-winter, November 11th
80. first-winter, November 11th
81. first-winter, November 11th
82. first-winter, November 18th
83. adult, November 18th
84. second-winter, November 18th and 25th
85. adult, November 25th
86. second-winter, November 25th
87. first-winter, November 25th and December 9th
88. third-winter, November 2nd
89. third-winter, November 9th and December 16th
90. adult, December 12th
91. adult, December 12th and 23rd
92. second-winter, December 12th and 23rd
93. first-winter, December 16th
94. first-winter, December 16th
95. first-winter, December 16th
96. adult, December 23rd and 28th
97. first-winter, December 23rd
98. first-winter, December 23rd
99. second-winter, December 23rd
100. second-winter, December 28th
101. third-winter, December 28th

Orchids at Brascote

Brascote Pits is once again festooned with orchids.

Many of them are hybrids (I think) between Southern Marsh and Common Spotted Orchids. These seem to favour the shaded areas amongst the young trees. Bee Orchids are much in evidence in the more open areas. The Southern Marsh Orchids have increased in number, but there are fewer Common Spotted Orchids.

I remember visiting Ketton Quarry many years ago to see my first Bee Orchid, but Brascote Pits to the west of Leicester puts Ketton into the shade with the numbers of orchids present.

Southern Marsh Orchid

Southern Marsh Orchid

Hybrid Southern Marsh x Common Spotted Orchid

Hybrid Southern Marsh x Common Spotted Orchids

Bee Orchid

Green Sandpiper - An Exceptional Record

Whilst I was up in Scotland I took an early morning stroll into the forest. I was pleased to see a Crested Tit and half-a-dozen crossbills. Through the trees I could see a lochan (small lake). A path snaked its way through the trees to the waters edge, so I followed it. I disturbed a small wader, which flew to the other end of the lochan. Through my binoculars my first thought was Wood Sandpiper. Apart from Common Sandpiper this was the obvious choice, as they do breed in the Highlands in small numbers and the forest habitat seemed right for this species. I decided to walk back to my car and get my scope, as I felt I needed a closer look.

It was a good job I did, as it turned out to be a Green Sandpiper. I took some video to confirm the sighting.

The Highland Bird Recorder described it as an exceptional record as they only get one or two in the Highlands on passage each year (sometimes none) and this one was recorded during the breeding season. He initially questioned my record before I sent him the photo below.

Solitude

It had been a while since my last trip to Scotland and I was itching for a bit of peace and quiet and excitement.

The weather forecast for the latter part of last week looked good for an overnight adventure in the Cairngorm Mountains. I hastily arranged a few days off work, found my kit and jumped in the car and headed north.

I set up base camp at Glenmore near Aviemore. Once that was done I headed to the ski car park and into the hills, but not before filling out a form in the Mountain Rangers hut just in case something drastic happened to me. My rucksack was a little heavy with tripod, camera, food and drink plus tent stowed inside. I had only just left the car park when I spotted a very pale warbler. It's bill was quite orangey and it looked a little larger than a typical Willow Warbler. I spoke to another birder later in the day and he said that it was most likely a Northern Willow Warbler.

It was very hot and I soon began to feel the effects of carrying my heavy pack. My route took me past the magnificent Corrie an Lochan. I always feel the urge to get out my camera and take a few images at this point. It was around here that I encountered the first Ptarmigan.

Corrie Lochan

After a quick drink I continued upwards towards the plateau. Near the plateau I felt a searing pain in my right thigh. It wasn't cramp as the pain wasn't right for that. I decided to try and walk it off and luckily the pain began to subside. I had an idea where I was going to camp, so I limped off across what I call the 1083 plateau. I chose a campsite close to the edge of the Larig Ghru: a chasm, which cuts through the Cairngorm massif. The area was one of the few locations where the ground is flat enough to be comfortable to sleep on. It was warm, so I had only brought my outer tent and a sleeping bag.

I left all of my heavy kit in the tent and started searching the plateau for birds. A pair of Ptarmigan were feeding quietly close to my campsite. I stopped to photograph the female, as females are often harder to find during summer.

Female Ptarmigan

Just south of Cairn Lochan I found a pair of Dotterel. The male was keen to defend his female and always made sure he put himself between me and his mate. Another female was close by and in total I saw five individuals - three males and two females.

Male Dotterel

Dotterel are having a hard time in the Cairngorms especially in the more accessible places.

By know it was almost 9.00 pm and I had the plateau all to myself. I planned to be back at my tent to enjoy sunrise and a miniature bottle of Glenfiddich 12 Yr. Off in the direction of my tent I could hear a Snow Bunting singing. It was perched on top off a small cairn. It was a friendly chap and remained there singing whilst I sneaked up on it.

Snow Bunting

Back at my tent I watched the sunset and drank my whisky. As the sun was setting I noticed some cloud oozing across Breariach and down into the Larig Ghru. As it did the wind started to pick up.

I retired to the comfort of my tent, but the wind speed was increasing all the time. The tent was being buffeted quite severely and despite using anything I could to block the gaps it soon became quite cold. My sleep came in fits and starts, but by 3.00 am I'd had enough of being woken up by the wind and decided to head towards the summit of Ben Macdui. If I moved quick enough I would enjoy the sunrise although I'd run out of whisky.

Just a singing Snow Bunting and I were in place to watch the sun come up above the summit cairn of Britain's second highest point.