2015 Scottish Odyssey (3) Birds

Goosander on Loch Lomond (2015) ... time for a ride

It is time I composed my bird list from my 2015 holiday diary!

The weather (with a couple of exceptions) was not ideal for bird photography on our holiday this year, so I have taken the liberty of re-posting the Eider and Bullfinch pictures I took in 2014.

Those of you who visit my monthly Tree Following posts will know that I love lists. So here goes ... and, incidentally, the location mentioned is the place where I saw a species on this holiday for the first time. It may not be the only place. Birds are posted in the order in which they were spotted. You can find pictures and information about them all on the RSPB site here.

1. Swallow (Loch Lomond)
2. Swift (Loch Lomond)
3. Goldfinch (Loch Lomond)
4. Greenfinch (Loch Lomond)
5. Oystercatcher (Loch Lomond)
6. Goosander (Loch Lomond)
7. House Sparrow (Loch Lomond)
8. Lesser Black-back Gull (Loch Lomond)
9. Skylark (Rannoch Moor)
10. Buzzard (Glengarry)
11. Grey Heron (Eilean Donan)
12. Rock Pipit (Eilean Donan)
13. Pied Wagtail (Broadford, Skye)
14. Blackbird (Broadford, Skye)
15. Hooded Crow (Broadford, Skye)
16. Starling (Broadford, Skye)
17. Robin (Broadford, Skye)
18. Bullfinch (Dunvegan)
19. Cuckoo (Dunvegan - no sighting but David heard it calling)
20. Arctic Tern (Loch Dunvegan)
21. Dunlin (Braes, Skye)
22. Eider Duck (Applecross)
23. Curlew (Applecross)
24. Mallard (Applecross)
25. Wheatear (Waternish, Skye) 
26. Gannet (Waternish, Skye)
27. Golden Eagle (Cuillin, Skye)
28. Lapwing (Staffin, Skye)
29. Stonechat (Quairaing, Skye) 
30. Chiffchaff (Kylerhea, Skye)
31. Ringed Plover (Sleat, Skye)
32. White-tailed Eagle, with salmon! (Skye) Red status conservation
33. Tystie/Black Guillemot (Elgol, Skye)
34. Corncrake (Skye - only the call this year, no sighting) Red status conservation
35. Reed Bunting (South Shian, near Oban)
36. Mute Swan (near Tayvallich)
37. Garganey (near Tayvallich)
38. Moorhen (Lochgilphead)
39. Barn Owl (Kilmartin)
40. Little Owl (Kilmartin)
41. Sand Martin (between Kilmartin and Loch Awe)
42. Razorbill (from Arran ferry)
43. Pheasant (Arran)
44. Treecreeper (Brodick Castle, Arran)
45. Kestrel (Arran)
46. Chaffinch (Dunadd)
47. Herring gull (Oban) Red status conservation

Plus an assortment of geese and gulls, which would probably bring the total up to around 50. I need to brush up on my ID skills for these. Oh, and we also saw a peacock on Skye!

I was surprised to find that while the Herring Gull is still afforded Red Status, the Golden Eagle is listed as Amber. Have you found any unusual birds this summer?

Eider (male)

Eider (female)

Bullfinch (female)

Bullfinch (male)

2015 Species List to Date

I am adding the first of my February sightings to my 2015 List ...

Our first Hare sighting in 2015, Suffolk, UK

The species in italics have been added in February. A star means that I have only spotted this species in one location - to date.


Birds

Home Patch

1. Blackbird (several)
2. Blue tit* (small cluster) 
3. Bullfinch* (one female - first female spotted in the garden. Snowy conditions)
4. Buzzard (one - a first!) 
5. Carrion Crow (several)
6. Chaffinch* (one)
7. Common Gull (about eleven)
8. Goldfinch (small flock)
9. Great Spotted Woodpecker*
10. Great tit* (about four) 
11. Green Woodpecker* (one)
12. Grey Heron (one)
13. Long-tailed tit* (about eight, possibly more most days)
14. Magpie (about five)
15. Redwing (one, in the snow of 31 January - a first in the garden)
16. Robin* (one most days)
17. Song Thrush* (one - and also one in the park)
18. Starling* (five)
19. Wood pigeon (plenty!)
20. Wren* (one)

Abberton Reservoir, Essex Wildlife Trust

1. Common Gull* (a few) 
2. Goldeneye* (two)
3. Greylag Goose* (a flock)
4. Lapwing* (colony)
5. Mallard (quite a few)
6. Mute Swan (about twenty)
7. Tufted Duck* (ditto)

Bawdsey

1. Barn Owl* (one)
2. Carrion Crow (one)
3. Coot* (four)
4. Cormorant* (one)
5. Grey Heron (one)
6. Kestrel* (one)
7. Lesser Black-backed Gull* (one)
8. Mallard (several)
9. Mute Swan (two)
10. Pheasant* (two)
11. Red-legged Partridge* (small flock)
12. Wigeon* (four)

Christchurch Park

1. Redwing (about seven)

Snape

1. Teal* (one)
2. Little Egret* (one)

Southwold

1. Turnstone* (twelve)

  
Current total of bird species seen: 37



Mammals

Home Patch

1. Grey Squirrel (one on several occasions) 

Bawdsey

1. Hare* (two)
2. Muntjac Deer* (one)  

Ickworth

1. Fox* (one)

In advance of the Big Garden Birdwatch, my 2015 Bird List to date

Goldeneye, Essex Wildlife Trust's Abberton Reservor Reserve

These are my 2015 January lists, thus far. I am only counting each species once, even if it is spotted in several locations ...


Birds

Home Patch

1. Blackbird (about five)
2. Blue tit (small cluster) 
3. Buzzard (one - a first!)
4. Chaffinch (one)
5. Common Gull (about eleven)
6. Goldfinch (small flock)
7. Great Spotted Woodpecker
8. Great tit (about four)
9. Grey Heron (one)
10. Long-tailed tit (about eight, possibly more most days)
11. Magpie (about five)
12. Robin (one most days)
13. Song Thrush (one - and also one in the park)
14. Starling (five)
15. Wood pigeon (plenty!)
16. Wren (one)

Abberton Reservoir, Essex Wildlife Trust

1. Common Gull (a few) 
2. Goldeneye (two)
3. Greylag Goose (a flock)
4. Lapwing (colony)
5. Mallard (quite a few)
6. Mute Swan (about twenty)
7. Tufted Duck (ditto)

Bawdsey

1. Barn Owl (one)
2. Carrion Crow (one)
3. Kestrel (one)
4. Lesser Black-backed Gull (one)

Christchurch Park

1. Redwing (about seven)

Southwold

1. Turnstone (twelve)

  
Current total of bird species seen: 29



Mammals

Home Patch

1. Grey Squirrel (one on several occasions) 

Bawdsey

1. Muntjac Deer (one)

All species can be found on the RSPB site here.

If you live in the UK and would like to take part in the 2015 Big Garden Birdwatch, you will find details here.