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ARCHIVE

​2017
January
28th February

​Easter Ross: Drake American Wigeon at 11:00am at Tain Links just north of the footbridge on the marsh at Tain. Second winter Iceland Gull at Udale Bay this afternoon, also two Canada Geese. Two Blackcaps coming to feeders in garden at Feddon Hill, Fortrose.

Wester Ross: First-winter Iceland Gull and two second-winters at Loch Kishorn today.

Inverness-shire: Common Crossbill feeding fledged young at Craig Phadrig today. 25 Waxwing at Smithton today.

Interesting research (visualisation on this link), showing wintering areas of Long-tailed Skuas of South Africa and their movements to and from them. These included overland crossing across the area of Northern England, Central Scotland and the Highlands (the Great Glen route).
​
27th February

Easter Ross: Drake American Wigeon again at Udale Bay today.

Sutherland: 71 Slavonian Grebe off Embo today.
Eurasian Wigeon at Alturlie Point (Mike Crutch)
26th February

Easter Ross:
Drake American Wigeon again from the hide at Udale Bay.

Badenoch and Strathspey: First-winter Iceland Gull still at Aviemore tip at Granish moor today then later in fields at Achentoul. 50 Waxwing in Aviemore today, on Grampian View.

Inverness-shire: Drake American Wigeon still at Clachnaharry Sea Lock today. 28 Waxwing in Smithton and 18 eating in Castle Heather Road, Inverness.
​

Wester Ross: 3 Common Scoter and a Black-throated Diver at Ardmair.

25th February

Badenoch and Strathspey:
Hawfinch and a Waxwing downstream of the wooden footbridge in Nethy Bridge. Also 8 Waxwing at Glenmore Forest Park. First-winter Iceland Gull again at Aviemore Tip.

Easter Ross: Drake American Wigeon again at Udale Bay, also single Lesser Black-backed Gull. Kingfisher at Tain Wildlife Pond today.

Lochaber: Adult drake Black Duck again at River Strontian mouth this morning.

Wester Ross: First-winter Iceland Gull at the river mouth today.

24th February

Skye and Lochalsh:
Third-winter Glaucous Gull still at Loch Ainort. 5 Greenland White-fronted Geese at Kilmuir.

Badenoch and Strathspey: Two Oystercatchers back on territory in Aviemore. 47 Bramblings near Mains of Garten.

Inverness-shire: Blackcap on feeders in a garden in Crown, Inverness.

Lochaber: Nuthatch (Ian MacNiven) at garden feeders in Arisaig today.

23rd February

Skye and Lochash:
Two territorial Skylarks back at Ullinish.

Lochaber: Drake Black Duck again at Strontian at the mouth of the river this afternoon.

22nd February
 
Wester Ross: Juvenile Iceland Gull in the harbour at Ullapool.
 
Skye and Lochalsh: Two Glaucous Gulls on skye today with a juvenile at Moll fish farm and a third-winter at Luib.
 
Badenoch and Strathspey: Seven Waxwing at Dirdhu Court, Nethy Bridge still.
 
Inverness-shire: Drake American Wigeon still showing well at Clachnaharry sea lock late morning. 95 Golden Plover back at Strathdearn today.

Easter Ross: 29 Pale-bellied Brent geese at Rosemarkie today, and 9 at Tarbat Ness.
Glaucous Gull at Luib (Bob McMillan)
21st February

Badenoch and Strathspey:
Male Hawfinch singing at the usual site near the Old Spey Bridge in Grantown. 35 Waxwing still in Nethy Bridge at Dirdhu Court.

Inverness-shire: 145 Scaup and 36 Black-tailed Godwits at Milton of Leys.

Lochaber: Drake Black Duck reported again with a female Mallard at the mouth of the River Strontian.

The record of a Hawfinch singing must be one of the first, if not the first, time that a Hawfinch has been recorded singing in the Highland region, anyone know of any previous singers?.
​

20th February

Inverness-shire:
27 Waxwing on Balnakyle Road, Inverness today. Drake American Wigeon still at Clachnaharry Sea Lock early afternoon, on the canal. A single European white-fronted Goose from the Petty Cemetery Road with Greylags at NH792525.

Wester Ross: First-winter Kumlien's Gull still at Loch Kishorn, also 4 first-winter Iceland Gulls and a single 2nd winter, no sign of any Little Gulls.

Skye and Lochalsh: Juvenile Iceland Gull at Lower Milovaig.
American Wigeon at Clachnaharry (Peter Stronach)
American Wigeon at Clachnaharry (Peter Stronach).
19th February

Sutherland: Black Redstart still at Brora been the beach car park and the harbour.

Lochaber: Drake Black Duck still with a female Mallard in the bay east of the river mouth at Strontian, late afternoon.

Easter Ross: Immature White-tailed Eagle over the Mound today.

Badenoch and Strathspey: ​15 Waxwings at Sliemore Steading, east of Nethy Bridge at 12.15pm this morning, and the nearby finch flock contained at least 10 Brambling and a Linnet.

Inverness-shire: Adult winter White Wagtail at the Tesco carpark at Inshes, Inverness.

18th February

Inverness-shire:
Drake American Wigeon still at Muirtown Basin today at 1230pm. 29 Pale-bellied Brent Geese at Whiteness bay.

Lochaber: Drake Black Duck still at Strontian east of the river mouth this morning behind the shop. Adult Iceland Gull at San Bay at Poltuairk at NM439681.

Badenoch and Strathspey: 4 European White-fronted Geese at Broomhill today, an adult and 3 first-winters, also 600 Lapwing there. 20 Waxwing between B9152 and railway yesterday and 12 still in Aviemore between Grampian View and Spey Avenue this afternoon.

17th February

Easter Ross:
Adult drake American Wigeon at Portmahomack still on the rocks at Drumancroy, no sing of the Tain individual.

Wester Ross: First-winter Kumlien's Gull and five Iceland Gulls still at Loch Kishorn today but no sign of any Little Gulls.

Badenoch and Strathspey: Four Greenland White-fronted Geese at Broomhill Bridge at NJ000231, viewed from the A95. 2 Stonechats up at 550m at Glenfeshie, and several Black-headed gulls returning to the Strath.

Sutherland: First-winter Glaucous Gull still in Kinlochbervie harbour today. Two first-winter Glaucous Gulls and a first-winter Iceland Gull at Loch Laxford today, viewed from Foindle.

Lochaber: Adult drake Black Duck still at the river mouth in Strontian today.

16th February

Sutherland:
First-winter Iceland Gull at Balnakeil beach.

Badenoch and Strathspey: Both the pale and dark first-winter Iceland Gulls still present at Aviemore Tip at 12.30pm.

Lochaber: Juvenile Glaucous Gull on the shore at Loch Ban, Kilmory, Ardnamurchan at NM516706.

Visible migration of Lapwings today on Speyside with 277 flying west/upstream at Cromdale today.
​

15th February

Easter Ross: Adult white morph Snow Goose still in fields next to the A9 at Invergordon, north of Dalmore Distillery at NH665689. No sign of reported White-billed Diver at Portmahomack.

Sutherland: Mealy Redpoll at Kinbrace.

Badenoch and Strathspey: 6 Waxwing at Station Road and 5 on Linstock Crescent, Nethy Bridge.

Lochaber: Kingfisher at Morar.

Inverness-shire: Drake Green-winged Teal still at Loch Flemington.

14th February

Easter Ross:
Possible White-billed Diver (Greg Fitchett) just off Balnabruach today at about 1330pm at NH907844. The adult white morph Snow Goose still present at 08:30am this morning at Alness (Dave Tanner) at NH667689, then seen later flying over Newmore Wood with 50 Greylags at 1544pm (Jimmy Fraser).

Lochaber: Drake Mandarin Duck still at Morar and Fourth-winter Viking Gull still at Mallaig. Single Waxwing in Fort William at 16 Glasdrum Road.

Badenoch and Strathspey: Scottish Crossbill (Pete Gordon) at Cairngorm Club Footbridge, Rothiemurchus. Two Iceland Gulls at the gull roost at Loch Garten this evening and a single Hawfinch at Nethy Bridge this morning.

Inverness-shire: Drake American Wigeon still at Clachnaharry Sea LOCK.
Mandarin Duck at Morar (Bob McMillan)
Snow Goose at Newmore Wood (Jimmy Fraser)
13th February

Easter Ross:
At 10:30am, the adult white morph ‪Snow Goose (Dave Tanner) at Alness, in field immediately north of Dalmore Distillery at NH667689.

Sutherland: 2 adult European and 1 adult Greenland White-fronted Goose this morning to east of A9 half a mile south of junction with A949, at Dornoch. First-winter today at Glaucous Gull at Kinlochbervie harbour.

Wester Ross: Adult Little Gull and first-winter Kumlien's Gull at Loch Kishorn.
Loch Kishorn (Bob McMillan)
Little Gull at Loch Kishorn (Bob McMillan)
Little Gull at Loch Kishorn (Bob McMillan).
Little Gull at Loch Kishorn (Bob McMillan)..
Kumlien's Gull at Loch Kishorn (Bob McMillan)
12th February

Easter Ross: Drake American Wigeon (Dave McAllister) still at Tain, also a drake American Wigeon (Dave Tanner) and a Green-winged Teal (Dave Tanner) at Portmahomack. American Wigeon 1km southwest of Portmahomack Beach at NH901835 and the Green-winged Teal at Drumancroy c1.5km southwest of Portmahomack Beach at NH900834 with several hundred Teal. 76 Scaup on Loch Eye.

Sutherland: White-billed Diver (Sean Jaques) at Sandwood Bay, also a probable 2nd-winter Iceland Gull. 
​

Siberian Accentor - Unfortunately there is no access to see this bird, and it is very unlikely that access will be granted in the future, this is at the finder's request. It is a sensitive site with no public access. 
American Wigeon at Portmahomack (Dave Tanner)
Green-winged Teal at Portmahomack (Dave Tanner)
11th February

Easter Ross:
Siberian Accentor (Bob Swann) near Invergordon at a private site with no access, present since the 8th February. 2 Magpies at North Sutor. Juvenile Iceland Gull headed east past Tarbat Ness at 9am this morning, followed shortly after by a juvenile Arctic Skua.

Badenoch and Strathspey: 4 Jays at Granish Tip woods.

If accepted, this would be the second record of Siberian Accentor for Highland after the individual found at Avoch on the 6th November 2016.
Siberian Accentor at Invergordon (Bob Swann)
Siberian Accentor at Invergordon (Bob Swann).
10th February

Easter Ross:
Kingfisher beside the footbridge into the Pefferside Park, Dingwall today at 9.30am and 10.00am.  

Wester Ross: 6 Iceland Gulls and a first-winter Glaucous Gull at Loch Kishorn. Also a second-winter Little Gull present at Loch Kishorn with the Black-headed Gull flock. 4 Slavonian Grebes in Applecross Bay.

Inverness-shire: Drake American Wigeon still present on Muirtown Basin with c40 Eurasian Wigeon at 1630pm this afternoon.​
Leucistic Greylag in Lochalsh (Bob McMillan)
9th February

Sutherland:
Manx Shearwater (Birdguides) flew south into Dornoch Firth today.

Skye and Lochalsh: First-winter Glaucous Gull again at Broadford River mouth.

Inverness-shire: Drake Green-winged Teal again at Loch Flemington. Great Crested Grebe still at Milton of Culloden.
Snow Bunting at Cairngorm carpark (Peter Stronach)
Snow Bunting at Cairngorm carpark (Peter Stronach).
Snow Bunting at Cairngorm carpark (Peter Stronach)..
Snow Bunting at Cairngorm carpark (Peter Stronach)...
8th February

Easter Ross: Siberian Accentor at an undisclosed site near Invergordon.

Inverness-shire: Drake American Wigeon still at Clachnaharry sea lock today.

Badenoch and Strathspey: 30 Snow Buntings in Cairngorm car park.

Oystercatchers and Lapwings getting reported increasingly now from inland locations as they come back to breed.
Siberian Accentor at Invergordon (From the finder per Bob Swann)
Siberian Accentor at Invergordon (From the finder per Bob Swann).
7th February

Skye and Lochalsh: 18 Black-throated Diver off Lusa and 21 Great Northern Diver between there and the Skye Bridge.

Wester Ross: Juvenile Iceland Gull from the Ullapool-Stornoway ferry today.

Badenoch and Strathspey: 14 Waxwings briefly at Sliemore east of Nethy Bridge at NJ037204. 11 Waxwings in Aveimore at the north end this morning at 0915am.

6th February

Inverness-shire:
No sign of drake Green-winged Teal or Great Crested Grebe at Loch Flemington today. However a/the Great Crested Grebe was on the sea, viewed from Alturlie Point looking east towards Caley Thistle stadium.

Easter Ross: Kingfisher at Tain today on the river next to the golf course sheds.

5th February

Inverness-shire:
Drake American Wigeon at Clachnaharry Sea Lock again today and 2 European White-fronted Geese (Birdguides) reported at Muirtown Pools. Drake Green-winged Teal still at Loch Flemington and a Great Crested Grebe at 1020am, from loch side lay by. 50 Waxwings in trees on south side of Barn Church Road, a little west of junction with Smithton Road, Inverness at 1515pm.
​

Badenoch and Strathspey: 30 Waxwings at the north end of Aviemore today, 15 at Ardgeal, Loch Insh and 35 east of Lettoch by the Dorback Burn.

Easter Ross: Iceland Gull at Milton on the north shore of the Beauty Firth. Single Barnacle Goose with Pink-footed Geese in a field just west of Loch Achnacloich, Easter Ross.
​

Sutherland: Nordic Jackdaw (R Hughes - Birdtrack) at Helmsdale.

4th February

Badenoch and Strathspey: First-winter Iceland Gull at Aviemore tip this morning.

Inverness-shire: Two European White-fronted Geese at Gollanfield, between Ardersier and the A96, with large numbers of Greylag and Pink-footed Geese. Drake American Wigeon still at Muirtown/ South Kessock today.

Sutherland: Adult little gull from the beach car park at Brora, also Mediterranean Gull, "blue" Fulmar flew south and the Nordic Jackdaw still.

​The Norwegian-ringed Mediterranean Gull which was seen in Speyside on the 29th June 2016, see post here, has been resighted on the 1st February at Figgate Pond in Edinburgh, see tweet here.

3rd February

Badenoch and Strathspey: First and second-winter Iceland Gulls at Aviemore tip this morning. 8 Waxwings near Loch Garten and 7 at Kincraig.

​Wester Ross: Still seven Iceland Gulls and a first-winter Glaucous Gull at Loch Kishorn.
Glaucous Gull at Loch Kishorn (Bob McMillan)
Glaucous Gull at Loch Kishorn (Bob McMillan).
Iceland Gull at Loch Kishorn (Bob McMillan)
Gulls at Loch Kishorn (Bob McMillan)
2nd February

​Inverness-shire: Great Crested Grebe at Alturlie, also 9 Slavonian Grebes and 20 Red-breasted Mergansers. Drake American Wigeon still at Clachnaharry sea lock today and 29 Waxwing.

Badenoch and Strathspey: First and second-winter Iceland Gulls at Aviemore tip at 1pm and two Nordic Jackdaws. Jack Snipe at Insh Marshes.

Sutherland: Adult Mediterranean Gull still at Brora from the beach car park again today.
Second-winter Iceland Gull at Aviemore tip (Peter Stronach)
Nordic-type Jackdaw at Aviemore Tip (Peter Stronach)
1st February

Lochaber: Drake Black Duck (Lee Evans and Birdguides) reported on the river mouth with 3 hybrids (2 females and a male, see tweet here).

Skye and Lochalsh: First-winter Glaucous Gull at Broadford River mouth.

Badenoch and Strathspey: Single Hawfinch still in Grantown, with 4 Bullfinch near Old Spey Bridge. 8 Waxwing at Nethy Bridge at Dirdhu Court.

Easter Ross: The female Smew was showing today at the southwest end of Loch Eye at 12:30pm.

Inverness-shire: 204 Scaup at Milton of Culloden.

Golden Plover back on moorland territory near Lairg this morning, a very early date compared to past years!.


Invertebrates - Small Tortoiseshell flying around a garden at Feddon Hill, Fortrose this morning in the spring sunshine!.
Glaucous Gull at Broadford river mouth (Bob McMillan)
Glaucous Gull at Broadford (Neil Bennett)
Glaucous Gull at Broadford (Neil Bennett).
Glaucous Gull at Broadford (Neil Bennett)..
Glaucous Gull at Broadford (Neil Bennett)...

Picture



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