Afternoon Birding

Friday October 27

Were we really in Scotland this time last week? 

Our first chance to bird since getting home. We drove to Winterton Beach car park, where the parking fee is now £1.50 for an hour, 50p more. We enjoyed the first hour in sunshine, watching ever present Gannets of all ages, small groups of Auks, mainly Guillemots with a few Razorbills, Common Scoter, Kittiwake, Brent Geese, one Shag and Cormorants. The green birds are Norfolk year ticks !

Greatest excitement was sighting a very large, pale, winter plumaged diver fly by. Distant and only binoc. views as I hadn't got my scope set up yet. Was it? A birder we know well by sight knocked the window behind me. After I'd peeled myself off the car roof.........In answer to his ''what have you seen'' question, I told him about the diver. He'd had a similar experience earlier in the week. He'd seen Great Northern this morning but that was in summer plumage still. At least I learned that the White-billed Diver present in the area is in winter plumage. I bet that's what it was. We see enough Great Northerns on Mull in May to notice that the '' b great diver'' I called was different.

More Pinks have arrived in the area. We had two large skeins fly over the house this morning. I don't know what they'll find to feed on, virtually no sugar beet fields around. Plenty of celery and green feed for sheep.

Moth-ing in the present warm spell is continuing to be interesting. I thought we'd missed Vestals, coastal migrants from the continent,, but we trapped our own on Tuesday. I didn't manage to photo that one, this one turned up at Cley yesterday.

We are still getting unseasonably late moths e.g Brimstones but are also seeing Red Admirals most days. 310+ (everyone got tired of counting) Large Wainscots in two marsh traps at Cley yesterday was a record. We trapped 7 overnight ourselves, a garden record.
Giles and Judy brought in a much debated Carpet sp. Richard took it home and - much to everyone's delight - pronounced it to be an Autumn Green Carpet. Local and a new one for everyone. David N brought in another goodie Small Marbled.

Also at Cley yesterday was this small and moribund Bee sp. We believe that it's a Nomada Stignata

We often find wildlife of interest, apart from Moths, in the traps. A superb Tiger Beetle in one trap at Natural Surroundings on Tuesday. 

A few more pics.

A weird Silver Y

Brindled Green

Red-line Quaker

Last Lap

Saturday October 21

Having had a disturbed night - car park shenanigans - we left before the anticipated time. Morrison's for fuel and a Telegraph for me, my favourite edition of the week. The cryptic and general knowledge crossword puzzles keep me puzzled for much of the journey. On and off reading, birding and doing word games. I am so lucky that I can occupy myself thus in the car, with only the occasional rest.

We did take in another visit to Budle Bay. Acres of bare mud again and, very distant birds, did not  keep us long.

An uneventful journey, thank goodness, punctuated by a lunch stop to buy food at Scotch Corner services, which was heaving. 

Still no sign of the forecast storm, Brian. A little wind yes, no more than expected at this time of year and, no rain.

We have a few journey punctuation marks along the way. The Angel of the North at Newcastle,  furnaces at Goole in Yorkshire, leaving the A1 at Newark and the 'Norfolk, Nelson's County' sign after crossing rhe Welland. No bird news to divert our journey to-day. I've turned my pager back to Alert for Norfolk. It was a Carrion Crow call for N Scotland, a Herring Gull for Norfolk. Much more acceptable than pips and sirens.

Home to a pile of post, comfortable chairs and a slow internet as John is next door and must be on my router much of the time. I didn't allow him access for this amount of time, just during his mother's  funeral days but, it seems churlish to tell him not to use it . Pam thinks that I should change the code.......

South of the Border

Friday October 20

Bliss, an M and S food store a few yards from the Travelodge. Peculiar set up. A BP garage, a Wild Bean and an M and S in the same building. That was newspapers, a hot drink and lunch sorted.

First stop Loch Leven and Vane Farm RSPB. For a Pink-footed Goose fix. The visibility was poor. Thick mist over the water and surrounding wet meadows with 5,000 + Pink-footed geese grazing before suddenly leaping into the sky, disturbed by wandering sheep.Their combined musical, pinking calls are very evocative of winter marshes in Norfolk.

Good views of all three Forth bridges on the return route, side by side and so different in design. The original rail bridge is the immediately recognisable design, so long the known image for the 'like painting the Forth bridge ' saying, for a job that needs re-starting as soon as it's finished.

Until now, the sky was very threatening, portentous of impending rain, with some blue sky in between. A few drops only before the ground mist dissipated and the sun shone from a clear sky. South of Edinburgh, the day was glorious. 14C, no wind and the south Firth of Forth coast at its best. We'd seen that most of the birds were in a bay distantly viewable from Longniddry - high tide again ! Pam parked on a grassy verge so that I could scope all the birds feeding on the rocks, seaweed and sea. Amazingly, a new bird for the trip. It's difficult to believe that these were  the first Greylag Geese we'd seen all week.

It's the first time that I've seen Bass Rock looking grey, the thousands of nesting Gannets that normally turn it a bright white, have all gone south. North Berwick beach - the rocky end - had a few Purple Sandpipers amongst the Turnstones.

As to-day's journey was barely a hundred miles, Pam decided to go on to have another look at  an unrecognisable Budle Bay. Instead of the acres of mud, the bay was full of water with no bare edges. Large flocks of Mallard and the biggest number of Shelduck I've ever witnessed, even more than Snettisham, a few Shoveller feeding amongst them. Scoping was difficult. Mist had descended again, and was also rising from the water.
Preparing to leave, Pam saw a large flock of geese appear at the mouth of the bay before landing in a waterside field behind the trees. There was a farm there, so here must be a road? About a mile north was a badly potholed layby, two birders' cars already there. their drivers scoping through a gap in the hedge. We found a small open fence area and found the huge flock of Barnacle Geese down in a field. They were again, at least half a mile away, impossible to identify anything different amongst them. Ah well, we'll try again in the morning on the way home, Storm Brian (what a prosaic name for a storm) permitting.

I'm sorry to be leaving the north but, will be delighted to get home.

Southern Migration Begins

Thursday October 19

We both enjoyed our week at the Grant Arms - despite the cancellation of the promised Moth Days and the unseasonal warmth. The latter meant that migration of Swans, Geese and Thrushes was held up. Our room was comfortable, the staff were very pleasant and helpful and the facilities good. A big turnover of clientele, including a party of Americans, apart from Mike Dilger's mob. The elderly  greatly outnumbered young folk. We'd stay again but, for a shorter time before moving further north.

Not a long journey to Glenrothes, we thought we'd call in at Loch O' Lowes again. The road was closed. We found an alternative route which was not much longer, adding Red-legged Partridge to the list. Dull and misty this morning with occasional spitty rain on the windscreen.

We enjoyed a hot drink whilst watching the Reserve's feeders, which were heaving with Chaffinches this time. A few Coal Tits, the odd Blue and GreatTits and three male Great Spotted Woodpeckers. Time for more photos, I can't resist such handsome and colourful birds - and they're big.

This year's Red Squirrel progeny kept dashing in, working a nut or two from the bottom of the feeder before running off to stash them. It hasn't learned how to lift the flap with its head and do a dive in to eat at will.

Yet another Red Squirrel, I can't resist them.....

From the lochside Hide, I saw Goldeneye, Tufted Duck and Great Crested Grebe having had a mouse sp race, apparently leglessly, across the boardwalk in front of me, before disappearing underneath. No chance of seeing its tail as it could have been a Wood Mouse.  
Pam found two more fungus species to identify at home.....

Still early, we drove to Leven  to find that it was high tide - again. We could do with this at Snettisham. At Leven it meant no shoreline at all, with any birds present bobbing about well out to sea. Two Atlantic Grey Seals pointed their noses skywards. Eventually we identified Red Breasted Mergansers, Shags, Eider and a good mixture of gull sp.

Finding Glenrothes Travelodge was not easy, despite putting in the Postcode provided. We ended up in the wrong place. A quick phone call solved the problem.

Last Day

Wednesday October 18

I'd originally suggested a visit to the Cairngorm summit, via the funicular of course. Despite waking to a lovely blue sky, crisp, late Autumn morning, there was a necklace of cloud around the summit. So warm still.... would there even be any Ptarmigan to see? We both love the sea, Burghead here we come. A family at dinner to-night went on the led trip to Cairngorm this afternoon, had no view in thick cloud and, didn't see any birds at all. Lucky escape for us.

We drove via Lochindorb as everywhere looked so beautiful. Good decision. Three adult Whooper Swans and four young were preening at the southern end of the loch. They looked newly arrived. Very distant, too much of a challenge for my 300mm lens - as you will see.

Watching the breakers crash in is mesmeric, we'd caught high tide again at Burghead Maltings. 

We spent a couple of hours parked at the western end of the bay, watching a  group of Gannets of all ages diving, circling and just sitting on the sea. Five delightful and, spectacularly lovely, male Long-tailed Ducks flew by and ditched so that I could scope them. Three were in their black and white winter plumage, two still had their summer brown wings. A few Eiders, Shags, Herring Gulls and far fewer Guillemots than the last visit. A Red Admiral made a surprise appearance as we were getting ready to leave. 

After a loo visit, we had a look at the town beach under the caravan park. A dozen Greenfinches exploded out of a bush, startled by a man and a dog. The beach had feeding Black-tailed Godwits and our first Knot.

Cooler to-day, single figures when we left this morning and only 11 C this afternoon as the sky clouded over. A most enjoyable and relaxing last day at the Grant Arms before starting on our journey home to-morrow.

Black Isle

Tuesday October 17

What a good decision we made, to visit the Black Isle to-day. It didn't rain at all - the Highlands were very wet all day. The Black Isle is the eastern peninsula after crossing the Kessock Bridge at Inverness. It looks like the border country rather than the adjacent Highlands, pretty flat and very green.

Munlochy Bay was full of water and Wigeon. I scanned the fields, finding Pink-footed Geese and a few Teal. On to Chanonry Point where Dolphins often appear at high tide. Even on a dull overcast week day, the parking area was full. A few Shag, marauding House Sparrows and a flat calm Moray Firth.

Cromarty - yes a real place not just on the weather forecast - harks back to the last century in atmosphere. The sea there is scattered with oil rigs and supply boats, a large example of the latter had three tugs attached to one side. 
Onward around Udale bay, until a large flock of Scaup appeared, probably 300 in total (they kept diving) with drakes in the majority. We spent some time admiring them, in extremely murky light.

Accompanying the cows on the other side of the road was a spanking Hooded Crow, as pure as they come.

The western end of Udale Bay has a layby and a splendid RSPB hide. We'd timed it perfectly - a total accident - the tide was in and a large number of birds were crowded onto the grassy islands, marshland and inlets before us. Yet more  Wigeon were in the majority, 100+ Oystercatchers, even more Redshank, Curlew, Bar-tailed Godwit, a few Dunlin, one Ringed Plover,a few Lapwing, 3 Golden Plover, one Shelduck and a single Grey Heron. 

Four male sheep were grumping at each other in a small enclosure, probably because their job was done for the season.

There is another well hidden, small, utilitarian hide and muddy parking area further around the bay. The waders feed here on the receding tide. Not to-day. Parents and a small child appeared, to play on the beach, followed by another pair exercising their dog. They have every right to do so.........

A Shaggy Parasol fungus nestled in the grass beside the hedge.

Home via the Tore roundabout, looking for -  and not finding - Red Kite. Thought they'd be hungry after yesterday's day of rain. One Buzzard braved the lack of thermals.

A supreme fungi spotter, Pam saw this old tree trunk with, as yet, unidentified fungus covering the exposed trunk.

Pam photographed Carr Bridge this morning, I'd taken my shoes off so didn't do so. Late afternoon, I couldn't resist the temporary cessation of rain and, the brown flood water from Monday's rain, barrelling its way under the bridge.

Mike Dilger, his other driver and two large minibuses were blocking the parking spaces in front of the hotel. He waved two fingers at us and smiled (2 minutes was mouthed), we were happy to wait.

I wasn't hungry at all to-night so eschewed a starter, ate about four pieces of venison casserole and two small scoops of ice-cream and strawberries. And I'd only had some walnuts and a piece of peanut fudge since breakfast. I'll probably be hungry by 9 !

Ophelia Approaches

Monday October 16

Lashing rain and strong gusting wind was not an invitation to get out early. Where could we go?  Garten car park was the decision. We sat there for two hours, all but half an hour in heavy rain, watching dozens of Coal Tits jostling for room at our sunflower hearts feeder. Well, Pam did, I was doing word games and reading
Terrible light, rain and a swinging feeder - as many as a dozen birds, feeding, leaving, waiting their turn, made the little feeder swing violently all the time.

A Crested Tit popped in and straight out again, Great Spotted Woodpecker kept all other birds off the peanut feeder.

Time to move - to another feeder station. The one at Dorback. Raining heavily again, so many deep puddles on the roads, we made awesome splashes as we drove through. No Red Squirrels today, maybe it was time to cut our losses. 

Broomhill Station bridge has a layby where we had a snack late lunch. Pam thought she'd seen a large fish jump in the river. She walked to the bridge to see if there was a salmon run on. The bridge is wooden, single track and busy, one has to hug the mossy wooden rails.Pam hurried back having seen a Dipper hunting from the small beach down the river. I took a few hopeful (stupid) photographs despite it being so dark at 2 p.m. that I wanted to turn a light on. 

Further south was also dark, as Hurricane Ophelia had brought Sahara Sand with her, turning the sun a hazy orange. Good photos on Facebook.

Thank you David Norgate.

Despite being back at the Grant Arms mid afternoon, all but one parking space was taken, one by a Porsche Cayenne 4x4 with the number plate P444NUT . I want it. It was in a disabled bay too.

The Grant Arms Hotel

 In the fine country town of Grantown-on-Spey, not far from the famous Spey River, this impressive 18th century residence has been upgraded to offer modern comforts whilst retaining a traditional character.  
Now advertised as the UK's Wildlife Hotel, it was built in 1765. Former famous visitors include both Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II. Refurbished to a High Standard of comfort and service, all rooms are ensuite with tea and coffee making facilities, TV, hairdryer and toiletries. The Grant Arms Hotel is proud to be the base of the BWWC (BirdWatching and Wildlife Club). The BWWC's Club Room, Natural History Library, Walks, Talks and Wildlife Briefings are free to all Grant Arms Guests. Experience a holiday in the Scottish Highlands, the perfect combination of mountain scenery, ancient buildings and mysterious lochs.
Once visited by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1860, the Grant Arms boasts 50 en suite bedrooms and comprehensive meeting and conference facilities.
Guests can enjoy local popular activities including bird watching, walking, skiing, golfing and fishing. There are distilleries in the local area which you are welcome to visit. The nearest airport is Inverness Airport, 21.7 miles from Grant Arms Hotel