Outer Hebs 3/3

Some machair flowers.

Machair at Balranald. Masses of flowers on the sandy fields.

On Thursday the weather was grey and overcast with some occasional drizzle. We had alook around the info centre at Lochmaddy at an excellent exhibition about St Kilda that most remote of UK outposts lying 40 miles out from North Uist. What a place that must have been, the last of the original St Kildans died only last September. Very sad.

Friday was the exact opposite to Thursday in terms of weather. It was warm, clear and sunny all day.
We headed off right to the bottom of South Uist getting as far as the Pollachar Inn overlooking Barra.
Our first stop was Rubha Ardvule the famous seawatching spot. What a beautiful place it is too. While walking the short way to the point I passed an Otter in Loch Ardvule. It was a huge dog Otter, that slowly melted away as they do. Also seen here were a Great Northern Diver flying N, 1 Arctic Skua, 40+ Sanderling in summer plumage and a Small Heath butterfly.

Otter

Ardvule Point

Not far away we visited the home gallery of Bill Neil wildlife artist. A very interesting and pleasant chap who double up as recorder for the islands wildlife too, specialising in the Bees. He had a lovely 'machair' lawn and Redpoll and Twite in his garden.

The drive back north was excellent. After fish and chips at the petrol station ( this is the outer hebrides you know) we had a nice male Hen Harrier with prey over the road, followed by a low flying Golden Eagle lit up in the afternoon sun. I stopped to get the camera, but I had the 55mm lens on it. By the time I changed it, the eagle was two miles away...

A stop on the machair at Dalabrog had Cuckoo, 3 Sand Martins ( rare here), Short eared Owl and many Early Marsh Orchids.

A second visit to the Red necked Phalaropes found them to be more obliging. Two females chased a male high over the road onto a different loch. The call is a short 'chip' and easy to pick out. Another female was on the other loch and later we had another fly south along the beach, calling. Maybe 6 birds were present.

Red necked Phalaropes, the full sketch.

That dot in the middle? A female Red necked Phalarope. A habitat shot!

And thats it for another year. I'll leave you with two more views of these fantastic islands. We will return...

Outer Hebrides 2/3

Corn Bunting

 Tuesday, bright sunny and clear later on. I had an earlyish start this morning, back along to Balranald, where a Corn Bunting showed down to a few feet allowing some nice photos. A chance I'll never get at home. Behind the info centre the ever elusive Corncrakes were still 'giving it what for' so imagine my surprise when I scanned along a raised ditch bank and saw one sunning and calling away. Some careful stalking, despite the constant attention from Peewits overhead, got me close enough for a reasonable shot.

Back at the car, I told a visiting Yorkshire birder that one was showing in the open, he had to pick himself up before stuttering 'Where is it!' I pointed him in the direction and left him to it...

Corncrake

 After this we had a drive south, on a hunch to find some very rare breeding Red necked Phalaropes. Getting specific info on these is like asking for the crown jewels, so it took me ages of internet searching before I got a sniff of a site. Even then I wasn't convinced I would see any, however, on arrival I soon located two fresh summer females and one duller male hiding in emergent mares tails. I couldn't believe my luck!

Although they were too skulky and distant to photograph scope views were good. My first breeding plumaged ones in the uk ( though I saw loads in Iceland). Keeping with the trend, Im sorry I cant give a location.

Also here were 7+ Rock Doves, 4 Black tailed Godwit, 1 Shoveler, 2 Wigeon, 1 Raven and a Peregrine.

Next stop was Ardivachar Point, South Uist. The highight here was a flock of 27 Ravens feeding on the shore and a song flighting Dunlin over MOD machair land. Tremendous.

What a day!

Red necked Phalarope

Wednesday was a lovely day, sunny with a pleasantly cool easterly breeze.

While having breakfast in the garden, a male Hen Harrier flew over and caught a fledgeling pipit in the field opposite. No sooner had that happened,  one of the 'garden' Corncrakes flew out briefly giving a short but nice glimpse.

Hen Harrier

We headed north today to check out some beaches and to look for orchids. Hornish Strand has to be one of the finest beaches on the planet! We also checked out Lingay Strand and Grenitote that were almost as good.

 I couldnt find any Hebridean Marsh Orchids ( too early) but Early Marsh Orchid of the form coccinea was new for me. A few were scattered around. 

The unspoilt low impact farming here means there are lots of flowers. Yellow flag irises and Marsh Cinquefoil were abundant. Seaside Pansy was a new form for me here.  

The first of only 2 Arctic Skuas of the trip flew low over the moors nearby.

Hornish Strand, North Uist

Yellow Flag Iris, Marsh Cinqfoil, Seaside Pansy, Early Marsh Orchid

Still searching the machair for my main target of the trip we headed back to Balranald ( its really nice here) where we soon found them - 3+ Great Yellow Bumblebees, the rarest of the kind in the UK, found only here and along the far north of Scotland. Great things watched beside the hebridean race of Moss Carder Bee, that was very orange and black a bit like tree bumblebee. I wish I had taken their pcture too, I dont know how I overlooked this. Too busy just enjoying them buzzing about the masses of clover and trefoil.

Great Yellow Bumblebee

So it was back home where the Corncrakes were seen briefly squabbling and jumping into the air, just behind the garden.

The Outer Hebrides. Part 1 /3

Or to be more precise, Berneray, North Uist, Benbecula and South Uist for our holidays last week.

Most years we venture up north into Scotland somewhere or other, so have covered most corners at sometime, but we have never travelled to this far flung western corner of Europe. A couple of years ago we were at Uig ( Oo-ig) on Skye and could see Harris over on the horizon, and vowed that one day we will travel across the Minch.

We travelled up to the Cluanie Inn last Friday to stay over night so we only had a reasonable drive up to the ferry in the morning. Saturday was a glorious day, with clear blue skies and a nice cool breeze to keep the midges at bay. There wasn't much to be had around the Inn during our short stay but I did find a nice Northern Eggar caterpillar...

Northern Eggar

 The crossing was easy but I was disappointed in the lack of birds and cetaceans considering the conditions. I saw one Storm Petrel briefly and a single Manx Shearwater plus a few auks including nice Black Guillemots distantly from the harbour.

After disembarking at Lochmaddy, North Uist we headed towards our cottage for the week. On route, almost the first bird seen was a male Hen Harrier flying alongside the car. At the cottage, at least 3 Corncrakes were 'crexing' just over the garden wall, but were invisible in dense iris and grass vegetation.

Our cottage - An t-Seann Dachaidh. No I dont either...

Sunday dawned to rain and dark skies, oh dear is this the week ahead, we wondered. Regardless, I was up early for a drive around near the RSPB Balranald reserve. The rain dampened things a bit, but 2 Corn Buntings, Twite and a male Merlin were noteworthy. On the lochan opposite the house were 2 Common Sandpipers and a Common Gull with 2 chicks, visible from the living room window. Our own live Springwatch!

Around the house ( and everywhere really) were lots of Starlings. They looked very dark, particularly the juveniles, reminding me of the Shetland birds?

'Hebridean' Starlings.

On Monday the rain was still 'spotting' and it was dreary looking outside. It became brighter in the after noon.

Driving north along to Solas ( the site of the main shop - the 'Co-op of Sollas') 2 Short eared Owls hunted near the road, the first of many sightings.

SEO

In the afternoon we walked around Aird an Runair, the famous seawatching spot. What a place. A rocky penninsular out into the atlantic ocean, it must be fantastic here when birds are moving. Today they weren't.
On the shore were lots of Sanderling, Dunlin and Turnstone and nearby, a first summer Glaucous Gull.

Glaucous Gull

Many waders stood guard over chicks in every field, Redshank, Lapwing and Oystercatchers everywhere. Wheatears flitted between the rocks as Meadow Pipits and Skylarks displayed and sang over head.
Eiders and Arctic Terns were common but a Sparrowhawk surprised me a bit, there are hardly any trees here. A Red Admiral flew around the nettles outside the information centre.

After the walk, it was time to check out the famous 'committee road' for raptors. The sun was shining now so they might be keen to get on the wing. First up, a ringtail Hen Harrier crossed the road while a Short eared Owl hunted nearby. 2 Buzzards soared above. Further down back on the main road, at Griminish, a watch had been set up on a Golden Eagle nest. 2 adults were sat nearby and the chick could be seen. Most amazing was the fact that the nest was on the ground, sat atop a small hill of heather.

2 Ravens and a Golden Plover were in the coastal fields.

Back in the house for the evening watching 'Springwatch', a male Hen Harrier flew just over the road hunting the field opposite. What a bird to get from inside the living room! It was mobbed away without success. As darkness fell at 11pm, 5 Corncrakes were still calling....

Its 'cat' here.

The Excavations, taken on my phone.

For a change I decided to head out early for the half hour drive north to Holy Island. At this time of year with an easterly breeze, and rain yesterday, its as good a place as any. I was hoping for a Red backed Shrike or Rosefinch maybe?  Alas, 'the best laid plans' and all that meant that it was not to be. All I could find in the way of avian migrants were singles of Tree Pipit, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff. There would have been more in our village.

Well, at least the sun was shining, so I turned my face downwards to see if there were any inverts or plants of note. As I left the Excavations, above, this caterpillar was feeding on a dwarf or creeping willow right at my feet. Immediately I knew this was a new one for me and I recall someone posting a similar image on Twitter earlier this week - a Dark Tussock moth. Quite scarce in Northumberland with a disjointed distribution being found either on upland moors feeding on heather or down in the dunes on these low willows. A funky little chap with a badger patterned mohican 'do' it was quite easy to confirm when I got home.

Dark Tussock moth caterpillar

Garden Tiger caterpillar

I also located a few Garden Tiger cats, 1 Burnet Moth cat and one or two Drinker Moth caterpillars for good measure.

Fledglings...

A family of 5 fledged Tree Sparrows hunted around our lawn this evening, catching unseen invertebrates. One juvvy was a bit more sinister and seemed intent in pulling out my sweet peas. Thats him on the right.

Its great to have them breeding in my nest boxes again. No doubt there'll be more of them to come over the summer as they have up to 3 broods in a season...

Funny little moth...

This was a new one for me in the trap the other night...I think it is Nematopogon swarziellus. Use that as your password!

Shut eye...

Its not often we see butterflies going to roost but this evening I stumbled upon two Orange Tips only inches away from each other sleeping on Ribwort Plantain flowers...

While looking I found this caterpillar on a nearby Cow Parsley. It was quite large say 3 inches maybe and looks like a geometer of some sort... Any ideas gratefully received.

A right motley crew here...

All quiet on the bird front this weekend. I went up to the Long Nanny on the off chance the yellowshank was still there but no joy. Other than that, I've just been pottering around the garden. The variety of life just around the house is amazing, if you  just take time to look...

Whitethroat, Newton Pool

Skylark, Long Nanny.

A few insects associated with the moth trap this weekend too -

Peach Blossom

Flame Shoulder

Lunar Thorn

Woodlouse Spider

Both of these Ladybirds are variations of 10-spot Ladybird

Tree Wasp, eating our garden seat....for nest pulp.

Small Rodents....

As you may have seen earlier, we have a small mammal table near our bird feeders where we feed at least 2 Bank Voles and 2 Wood Mice. Tonight I have just been watching two of each getting stuck in...

I had to crank up the iso on the camera as the light is going  but you can see the visitors. The Wood Mice fed on the top level approximately 12 inches above the lower log frequented by the Bank Voles...In fact the scene is pretty much like looking at both of these photos like this -

Woodchat....

A late posting of the Druridge Woodchat from a couple of weeks ago...
There has been some comments that since getting the new camera, there have been very few sketches on here. Point taken. As the bird was miles away, here is a quick scribble.....

Legged it....

A trip up to the land beyond the Long Nanny this morning for the Beadnell Lesser Yellowlegs was a failure, the said target having continued onward migration yesterday.

It was a cool breezy day, today, but at least the rain mostly stayed away. After gazing at an empty flash, devoid of birds for 10 minutes, we headed over the the tern colony on the shore for a look. Hundreds of Arctic Terns were pairing up, but only 4 Little Terns were present. A dark phase Arctic Skua was a nice bird to get in the spring here as it hunted off Beadnell harbour.

I'm not sure what this fish is, maybe a Sand Smelt or a fry of some sort? Some had sandeels too...

Also here ,a steady passage north of hirundines with a few Swifts, 1 Yellow Wagtail north, 7 summer plumaged Dunlin and a female Wheatear.

Next stop, the Tin Church and Pool.

Straight away a Lesser Whitethroat was heard singing from the scrub, along with 2 Common Whitethroats and a Willow Warbler.

Lesser Whitethroat in the open briefly.

 The scrapes were as empty as I've ever seen them, with only 1 Teal, 2 Shelduck and 2 Gadwall. The pool wasn't much different, but a Reed Warbler ( or two) singing over the far side was noteworthy.

As the sun came out and the temperature rose slightly, a few insects emerged in the pool willows including 1 Orange Tip, 3+ Green veined Whites and a few hoverflies that remain to be identified. Celery-leaved Buttercup was in flower in the damp areas.

Green Nettle Weevil

Possibly Brassy Willow Beetle?

Dipped.

As news of a singing Western Bonelli's Warbler at Newbiggin was released, I was soon in the car and away, not knowing that my potential British tick had already gone. Well, not to worry there'll be another, and as a consolation, a self found Common Crane, flying south wasn't too bad.

Back home, a new visitor to the feeders today had me scratching my head...

At first, this Redpoll, a first summer male, looked like a Mealy when on the feeders. It had pale braces, and was quite large, but later scrutiny makes me think its just a Lesser now. Smaller bill, brownish tone etc. It will be going down in the notes as 'Redpoll 1fs' and thats that. Please excuse the pics, like the Lesser Whitethroat below, they're through the kitchen window...

I see that the first Northumberland Woodchat for 20 years has turned up at Druridge this afternoon. No rush for that one having seen the last one found by Dave Elliot at Hadston plus a few more around the country over the years. I'll call in to see if its around on my way to work in the morning...
  

Infested...

Looking from the kitchen window this evening at dusk, 2 Bank Voles and a juv Wood Mouse fed together, right out in the open, often jumping around each other, below our bird table. Watching this scene had me thinking that many people would have been on to the council by now...

 I say the Wood Mouse was a juv as it was physically smaller than the voles, which the adults are not. Weather permitting tomorrow, I'll try and get a photo. I'll need to time it so the light is ok but the birds are going off to roost so they dont frighten my rodent residents...