Well it looks like May 2014 provided some of my best birding ever - and that's after about 40 years of birding to choose from! Here are some of the highlights... Pictures mainly from inland and upland Lothian and Fair Isle...
| Rough-legged Buzzard - found while trying to re-locate the Monties! |
| Male Quail at Aberlady Bay - another find and my first ever view of the species rather than 'heard only record' |
| One of the highlights of the Fair Isle - awesome male 'Caspian' Siberian Stonechat |
| Re-finding the Hermit Thrush very early on its second day |
| Western Subalpine Warbler - another British tick for me on Fair Isle - took several days and a cat to locate it! |
| Fast declining even on Fair Isle - the Arctic Skua |
| Twite - even closer views in the hand for the whole group |
| Puffins a highlight of the Northern Isles trip for most of the group |
| A twitch for Avocets at Musselburgh was interrupted by this hunting Peregrine |
| Black Grouse were splendidly showy this month |
| A southern Golden Plover is presumably a local breeder |
| A brood of Red Grouse provided entertainment in the Lammermuirs |
| Although this Lapwing was far more cute |
| This Stoat killed a Rabbit right in front of me |
| Plenty of views of Redpolls - Common Redpolls in the Northern Isles and Lesser Redpolls like this one in Lothian |
| And, finally, gulls - my best hybrid candidate at Musselburgh - although it could be a pure LBBG (watch this space?) |
Many congrats, a good haul, an interesting one at the end there not quite as attractive as some of the others...
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