Fulmars at Skara Brae

This pair of Fulmars has taken up residence on Skara Brae, Orkney. Hopefully visitors will be informed about their oil-spitting antics before approaching too closely for photos...

Wryneck a-Hoy!

Not sure quite how, but this Wryneck was a Scottish first for me - a nice self-find last week at Rackwick, Hoy, Orkney while on a trip with work. A Red-backed Shrike at Scatness, Shetland, the following day was also a Scottish tick. So despite years of flogging along the Lothian coast I can bump into a couple of decent migrants without even trying on the Northern Isles. Just wished I'd connected with the male Rustic Bunting at Sumburgh the following day... Ah well, just have to find one locally!

Merlins in flight

Some grab shots of a couple of different Merlins in flight. These falcons are not easy to photograph as they tend to disappear so quickly. I like the shot above, despite its lack of focus and poor exposure, as for me it captures the essence of the species as it dashes over open habitat.

Whimbrel at Spike Island, Tyninghame

Well, I am not sure that I got the exposure quite right on this one... still not really used to the new lens. On the other hand, this shot does evoke that lovely call of the Whimbrel - a real sign that it is migration time along the Lothian coast.

Not quite what I hoped

The weather has conspired to ensure the weekend has been about as migrant-free as possible in Lothian, which is slightly galling after reports all week of interesting birds along the coast. A family day out included exciting close-up views of Red Grouse and Grey Partridge right next to car in Johnscleugh as well as a stunning aerial display from the territorial Lapwing. Before heading into Borders I had hoped to tick off a Ring Ouzel at Faseny to make up for last week's miss. An extraordinarily intense hail and snow shower put paid to that idea. The rest of the day was very pleasant - exploring Duns, Coldingham and St Abb's. Plenty of seabirds around but I had hoped to combine family fun with, maybe, a Wryneck, or at least a smattering of migrant chats and warblers. Not a sausage.

Yesterday, here's something that could have got the pulse going, but it was clearly a Common Buzzard with a dodgy tail from the beginning. Sadly...

Here is what I wish it had been! Black Kite photographed in the south of France last summer.

Corn Bunting, North Uist

Just a shot of the only Corn Bunting that I saw in the Western Isles this year. A male (presumably!) singing at Balranald RSPB right next to the footpath to the beach. Sadly, given its declining numbers, I guess it might not be long until this is no longer a breeding species in Scotland. On the other hand, I heard a Nuthatch again in the Hermitage on my way to work this morning, something that has only been possible for the last couple of years.

Seeking Southerlies

I had some time available for birding this weekend. Walking home from work on Friday this Blackcap in the Hermitage seemed to herald a hot migrant-filled weekend. A quick look at the synoptic charts soon put paid to that hope.

Instead, I decided that, since the weather patterns were set against a deluge of migrants, I would try to mop up some of my many missing Lothian year ticks. I popped into Blindwells on Saturday morning and added House Martin and Grasshopper Warbler. Several dog walkers seemed to be encouraging their pets down to the waters edge unfortunately so any hope of Garganey seemed unlikely. At Ferny Ness I failed to pick up any Red-necked Grebes but a quick stop at Seton had me jamming into two Brent Geese - I have missed this species in the county several times over the last few years so this species definitely felt like a bonus. At the latter site Sandwich Terns were much in evidence - some species at least are able to battle the headwind.

Today I birded a few of the sites further east, but it was hard work in the cold conditions with scant reward. An early start at Spike Island produced 4 Whimbrel. Returning to the car a Brambling lifted my spirits. At Scoughall I studied the gulls following the potato planting but could not pick out anything unusual so had to content myself with a seawatch to add Puffin and Guillemot to the tally. Three smaller terns passing northwards turned out to be Arctic Terns - another species I missed out on seeing in the county lasyt year.

I then headed to Barns Ness for a quick look for the Wryneck seen on Friday. No joy although it was seen later in the afternoon apparently. Up to Johnscleugh for a moorland route home - not exactly a short-cut, but a good plan to notch up Red Grouse, Common Sandpiper and (below) Red-legged Partridge. The Ring Ouzels will have to wait another day as I ran out of time before I could head to Faseny. All in all an enjoyable tour.

Glossy Iceland

  Silhouettes: Glossy Ibis and Iceland Gull on North Uist.

Juvenile Glaucous Gulls on Berneray

 
West Beach on Berneray must be one of the most spectacular beaches in Britain - in fact it is so beautiful that it was once used to illustrate a Thai holiday brochure. Of course, the temperature does not reach that of steamy South East Asia and, as if to emphasise the point, a couple of juvenile Glaucous Gulls were parading around close to a stranded seal carcass. On size and head-shape I would suggest the larger bird above is a male and the bird below a female.

These birds were heavily bleached and in a quick flight view of their patchy upperparts I think I might have identified them as 3CY rather than 2CY. Up close their bare parts seem to confirm the younger age class. Though, since these are the first Glaucs I have clapped eyes on in several years I am not claiming any expertise...

Carrion Crow vs Shore Crab: fight, fight, fight!

If you have ever wondered who would win in a fight between a Carrion Crow and a Shore Crab then here is your answer. Unsurprisingly, it is the intelligent, adaptable, avian predator-scavenger that comes out on top.

Photographed at Barns Ness in East Lothian last Sunday morning, this crow carefully manipulated this female crab onto its back and then twisted its tail off. After swallowing the tail the crow continued foraging, leaving the hapless crab to scuttle off, possibly mortally wounded.

I was left wondering whether the crab would survive, whether the crow had been hoping for an egg-mass under the crab's tail, whether the handling costs of dealing with the rest of this meal were just too high for the crow, or whether this behaviour would benefit the crow by eliminating a competitor from its patch.


Reaching for Birds of the Western Palearctic I find that crabs are not even listed as a food source for the Carrion Crow - the only Crustacea mentioned are woodlice and crayfish. Presumably there were no published studies of the diet of shoreline crows, as I am sure crabs would feature regularly. Certainly having been fortunate enough to have been working on BWP at the time Volume VIII was written and I can certainly vouch for the thoroughness of the research.