Cairngorms road trip, Ospreys fishing, Spoonbills and a surprise herd of Reindeer!

Just got back from a jaunt up to the Cairngorms with my good mate Rob. The weather was less than perfect but it was a great road trip. I did all the driving, Rob all the cooking ... I like driving and he's chef, so it was a good deal! 102 bird species, some interesting flora and mammal species, stunning scenery and good music recorded every night bar one.... so without further ado and less than normal prose from myself  here's the pics!

Pick of the crop was a toss up between 3 majestic Ospreys hunting in tandem over Lochindorb in the rain and 2 Spoonbills at low tide on Findhorn Bay


Osprey_lochindorb, 29/07/15





Osprey_lochindorb, 29/07/15



Osprey_lochindorb, 29/07/15

As well as these 3 over Lochindorb (where we also had a single Black Throated Diver), we had 10 other Ospreys .. they're doing well up here and it seemed to us as if there was at least 1 on nearly every loch!



Spoonbill_Findhorn Bay, 28/07/15

Spoonbills_Findhorn Bay, 28/07/15

Spoonbills_Findhorn Bay, 28/07/15

Hooded Crow_Findhorn Bay, 28/07/15

Grey Heron_Loch Leven, 26/07/15



Orchid species_ Loch Moraigh, 26/07/15

I reckon we were up there at the peak season for wild flowers and a wide variety were in full bloom, not all identified as yet including these orchids .....




Amphibious Bistort_Loch Leven, 26/07/15

Wild Pansy_Loch Moraigh, 26/07/15



Spotted Flycatcher_Cheviots, 25/07/15

Precious few opportunities to photograph smaller birds and I failed woefully to get any decent pics of Crested Tits when about 25 or so suddenly turned up in a tit flock at Abernethy Forest (all too close, fast moving and then they were gone!). The flock also included about 30 Willow Warblers, 10ish Tree Pipits, 3 Treecreepers and 20 Spotted Flycatchers which were pleasingly plentiful throughout the trip .... this one was actually taken on the way up in the Cheviot Hills but it was the best pic!















A few landscapes from the trip and a few of the 'lads' ....



Abernethy Forest



 

Loch Leven

Lochindorb

Lochindorb

Photographing those Spoonbills at Findhorn Bay

 

Playing the Insch Marshes

 On the RSBP reserve at Insch Marshes we came across the perfect place for a bit of outside music and recording. On the elevated platform there we could play and watch the wildlife at the same time and when the rain came the we just moved downstairs and it was almost like being in a recording studio!

Got a single female Marsh Harrier here too - good for Scotland.

Recording at the Insch Marshes



Rob_up in the Cairngorms!

Rob_Wild flower spotting hunting, Loch Moraigh

Around Abernethy



Surrounded by Crested Tits in Abernethy Forest

No Red Deer sightings but plenty of Roes around and the most unexpected mammals were these semi wild Reindeer, a herd of 20 or so including a couple of young 'uns, near to the top of Cairngorm

Reindeer, young stag_Cairngorm, 30/07/15

Reindeer foal running with the pack_Cairngorm, 30/07/15



Roe Deer, Loch Leven

Like I said, and as you can probably gather from some the above, there were precious few 'golden hours' for photography and we had to invest a fair amount of time logged on to local weather forecasts in order to dodge the rain clouds, but this is all part of the fun and we did it successfully and didn't lose a single day to rain.

Sometimes you can try and do too much on a road trip .....I can remember driving right around Scotland many years ago in little over a week ... a great experience but too much of it spent behind the wheel. This was just right but even then we only covered half of the potential sites in the Cairngorms .... we missed out on some key species including Crossbill, Dipper, Ptarmigan and Golden Eagle but 102 species ain't bad for July and for the record here's the list -

1. Red Grouse (Lagopus lagopus scotica)
2. Red-legged Partridge [sp] (Alectoris rufa)
3. Common Pheasant [sp] (Phasianus colchicus)
4. Greylag Goose [sp] (Anser anser)
5. Canada Goose [sp] (Branta Canadensis)
6. Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
7. Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)
8. Gadwall [sp] (Anas strepera)
9. Mallard [sp] (Anas platyrhynchos)
10. Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)
11. Common Teal [sp] (Anas crecca)
12. Common Pochard (Aythya ferina)
13. Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
14. Common Goldeneye [sp] (Bucephala clangula)
15. Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator)
16. Black-throated Diver [sp] (Gavia arctica)
17. Little Grebe [sp] (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
18. Great Crested Grebe [sp] (Podiceps cristatus)
19. Eurasian Spoonbill [sp] (Platalea leucorodia)
20. Grey Heron [sp] (Ardea cinerea)
21. Little Egret [sp] (Egretta garzetta)
22. Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)
23. Great Cormorant [sp] (Phalacrocorax carbo)
24. Common Kestrel [sp] (Falco tinnunculus)
25. Peregrine Falcon [sp] (Falco peregrinus)
26. Osprey [sp] (Pandion haliaetus)
27. Western Marsh Harrier [sp] (Circus aeruginosus)
28. Eurasian Sparrowhawk [sp] (Accipiter nisus)
29. Eurasian Buzzard [sp] (Buteo buteo)
30. Common Moorhen [sp] (Gallinula chloropus)
31. Common Coot [sp] (Fulica atra)
32. Eurasian Oystercatcher [sp] (Haematopus ostralegus)
33. Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
34. Grey Plover [sp] (Pluvialis squatarola)
35. Common Snipe [sp] (Gallinago gallinago)
36. Whimbrel [sp] (Numenius phaeopus)
37. European Curlew (Numenius arquata arquata)
38. Common Redshank [sp] (Tringa totanus)
39. Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)
40. Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)
41. Dunlin [sp] (Calidris alpina)
42. Ruff (Philomachus pugnax)
43. Common Gull (Larus canus canus)
44. Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus)
45. Herring Gull [sp] (Larus argentatus)
46. Lesser Black-backed Gull [sp] (Larus fuscus)
47. Common Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus)
48. Sandwich Tern [sp] (Sterna sandvicensis)
49. Rock Dove [sp] (Columba livia)
50. Woodpigeon [sp] (Columba palumbus)
51. Eurasian Collared Dove [sp] (Streptopelia decaocto)
52. Common Swift [sp] (Apus apus)
53. Great Spotted Woodpecker [sp] (Dendrocopos major)
54. Eurasian Jay [sp] (Garrulus glandarius)
55. Common Magpie [sp] (Pica pica)
56. Eurasian Jackdaw [sp] (Corvus monedula)
57. Rook [sp] (Corvus frugilegus)
58. Carrion Crow [sp] (Corvus corone)
59. Hooded Crow [sp] (Corvus cornix)
60. Common Raven [sp] (Corvus corax)
61. Great Tit [sp] (Parus major)
62. Blue Tit [sp] (Parus caeruleus)
63. Coal Tit [sp] (Parus ater)
64. Crested Tit [sp] (Parus cristatus)
65. Collared Sand Martin [sp] (Riparia riparia)
66. Barn Swallow [sp] (Hirundo rustica)
67. Northern House Martin [sp] (Delichon urbicum)
68. Long-tailed Tit [sp] (Aegithalos caudatus)
69. Eurasian Skylark [sp] (Alauda arvensis)
70. Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus)
71. Willow Warbler [sp] (Phylloscopus trochilus)
72. Common Chiffchaff [sp] (Phylloscopus collybita)
73. Wood Warbler (Phylloscopus sibilatrix)
74. Blackcap [sp] (Sylvia atricapilla)
75. Common Whitethroat [sp] (Sylvia communis)
76. Goldcrest [sp] (Regulus regulus)
77. British Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes indigenus)
78. Eurasian Treecreeper [sp] (Certhia familiaris)
79. European Starling [sp] (Sturnus vulgaris)
80. Eurasian Blackbird [sp] (Turdus merula)
81. Song Thrush [sp] (Turdus philomelos)
82. Mistle Thrush [sp] (Turdus viscivorus)
83. European Robin [sp] (Erithacus rubecula)
84. Common Redstart [sp] (Phoenicurus phoenicurus)
85. Whinchat (Saxicola rubetra)
86. Spotted Flycatcher [sp] (Muscicapa striata)
87. House Sparrow [sp] (Passer domesticus)
88. Dunnock [sp] (Prunella modularis)
89. Yellow Wagtail [sp] (Motacilla flava)
90. Grey Wagtail [sp] (Motacilla cinerea)
91. Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba yarrellii)
92. Meadow Pipit [sp] (Anthus pratensis)
93. Tree Pipit [sp] (Anthus trivialis)
94. Chaffinch [sp] (Fringilla coelebs)
95. European Greenfinch [sp] (Carduelis chloris)
96. Eurasian Siskin (Carduelis spinus)
97. European Goldfinch [sp] (Carduelis carduelis)
98. Common Redpoll [sp] (Carduelis flammea)
99. Common Linnet [autochthona] (Carduelis cannabina autochthona)
100. Eurasian Bullfinch [sp] (Pyrrhula pyrrhula)
101. Yellowhammer [sp] (Emberiza citrinella)
102. Reed Bunting [sp] (Emberiza schoeniclus)



A good wood found, wild flowers in profusion at last, Snipe a drumming, a wet Moors day and a successful Heron watch event

 

Its been a tricky old merry month of May for me. Just like the UK spring this year - stumbling and stuttering into some kind of recognisable swing, I've struggled a bit to get into the rhythms of the season. Some kind of 'hangover' effect maybe from so many unfettered, uncluttered days in Spain maybe, who knows .. I'll not dwell, its not very interesting!



Water Avens, Pocklington Wood, 15/05/15

I found a new wood just outside Pocklington the other day and these lovely Water Avens growing in profusion certainly were of interest as they're relatively uncommon in East Yorks.

Also known as 'drooping' or 'nodding' avens this native wild flower often finds it way into garden borders because of its attractive pinky red blooms and distinctive shape and I must say it photographs really well!

Its got history, like most wild flowers, ...said to be an excellent natural remedy for diarrhoea this one!















Water Avens, Pocklington Wood, 15/05/15





Water Avens, Pocklington Wood, 15/05/15

No need to look up the medicinal and culinary properties of this next wild flower that is currently scenting many of our woodland glades at the moment ... Wild Garlic!



Wild Garlic, Pocklington Wood, 15/05/15

It grows well in the right conditions .. dampish woodland and there were massive carpets of the stuff here, competing for space with equally impressive stands of Bluebells, and in many ways more attractive to my mind ... certainly photographs better!



Wild Garlic, Pocklington Wood, 15/05/15

For the record here's some of the Bluebells, kind of 'de rigueur' to post a pic of the old 'Calverkeys' at this time of year and catch them while you can.... for they'll be gone in a week or so.

 

Bluebells, Pocklington Wood, 15/05/15

 

We're coming up the best time of year for the vast majority of wild flowers and shrubs now and I'm looking forward to the various Orchid species that should be in flower next month. For now though here's another couple of common but attractive flowers currently in bloom ...

Common Bugle, Pocklington Wood, 15/05/15



  

Herb Robert, Pocklington Wood, 15/05/15



  Pretty sure I heard a Spotted Flycatcher here and possibly a distant Stonechat perched in the middle of a rape seed field but nothing conclusive either way. Another nice Common Whitethroat pic managed though and there were maybe 4 pairs in the general vicinity.

 



Common Whitethroat, Pocklington Wood, 15/05/15



 

Earlier in the month during a brief visit to Strensall Common, just outside York I came across a couple of Northern Wheatears on passage. A good record for the site. and always a treat to see these chaps on their way through. Here's a nice pic of the male perched on top of the firing range there.



Northern Wheatear, Strensall Common, 01/05/15



 

Apologies by the way for the uniform 'centering' of text and pics in this post. Another bug in the  BlogSpot site or maybe my limited html skills? Nothing I seem to be able to do about it except stick to the centre ground ... with hindsight something maybe Ed Milliband might have considered? Oooh er -  a bit of politics on timbobagginsabroad! A definite non starter.

 

 

 A planned trip up to the North Yorks Moors last weekend in the great company of messrs Robin Marrs and Mark Paine was blighted somewhat by the weather but hey we chilled well and explored many moorland nooks, valleys and car parks. Although the light was dismal nearly all day, 2 Fulmars gliding inland over Gorse bushes at Ravenscar, briefly illuminated as they were by watery late afternoon sunshine, has my vote as the best picture I never took this month award. Live long in the memory though!

 

A few nice captures of Sand Martins, maybe 60 or so, feeding across a nearby cliff top pond partially made up for that however. This is the best of the crop

 

 



 with this one a distant 2nd ....such a shame the weather gods didn't shine on us that day.

 

 

 

 ..... a cheeky Nuthatch at Forge Valley that has probably been photographed thousands of times and from a thousand better angles was my only other half decent pic of the day.

 

 



A flock of Crossbills at Ellerburn Bank were my first in years and rumours of  Hen Harriers speculating and making the odd appearance again over the heather all added to a memorable Moors experience.

 

A few more random pictures from my May so far. The Spring courtship flight and sound of displaying Common Snipe is as unique as it gets in the bird world... the strange, eerie and sometimes nocturnal 'drumming' sound and whirring flight of these game birds has even led some folk to believe that it is the sound of alien spacecraft about to land!

 

Broad daylight on Thornton Ings in the Lower Derwent Valley and here is proof that these noises are earthbound birds with vibrating tails! Not a particularly clear shot but you can clearly see the detached outer tail feathers that act like wind vanes and produce that totally weird sound as they career up, down and around in the skies above their breeding sites.

Snipe a drumming, Thornton Ings, 13/05/15

 

  

Even more random .... here's a rare bird. Me working! This was at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park (Bretton Lakes) and the annual Heron Watch event where more than 600 passers by had the opportunity to watch nesting Grey Herons. All pics courtesy of Carole Tidball. Great event, lots of interest (surprising how many people didn't even realise that herons nest in trees!), and 11 sign ups for Yorkshire Wildlife Trust by yours truly - some effort in just 5 hrs!

 

 

Into Portugal, Tavira and back into Spain for the 'Bonanza' experience... displaying Booted Eagles, Spoonbills and Kites plus new migrants

My last 2 or 3 weeks here and the journey back north through Spain starts with a journey into Portugal to pick up my buddy Mark from Faro airport. Slightly dodgy start with a police fine of 30 euros for parking where I shouldn't have at the airport but great to catch up and have some company and banter along the way.

Tavira and Castro Marim being the obvious destinations before heading back into Spain and the salt pans of Sanlucar de Barremeda & Bonanza.

Spotted Redshank, Tavira (12th March 2015)

Tavira is part and parcel Algarve, part tourist, part good estuarine birding, always a good spot for waders with  Redshank, Whimbrel, Curlew, Dunlin, Sanderling, Little Stint, Ringed & Little Ringed Plovers  all in good numbers plus a good Spotted Redshank and another first for the trip ..  those legendary travellers - Bar Tailed Godwits.



Bar Tailed Godwits, Tavira

Whimbrel, Tavira (12th March 2015)

Sandwich Tern, Tavira

We searched in vain for a different tern species and did get a few Caspian Terns but in the main it was Sandwich Terns that were passing.

Further east towards the Spanish border a failed attempt to access the Castro Marim parc natural because of roadworks and diversions, took us instead to the fishing village of Villareal de Santa Antonio where we saw 100s of passing Gannets, some of them no doubt bound for UK breeding grounds, a few Great Skuas and some Pallid Swifts in off the sea.















Of human interest here were the activities of the many local shellfishers ... stretching as far as the eye could sea across the shallow estuary. One of the few times my 400m lens has come out for a landscape pic!


Shellfishers of Villareal de Santa Antonio

Nice place for a boat too .....

Villareal de San Antonio

The saltpans of Sanlucar/ Bonanza and the adjacent forests of parcel pine (or algeida) are old and favourite haunts of mine and Mark's. They make up the part of the mighty Donana reserve on the other side of the Guadalquiver river and although only a relatively short distance along the coast from where we were in Portugal, to get there involves a drive all the way to Sevilla and then down the other side of the river - 3 hrs!

 

 

 

On yer bike Mark! Bonanza

 

 

 

 

 

 

Worth it though. The weather was hot, the birds plentiful and Mark discovered he quite liked riding around on my bike!

 

 

So much to see here as always .... skies full of displaying Booted Eagles, Storks and migrant Black Kites, nesting Grey Herons and Spoonbills, flocks of Night Herons and to cap it all off 3 new migrants - Subalpine Warbler,a single Willow Warbler amongst the many wintering Chiffchaffs and 1 singing Nightingale.

 

 

Nesting Spoonbills, Bonanza, 16/03/15



White Storks nest building, Bonanza, 16/03/15



Black Kite overhead, Bonanza, 16/03/15



Black Kite, Bonanza, 16/03/15



Black Stork, Bonanza, 16/03/15



Willow Warbler, Bonanza, 16/03/15

 

 

Tricky to convey the majesty of displaying Booted Eagles in a hot blue sky but here's a pair circling together - a dark phase female and a light phase male.



Booted Eagle display flight

.... and the same male performing, soaring up, curling himself into a ball and then diving down in an almost vertical stoop before repeating in a series of looping soars and dives. Pretty awesome to see, the first time I've managed to photograph the event and these pics don't do the show any justice at all!

 

 

Booted Eagle display flight

 

 

 

 

 

Narcissus (wild daffodil), Bonanza, 16/03/15

Spring flowers like these Narcissus or wild Daffodil look as if they've been out for a week or so, in fact some seem to have 'gone over'

The other flower is Halimium, a kind of rock rose and a flowering shrub that dominates and covers the scrubland in places with gorgeous yellow blooms.

Halimium, Bonanza, 16/03/15



We searched in vain, as we always do, for a Western 'British' type Yellow Wagtail on passage but all seen, and there were a lot, were all of the Blue headed race. Jolly nice to see flitting about everywhere though!



Yellow Wagtail (Iberian / Blue headed), Bonanza, 16/03/15



Night Herons, Bonanza, 16/03/15 ... not the best of pics but never seen a flock this big!

 

 

Other good birds seen here but not photographed included Long Eared and Tawny Owl, Purple Swamphen, Osprey, 20 or so Marsh Harriers, Ruff, Tree & Spanish Sparrows and Calandra Larks.

 

Onto Extramudra next and our first point of call will be the plains of Serena, the biggest area of uncultivated land in Western Europe!