19th November 2000 Woods behind Grantown on Spey Golf Course (Aachlan Forest), 8am - 10am

Pink-footed Goose c.750 on drive south through Ayrshire

Greylag Goose c.50
Capercaillie 1 male stood facing us on track ‘frozen’ for c.5 minutes - superb. Large decurved yellowish-green bill. Large black head with powerful ‘bull-necked’ appearance. Red eyebrow. Obvious white ‘landing lights’ on forewing. Greyish belly, brownish wings. ‘Thick’ grey legs. It eventually flew showing long rounded tail in flight. We then flushed 2 birds with poor flight views obtained as they flew away from us ‘through the woodland’.
Crested Tit 2
Treecreeper 2
Raven 1

18th November 2000 South Gare, Cleveland 7.45am - 8.30am. Hopeman Harbour, Moray 3.00pm - 4pm. Overcast and quite windy at Hopeman. Some snow laying whilst en-route

Pink-footed Goose c.250

Greylag Goose c.100
Eider c.20
STELLER’S EIDER 1 fem - Grey bill, pale ‘face with hint of dark line behind eye at certain angles, dark spot at rear of crown, pale eye-ring. Otherwise dar with dark blue speculum bordered either side by white. Mottled breast. At 4pm it flew out purposefully into theFirth - white underwings and very pot-bellied appearance. Accompanying Long-tailed Ducks until its departure on its own. UK470.
Long-tailed Duck c.20
Goldeney c.6
Red-breasted Merganser 2
Desert Lesser Whitethroat 1 Very drab bird with black ear-coverts not extending onto the lores. No white supercilium. Sullied underparts lacking brilliant white appearance. Upperparts pale brownish. Dropped into tussock to feed at one stage otherwise seen low in bushes.
Firecrest 1 South Gare

6th November 2000 North Uist. Cloudy with breeze increasing

Greylag Goose c.25

Wigeon c.50
Teal c.5
Tufted Duck c.10
Buzzard c.5
Golden Eagle 1 seen distantly from ferry along sea cliffs on Skye.
Spotted Redshank 1
Greenshank 2
Guillemot c.12
Collared Dove c.10
Ring Ouzel 1
Redwing c.20
Hooded Crow c.10
Raven c.5
Twite 1 feeding around Lochmaddy gardens
Reed Bunting 2

5th November 2000 North Uist, Benbecula and South Uist. Calm but cloudy

Great Northern Diver 1

Whooper Swan c.15
Greylag Goose c.150
Brent Goose 1 accompanying Greylags
Wigeon c.100
American Wigeon 1 drake in poor plumage. Larger than Wigeon with baldplate more obvious at some angles than others.
Tufted Duck c.25
Eider c.10
Red-breasted Merganser c.25
Hen Harrier 1
Buzzard c.10
Golden Eagle 4 - one close adult complete with golden nape being seen
Merlin 1
Peregrine 1
Moorhen 2
Coot c.20
Spotted Redshank 2
Greenshank c.4
Wren c.4
Redwing c.250
Chiffchaff 1
Hooded Crow c.20
Raven c.10
Twite 1
Reed Bunting 2

Otter 4 (2 pairs - one pair in sea others in a loch)

4th November 2000 North Uist, Benbecula and South Uist. Calm and sunny

Little Grebe 1
Shag c.5
Mute Swan c.15
Whooper Swan c.15
Greylag Goose c.25
Wigeon c.25
Mallard c.2
Tufted Duck c.25
White-tailed Eagle 1 adult over ridge whilst watching the Long-tailed Shrike.
Hen Harrier 1
Buzzard c.10
Merlin 1
Spotted Redshank 2
Bonxie 1
Guillemot c.20
Black Guillemot c.5
Wren 1
Redwing c.100
LONG-TAILED SHRIKE 1 ex. first winter - grey crown, black mask and across forehead. White supercilium virtually restricted to over large dark eye. Large black bill, grey at base of lower mandible. Black legs. Buff scapulars with grey mantle. Retained juvenile coverts and tertials with broad pale fringes forming wingbar across greater coverts. Long tail being buff on underside - some wear. Buff flanks. Some scaling on sides of upper breast. UK469.
Hooded Crow c.20
Raven c.10

Long-tailed Shrike on South Uist (Paul Hackett)