Birding North Unst: 2016

Saturday, 31 December 2016

31st December 2016 Dungeness Overcast

An overcast grey day to see the much-discussed 'grey' first-winter female Stonechat that DNA re-analysis has identified as a Common Stonechat. It proved mobile but we watched it for 90 minutes or so. A visit to the RSPB reserve produced the drake Ring-necked Duck and the returning Long-eared Owl again wintering behind the Dipping Pond. A drive to the point and in the first roadside flock of Gulls encountered an argentatus Herring Gull was immediately obvious and it took JFC just a couple of minutes to pick out a first-winter Caspian Gull. On our way back past Scotney we noticed Matt and Paula who were watching a pair of displaying Bewick's Swans that soon took flight heading towards Dungeness.

First-winter female Common Stonechat at Dungeness

Drake Ring-necked Duck at Dungeness RSPB

Long-eared Owl at the Dipping Pond

argentatus Herring Gull at Dungeness (JFC)

First-winter Caspian Gull at Dungeness

Pair of Bewick's Swans at Scotney

For daily species lists from Thailand in November 2015 with some images see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/29th-november-2015-khao-yai.html

For daily species lists from Thailand in November 2014 with some images see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/27th-november-2014-lam-pak-bia-sandspit.html

For daily species lists from Taiwan in November 2013 with some images see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/2013_11_01_archive.html

For daily species lists from Cyprus in April 2013 with some images see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/11th-april-2013-cape-greco-s1-clear.html

For daily species lists from Hegura-jima in October 2012 with some images see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/29th-september-2012-hegura-jima-wsw2.html

For daily species lists for a winter trip to Japan in February 2012 with some images see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/1st-march-2012-rausu.html

For daily species lists from Pt. Pelee in May 2011 with some images see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/1st-may-2011-pt-pelee.html

For daily species lists from Hegura-jima in November 2010 with some images see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/171010-hegura-jima-japan.html

For daily species lists from Hegura-jima in September 2009 with some images see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/2009/09/21st-september-2009-hegura-jima.html

For daily species lists from Hegura-jima in May 2009 with some images see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/2009/05/10th-may-2009-waijima-japan.html

For daily species lists for a trans-Pacific crossing Japan, Russia, Alaska to Vancouver in April 2008 with some images see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/2008/04/20th-april-2008-kobe.html

For a trip report for India in December 2005 with some scanned slides see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/2005/12/india-171205-8106.html

For a trip report for Hawaii in December 2004 with some scanned slides see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/2004/12/hawaii-111204-311204.html

For a trip report for Qinghai, China in June 2004 (no images added yet) see:
http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/2004/06/16604-14704-qinghai-china.html

For a trip report for New Caledonia and Australia in December 2003 with some scanned slides see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/2003/12/6603-311213-australia-new-caledonia.html

For a trip report for south-east Brazil in June 2003 (no images added yet) see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/2003/06/26603-19703-south-east-brazil.html

For a trip report of a week's birding in winter in California in January 2003 with some scanned slides see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/2002/12/california-301202-6103.html

For a trip report for southeast Australia in December 2002 with some scanned slides see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/2002/12/southeast-australia-71202-301202.html

For a trip report for Sulawesi & Halmahera, Indonesia in May 2002 (no images) see:
http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/2002/05/25502-15602-sulawesi-halmahera-indonesia.html

For a trip report for Ecuador in December 2001 with some scanned slides see:
http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/2001/12/ecuador-13-th-december-2001-to-4-th.html

For a trip report for Chile in October 2001 (no images added yet) see:
http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/2001/10/311001-241101-chile.html

For a trip report for New Zealand in December 2000 (no images added yet) see:
http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/2000/12/101200-6101-new-zealand.html

For a trip report for Papua New Guinea in June 2000 (no images added yet) see:
http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/2000/06/27600-25700-papua-new-guinea.html

For a trip report for Western Australia in December 1999 (no images added yet) see:
http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/1999/12/71299-12100-western-australia.html

For a trip report combining three trips to Thailand in March 1992, February 1999 and May 1999 (no images added yet) see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/1992/03/thailand-19392-4492.html

For a trip report for Madagascar in July 1998 with some images see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/1998/07/15798-to-31798-madagascar.html

For a trip report for Singapore and Malaysia in April 1998 (no images added yet) see:
http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/1998/04/10498-4598-singapore-malaysia.html

For a trip report for Singapore & Darwin, Australia in July 1997 with some scanned slides see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/1997/07/167-3897-singapore-darwin-australia.html

For a trip report on the Langtang & Goisankund treks, Nepal in April 1997 (no images added yet) see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/1997/04/26497-17597-langtang-goisankund-trek.html

For a trip report on India in February 1997 (no images added yet) see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/1997/02/14297-22297-india.html

For a trip report for Peru in October 1996 (no images added yet) see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/1996/10/peru-101096-281096.html

For a trip report for Jamaica in July 1996 (no images added yet) see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/1996/07/8796-22796-jamaica.html

For a trip report for The Philippines in March 1996 (no images added yet) see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/1996/03/31st-march-to-14th-april-1996.html

For a trip report for Argentina in February 1995 (no images added yet) see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/1995/02/11295-4395-argentina.html

For a trip report for Kenya in July 1994 (no images added yet) see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/1994/07/8794-24794-kenya.html

For a trip report for Ecuador in February 1994 (no images added yet) see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/1994/02/7294-1394-ecuador.html

For a trip report for Sabah, Borneo in July 1993 (no images added yet) see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/1993/06/20693-10793-sabah-borneo.html

For a trip report for the Falklands, Antarctica, Tierra del Fuego and south-east Brazil in January 1993 (no images added yet) see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/1993/01/7193-26193-antarctica-chile-argentina.html

For a trip report combining three trips to Thailand in March 1992, February 1999 and May 1999 (no images added yet) see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/1992/03/thailand-19392-4492.html

For a trip report to Venezuela in March 1991 (no images added yet) see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/1991/03/1731991-6491-venezuela.html

For a trip report to South Africa in November 1990 (no images added yet) see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/1990/11/41190-241190-south-africa.html

For a trip report to Costa Rica in February 1990 (no images added yet) see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/1990/02/19290-8390-costa-rica.html

For a trip report to Nepal in January 1989 (no images added yet) see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/1989/01/1189-28189-nepal.html

For a trip report to Singapore & southern Malaysia in August 1988 (no images added yet) see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/1988/08/22888-4988-singapore-southern-malaysia.html

For a trip report to Florida in June 1987 (no images added yet) see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/1987/06/23687-11787-florida.html

For a trip report to The Gambia in April 1987 (no images added yet) see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/1987/04/15487-22487-gambia.html

For a trip report to California & Arizona in August 1986 (no images added yet) see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/1986/08/2886-29886-california-arizona.html

For a trip report to Texas in March 1985 (no images added yet) see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/1985/03/29385-20485-texas.html

For a trip report to Washington DC, USA in August 1984 (no images added yet) see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/1984/08/11884-24884-washington-dc-usa.html

For a trip report to Israel in March 1983 (no images added yet) see:

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/1983/03/27383-10483-israel.html

Saturday, 17 December 2016

17th December 2016 Barr Loch

A stop at Lochwinnoch RSPB proved worthwhile as it coincided with a young birder named Michael relocating the drake Hooded Merganser there. Whilst distant and proving elusive that made a pleasant change for the species concerned! There were also a few Goosanders and Whooper Swans present. We were then made very welcome by Al and Paula at Hoylake.

Drake Hooded Merganser at Barr Loch, Lochwinnoch RSPB

Sunday, 11 December 2016

11th December 2016 Unst Calm

Loch of Cliff played host to a single female-type Scaup and a there was a Great Northern Diver off Burrafirth and a juvenile Glaucous Gull flew south. A Purple Sandpiper was on the beach at Skaw and a Blue Fulmar was seen on the cliffs at Lamba Ness.

Adult Great Northern Diver at Burrafirth

Juvenile Glaucous Gull at Burrafirth

Purple Sandpiper at Skaw

Blue Fulmar at Lamba Ness

10th December 2016 Unst

After a very enjoyable day spent with Mark seeing a Woodcock and Water Rail at Sandgarth I planted 26 Willows in the garden before walking to Valyie and back seeing a Great Northern Diver, an overflying juvenile Glaucous Gull, the Brambling, 4 Chaffinches and a small flock of Twite.

Juvenile Glaucous Gull over Norwick

Monday, 5 December 2016

5th December 2016 Yell Calm

Set off to work on Yell but the ferry was going via Fetlar due to maintenance on one of the two ferries so giving a chance to sail through the Bluemull Sound producing a Great Northern Diver, some smart Long-tailed Ducks and a flock of Eider that images revealed included the returning drake Surf Scoter. After a short morning at work it was lunch 'half an hour' when fortuitously met Jim Nangle at Mid Yell who said he'd just left the 4 Humpback Whales just a 5 minute drive away at Aywick although they'd swam south out of view. After a quick drive, first stop was White Wife where saw a Humpback swimming towards Gossabrough. Another short drive from where all four were visible and could even hear them blowing - brilliant! Mark called to fix a Christmas meal that seemed surreal whilst we were both out enjoying the warm December sunshine on Shetland! Jim then text to say there was a Goosander near Gutcher that later managed to see in the 'evening' halflight proving to be a nice drake.