Ian suggested a trip northwards for Crested Tit and American Wigeon for Saturday as the weather in that area was far better than almost anywhere else. With time fast running out to add any further species to my year-list it was a definite "yes" from me. We arranged a 0705 start from Perth station which would allow us to reach Loch Garten relatively early in the day and with some luck we could then try a few other places for further additions. Although the American Wigeon hadn't been reported for a while we both suspected it was still likely around Inverness somewhere. A Green Winged Teal at Loch Flemington was also on the 'hopefully still around' list, and there was also a chance at Snow Goose for Ian with one reported near Inverness Airport on Friday.
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| Crested Tit |
I headed out at 0600 and managed to see a Blackbird and some Herring Gulls in the dark as I passed the McManus Galleries on my way to the railway station to catch a replacement bus to Perth. I met Ian (and Kenny, who was a late addition) at the station and off we went northwards. Sitting in the back of the car meant a limited view for me so there wasn't much seen on the way north up the A9 though. We stopped at the community centre at Boat of Garten around 0910 to see if there were any Crested Tits around but drew a blank though there were plenty other 'garden' species around. We arrived at Loch Garten around 1000 and within seconds I'd heard and tracked down a
Crested Tit. There were definitely at least 2 around, and a single gave great views as it fed around the bottom of a tree just a few feet in front of me, allowing me to get some reasonably good photos despite the really poor light (ISO 3200 and still requiring lightening up in processing later).
Kenny somehow managed to miss out on getting any photos of the Crestie but with time against us we decided to move on around 1100. Loch Flemington was our next stop and we found there were plenty birds there but very few Teal and certainly no sign of a Green Winged Teal. Whooper Swan and Tufted Duck were probably the best of the rest. From there we headed for Inverness stopping en route to check out a field of Pink Footed Geese where I found a trio of Barnacle Geese but no sign of any Snow Goose. Two more flocks were seen in fields but with nowhere to stop to scan through them we had to hope there was nothing too good hiding amongst them.
Clachnaharry was our next stop. The American Wigeon had been reported
that morning so we were hopeful that we might find it. However the tide
was out and Wigeon were well scattered along the shoreline. Ian scoped
through them and I scanned with binoculars but we were not having much
luck. A dog off its lead ran out across the mud and seaweed and put up a
load of Wigeon from areas we were unable to view from our position.
These birds thankfully flew closer to us and landed where we could check
them out. In doing so, Ian managed to find the
American Wigeon and we
had our second year-ticks of the day. A few Hooded Crow hybrids (and a
possible non-hybrid?) were also seen. We diverted by a rather wet Findhorn Valley on
the way down the road but Ravens, a Buzzard and a Kestrel were all we
had to show for our efforts there. We made it back to Perth station with
seconds to spare allowing me to I catch a bus back to Dundee, rather than having to wait.
47 Species seen inculding 2 year-ticks (in bold).
Dundee to Boat of Garten - Blackbird, Herring Gull, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Woodpigeon, Rook.
Boat of Garten - Collared Dove, Starling, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Chaffinch, Wren, Greylag Goose.
Boat of Garten to/and Loch Garten -
Crested Tit, Treecreeper, Mistle Thrush, Goldcrest, Goldeneye, Long Tailed Tit, Mallard, Robin.
Mammals - Red Squirrel, Roe Deer.
Dava Moor to/and Loch Flemington - Red Grouse, Buzzard, Pheasant, Wigeon, Mute SwanBlack Headed Gull, Common Gull, Whooper Swan, Teal, Moorhen, Tufted Duck, Kestrel.
Loch Flemington to Inverness - Pied Wagtail, Pink Footed Goose, Barnacle Goose.
Clachnaharry - Grey Heron, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Goldfinch,
American Wigeon, Carrion x Hooded Crow hybrid, Linnet, Great Black Backed Gull, Curlew, Cormorant.
Findhorn Valley - Raven.
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| Treecreeper |
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| Crested Tit |
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| Crested Tit |
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| Coal Tit (bill deformity?) |
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| Red Squirrel |
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| Red Squirrel |
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| Crested Tit |
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| Coal Tit |
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| Crested Tit |
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| Coal Tit |
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| Crested Tit |
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| Crested Tit |
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| Crested Tit |
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| Coal Tit |
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| Treecreeper |
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| Treecreeper |
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| Crested Tit |
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| Wigeon, Common Gull, Moorhen, Teal |
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| Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Wigeon & Tufted Duck |
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| Whooper Swan, Wigeon & Tufted Duck |
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| Pink Footed Goose & Barnacle Goose |
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| Barnacle Goose & Pink Footed Goose |
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| Wigeon, Curlew |
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| Herring Gull, Carrion Crow, Carrion x Hooded Crow hybrids |
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| Teal, Wigeon & Black Headed Gull |
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| Teal, Oystercatcher |
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| Wigeon, American Wigeon, Herring Gull, Oystercatcher |
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| American Wigeon & Wigeon, Oystercatcher |
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| Wigeon & American Wigeon |
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| Buzzard |
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| Raven |
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| Kestrel |
Species seen -
American Wigeon, Barnacle Goose, Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow (also Carrion x Hooded hybrid), Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Cormorant,
Crested Tit, Curlew, Goldcrest, Goldeneye, Goldfinch, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Tit, Grey Heron, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Kestrel, Linnet, Long Tailed Tit, Mallard, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Pink Footed Goose, Raven, Red Grouse, Redshank, Robin, Rook, Starling, Teal, Treecreeper, Tufted Duck, Whooper Swan, Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Mammals seen - Red Squirrel, Roe Deer.
