Thursday 31 December 2015

The Patch

In preparation for a new patch year-list starting tomorrow, here are a few pics showing a few of the choice areas on my patch and the patch boundaries - even though it's quite a small patch, it's surrounded by plenty of sea, which is always good for boosting the tally.
The patch boundary
The main areas on the patch - the area that is missing off the map is mainly just rocks and also Horse Island

Sunday 27 December 2015

17 Year Grip Back

After dipping a Mourning Dove on the Hebs in 1999, managed to jam in on the one currently in Lerwick today.

Tuesday 15 December 2015

Aurora

A few pics from last night's aurora, it wasn't really up to much here in south Mainland, but visible enough between cloudy spells.

And a couple more from 8th October...

Sunday 13 December 2015

Pegger

Just sat at home having a lazy Sunday afternoon, when this Peregrine whacks a Lapwing out of the sky right outside the living room window.

Saturday 5 December 2015

OTD

Having been away south for a week, I thought I may as well get something out of the autumn, so headed off to Scalloway for the Oriental Turtle Dove - no effort required as it was perched up in a spruce tree about 5 feet away at head height. Apart from doing not very much in the tree, it did have a brief jaunt down for a quick drink, before heading back up into the tree to sit around again.

Thursday 8 October 2015

Questions

So after 2 days of south-easterly gales and loads of rain, how come there are so few birds about? All that was at Scatness was a load of Redwing and Song Thrushes, a few Blackcaps, a flock of Barnacle Geese and a Kestrel.
Barnacle Geese

Kestrel

Friday 28 August 2015

Waders

A few of the waders from Moast Beach.
Bar-tailed Godwit
Lots of Knot

Thursday 27 August 2015

Icterine

Icterine Warbler in the garden today

Wednesday 25 March 2015

Ketchapuri Lake

Last day in the field before heading back to the UK, so a quick visit to  Ketchapuri Lake about 15 miles away from Yuksom. 2 Vivid Niltava, 3 Black-throated Sunbird, 1 Himalayan Blue Flycatcher, 1 Large Niltava, 2 Oriental Turtle Doves, 2 Fire-breasted Flowerpecker, 2 Chestnut-crowned Warbler, 2 Grey Treepie, 1 Eastern Black Redstart and a Stripe-breasted Woodpecker.
Black-throated Sunbird
Large Niltava
Stripe-breasted Woodpecker
Eastern Black Redstart

Tuesday 24 March 2015

Yuksom Day Four

Another day on the forest trail out of Yuksom - 2 Great Barbet, 2 Oriental Turtle Dove, 6 Spot-winged Grosbeak, 1 White-capped Water Redstart, 2 Little Pied Flycatcher, 1 Black-winged Cuckoo-shrike, 2 Small Niltava, 1 Black-capped Monarch, 1 Himalayan Bulbul, 7 Verditer Flycatcher, 2 Mountain Tailorbird, 1 Pygmy Wren-babbler, 2 Black-throated Sunbird, 1 Golden Spectacled Warbler, 1 Slaty-blue Flycatcher, 2 Broad-billed Warblers, 2 Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike, 4 Oriental White-eye, 6 Short-billed Minivet, 1 Asian Barred Owlet, 1 Large Niltava, 1 Blyth's Leaf Warbler, 1 Long-tailed Thrush, 1 Black Eagle and 4 Robin Accentor - not a bad day, after 13 hours in the field.
Blyth's Leaf Warbler
Black-winged Cuckoo-shrike
Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike
Little Pied Flycatcher
Blue-tailed Jester
Common Leopard

Monday 23 March 2015

Yuksom Day Three

Another day around Yuksom - highlights were 1 Hill Blue Flycatcher, 2 Red-flanked Bluetail, 1 Large Niltava, 2 Small Niltava, 1 Golden-spectacled Warbler, 2 Blue-winged Minla, 10 Chestnut-tailed Minla, 2 Red-tailed Minla, 4 Olive-backed Pipit, 5 Oriental Turtle Dove, 6 Red-billed Leiotherix, 6 Verditer Flycatcher, 1 Siberian Stonechat, 1 Little Pied Flycatcher, 2 White-crowned Water Redstart, 2 Nepal Fulvetta and most stunning of all - a tricolor Long-tailed Shrike.
 
Chestnut-tailed Minla
Little Pied Flycatcher
'tricolor' Long-tailed Shrike
Red-billed Leiotherix
Red-flanked Bluetail
Small Niltava
Siberian Stonechat