This morning after a brisk dash and back to Skye for a singing Common Rosefinch, the rest of the day was a rather sedate affair, but, up here there's always a surprise waiting to be uncovered. Yesterday, working in the back room, a look out the door revealed a Honey-buzzard drifting up the valley... roll on 24-hours, sitting on the sofa, I noticed a male Honey-buzzard very low down and circling just above the trees. A mad dash outdoors and bingo!
 |
| male Honey-buzzard over the garden |
Sunday proved to provide the perfect conditions for inspecting a new site relatively close to Loch Maree, but still nice to venture somewhere different. Having checked a few areas beforehand (male Whinchat the best), it wasn't until I hit a corridor of ancient pines that the dragons came out in force.
Along a single stretch, I recorded at least eight Azure Hawkers, four Northern Emeralds and two White-faced Darters. Some of the Azures were typically confiding, landing on my paler shirt for extra warmth, or basking on the exposed fence posts.
Having succeeded here, I then briefly checked another area and found a further two Azure Hawkers, plus a few Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries.
http://highlanddragonflytours.com
info@highlanddragonflytours.com
 |
| Azure Hawker feasting on a Large Red Damselfly |
 |
| Azure Hawkers |
 |
| Northern Emerald |
 |
| White-faced Darter |
 |
| Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary |
Having just spent a week in Lancashire, commencing my initial role as Senior Manager for Birdquest, the temptation of a two hour twitch in the completely opposite direction to home proved too much on my 'return' journey on Friday. Needless to say, it was a long eight hours back home!
As I arrived at Conwy RSPB, news broke that the Western Reef Heron had departed its beloved beach and presumably would fly onto the reserve. It thankfully did, not that I saw it arrive, and showed nicely when I eventually reached a hide.
A week prior, I spent much effort in trying to locate some gaps in my Highland yearlist, which inevitably involved hiking up a few munros, but it all came good as Dotterel, Ptarmigan and Ring Ouzel were soon located. The yearlist currently on 193.
 |
| Western Reef Heron at Conwy RSPB |
 |
| Pine Marten |
 |
| Ptarmigan |
 |
| Dotterel |
 |
| Ring Ouzel |
 |
| male Red-breasted Flycatcher |
 |
| a phone photo of the female Honey-buzzard |
A last-minute decision to head to Scotland's NW corner today hoping for a late May surprise. On the drive up a Weasel ran across the road which gave me hope for a morning of surprises.
In the craft village the only migrant of note was a Spotted Flycatcher, while two Cuckoos were making a good racket. Onwards to the marsh which is usually the most exciting part of this area, and proved to be today, as I caught up with the long-staying drake Garganey. A flava-type Yellow Wagtail also flew over... two Highland ticks in very quick succession! Also on the marsh was a Wood Sandpiper, an Arctic Skua and Osprey flew through, and off shore, one of the islands had a good number of Puffins nesting.
A scan of the sea was rewarded with three Risso's Dolphins.
 |
| Willow Warbler |
 |
| drk Garganey |
 |
| Osprey |
 |
| freeze-framed shots of the Risso's Dolphins |
 |
| the marsh at Balnakeil |
 |
| entrance to Balnakeil |
A sad start to the day with hearing about the passing of John F Cooper, a birding legend and the finder of countless Sussex firsts, mostly at Beachy Head, where I first met him in 2005. His last mega find here being the 2015 Short-toed Treecreeper, which was unfortunately one of the final times I saw him out in the field. My thoughts are with Doreen, David, Brenda, and the rest of family.
This afternoon, news of a White-billed Diver on Loch Ness had us rushing down to Fort Augustus where thankfully Emily spotted it hugging the eastern shoreline. Patience proved vital as the bird did eventually come closer. A dark-phase Arctic Skua was a very odd sighting here too!
 |
| an awful phone-bin shot of the male Eastern Subalpine Warbler |