Tarbat Ness - 26th April 2025

It felt promising, but again failed to deliver any goodies, but it was nice to see my first Whimbrel, House Martins and Whitethroats of the season, while offshore were singles of Manx Shearwater and Bonxie, plus six Great Northern Divers were settled on the sea. The usual pod of Bottlenose Dolphins treated me to an acrobatic performance.

I checked a couple of other sites on the peninsula which looked incredibly good for holding migrants so something to look out for in the future. I briefly stopped at Nigg Bay RSPB on my return and two Barnacle Geese were with the Pink-footed Geese, still numbering in their low thousands. Lastly, an Osprey was fishing in the Cromarty Firth at Alness.

Whimbrel

Bottlenose Dolphin

Linnet and Willow Warbler

Small Coppers

Black Grouse - 24th April 2025

It's been an exhausting week, which is not yet over, but it has offered some excellent birding, especially this morning where lekking Black Grouse performed admirably at one of our regular sites on the edge of Caithness. An hour spent with five males and two scuritising females resulted in us watching a pair mating! Viewing from the car was valuable as the birds don't care and it remains warm (for us). 

Also on this site were the repetitive sounds of displaying Greenshanks, Curlews, Golden Plovers and Oystercatchers, whiles in the valleys were our usual pair of Golden Eagle, a Dipper and an Osprey (now my 6th of the spring).

Black Grouse

Osprey

Udale Bay - 21st April 2025

After a decent day at work where I saw two male Hen Harriers, a reeling Grasshopper Warbler and a dozen Black Grouse, after work while Em was busy I visited Udale Bay RSPB where no fewer than eight White Wagtails were present, many Pink-footed Geese (with a Barnacle and White-fronted also mixed in) were lingering in the bay and an Osprey came down with a fish in its talons and proceeded to eat its dinner. Off in the distance was still a respectable number of Scaup, but I didn't drive closer to count.

Yesterday afternoon while sitting in the garden, two Ospreys were out over the River Beauly and in the morning up Strathconon a Tree Pipit and yet another Osprey were seen.

Pink-footed Geese

one of eight White Wagtails

Osprey

Tarbat Ness - 19th April 2025

With it raining until mid-morning, it was nice not to rush over to the east coast, instead, arriving just after 9.30am. A look on the south side of the peninsula leading up to the lighthouse was quiet, although just offshore a small pod of Bottlenose Dolphin were surfacing every now and then. 

With it seemingly quiet all over, I did an hour's seawatch from the point, with my first two Manx Shearwaters, a Great Skua and Sandwich Terns moving north, as did three Red-throated Divers and 35 Common Scoters. I then again concentrated on the scrub and pine plantation, but little to show for any effort. 

A quick look at Portmahomack on my return saw the usual Long-tailed Ducks (now in fine summer plumage) and two Scaup. 

Bottlenose Dolphins

Common Scoter

Yellowhammer

Tarbat Ness lighthouse

The pine plantation, situated perhaps
400m inland from the point... ideal!