WHAT a week!

[Kenn]

Synchronised swimming shell duck style!

[Kenn]

This has to be the largest juvenile gull I have ever seen, it dwarfed the herring gulls and seemed to have no fear as I know it can't be an albatross, I'm guessing the offspring of a Black Backed gull, there were some of the later around the entrance to Thurso river at the time.

[Kenn]

Having spent ten minutes trying to get a decent shot amongst the beach pebbles , just as I was about to abandon the subject he flew onto the fence post, just wish all birds would be so obliging.

[Kenn]

This could most probably have done with a tweek but it shows off the lovely subtle green on the males. Love was in the air too with their soft calls, think the snow showers put paid to that though.

[Kenn]

Spotted this small duck at Scrabster but it was obviously shy as it would not show me it's face.

[Kenn]

What an amazing week we had, flocks of greylags all over the county, buzzards every where, curlews,plovers,snipe,redshanks,golden eyes,mallards,teal,great northern diver,oyster catchers in their droves,fulmars,rock pippets, eiders,bullfinches,great tits,blue tits,herons,sparrow hawks,dunlins,swans to name but a few.
Can any one confirm that there are linnets in the county, we saw several small birds with a pinkish/red speckled breast?
Finally for now has any one else seem the raptors just as you come to The Kessock Bridge on the north side? There were a pair being mobbed by the local avian residents and they had very distinctive wedge shaped tails that I would only associate with kites.
Any answers would be much appreciated, will post some more photos later.

[sprint95m]

Spotted this small duck at Scrabster but it was obviously shy as it would not show me it's face.

Black guillemot (in adult plumage).

[sprint95m]

Can any one confirm that there are linnets in the county, we saw several small birds with a pinkish/red speckled breast?

Linnets do occur in Caithness.

[Kenn]

Thank you sprint95m for the info, much appreciated.

[nemosia]

This has to be the largest juvenile gull I have ever seen, it dwarfed the herring gulls and seemed to have no fear as I know it can't be an albatross, I'm guessing the offspring of a Black Backed gull, there were some of the later around the entrance to Thurso river at the time.

Hi Lizz,

This is a 1st winter Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus) a scarce winter visitor to the UK. More than 80% of the UK records are of 1st winter birds like this one.

Iain

[inorg]

Thank you for all the information so far,well no wonder I did n't recognise the gull,have only ever lived in the south.Delighted that some one could identfy the monster and that it's not been roosting too close to Dounreay.

[Kenn]

Are these turnstones or ringed plovers? They were cleaning small pieces of fish off the spread net.

[Kenn]

These too were at Scrabster, there was a group of 3 adults and what looked like a juvenile.

[Rheghead]

These too were at Scrabster, there was a group of 3 adults and what looked like a juvenile.

They look more like Great northern divers to me, great set of photos btw

[Kenn]

Thanks rheghead do northern divers fish in the same way as cormorants? Have some other pics so will take a closer look, this group had been fishing for a while and then as the sun came out they tucked their beaks under wings and just drifted.

[Kenn]

[IMG]http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i316/kenliz/Ccormorant.jpg[/IMG]

[Kenn]

[Kenn]

Nearly frooze to death on the side of Wick river but finally managed to capture the male.

[nemosia]

Are these turnstones or ringed plovers? They were cleaning small pieces of fish off the spread net.

Hi Lizz, They are turnstones.

Iain

[Kenn]

Thanks Nemosia, they were real skittish so had to use a long zoom to get any kind of picture.