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nemosia
03-Jun-10, 21:35
Went out at 3 a.m. for a day's birding and had a great day. After 12 fairly leisurely hours I'd recorded 94 species and seen some fantastic birds like a superb male merlin at Westfield. Achvarasdal was productive with a pair of bullfinches, treecreepers feeding newly feldged young and a pair of tawny owls. I hear the owls often enough but seeing them well is a different matter

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i160/nemosia/Caithness/20100603-TO-02.jpg

At Dunnet beach, St. John's and elsewhere the terns seems to be bringing in plenty of sand eels so I'm hopeful they'll have a successful season

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i160/nemosia/Caithness/20100603-AE-01.jpg

And as usual the car proved to be a useful hide to photogrpah roadside birds

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i160/nemosia/Caithness/20100603-SN-03.jpg

and I got to watch otters playing on the banks at Loch More.
highlander
03-Jun-10, 22:49
Fantastic photos, thank-you for posting them
Aaldtimer
04-Jun-10, 03:19
Has that snipe lost a leg?:confused
nemosia
04-Jun-10, 07:17
Has that snipe lost a leg?:confused

Looks like it but here's another shot of the same bird taken a few minutes later.

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i160/nemosia/Caithness/20100603-SN-01.jpg
Kenn
04-Jun-10, 08:20
Good to see a picture of a Tawny Owl, I find that wood both fascinating and irritating, hear the birds but see very few, the woodpecker was doing some great drumming the last time we were there but not so much as a glimpse!
dafi
04-Jun-10, 11:31
94 species....pretty good day! Tawny would have been a lifer for me as well.!!
nemosia
04-Jun-10, 13:50
Good to see a picture of a Tawny Owl, I find that wood both fascinating and irritating, hear the birds but see very few, the woodpecker was doing some great drumming the last time we were there but not so much as a glimpse!

I know what you mean. As for the great spotted woodpecker I've only seen a single female there but it can be very elusive. See it on maybe one in three visits.
nemosia
04-Jun-10, 13:59
94 species....pretty good day! Tawny would have been a lifer for me as well.!!

Hi Dafi,

Yeah, not a bad tally but it could have been better if I'd been going for a big day list. Some dips that could have easily been added with a bit more effort included wheatear, dipper, red-breasted merganser, goldie, barn owl, LEO, SEO and there's always a chance of hen harrier, gadwall, water rail, woodcock, manx shearwater, etc., etc.

My best day list for Caithness is 104 on 03 June 2008. By no means a county record but not bad solo effort.

You should let me know when you're going to be in Caithness and we could try to find a tawny owl for you.

Cheers,
Iain
dafi
04-Jun-10, 14:14
sounds like a plan!!
nemosia
05-Jun-10, 13:18
94 species....pretty good day! Tawny would have been a lifer for me as well.!!

My usually infallible recording system has let me down. I use a digital voice recorder to keep track of what species I've seen but messed up Thursday. At least it was in a positive way as the day list was in fact 99 species seen between 03:10 and 14:11 hrs.

I'd have tried harder for one of the missing 'easy' species if I'd realised but had to get home as I'd promised the OH a roast lamb dinner. I can't believe I didn't see dunnock or wheatear.
kas
08-Jun-10, 17:19
;) Sounds a fantatsic day.

I can so believe you not seeing Dunnock. Do you remember the race one year when my team had no Dunnock or Kestrel. In defence they are pretty skulky

However no wheatear, i do not believe that!! How unlucky and it also robbed you of a nice 100 in total.
Fantatsic photos too. There is something so special about actually seeing Owls rather than a fleeting glance in the headlights or only hearing their hoots.