Zim Girl's 7th Big Year 2024

[Zim Girl]

There were lots of Stonechat families on the lower slopes.

 

UK 121.  European Stonechat

Juvenile

Male

Glen Quoich, Forest of Mar

 

[Zim Girl]

Always have to visit the local Ospreys.

 

UK 122.  Osprey

 

 

 

[Zim Girl]

As well as these beautiful birds, no youngsters this time that we could see.

 

UK 123.  Slavonian Grebe

 

[Zim Girl]

Last year we managed to find a BT Diver on Loch Morlich and this year thanks to a tip-off from a local birder we did the same.  We had three visits and found it each time but this last one on the day we left was the best (although still very far away for my camera).

 

UK 124.  Black-throated Diver

Loch Morlich

 

[Zim Girl]

We didn't get Ring Ouzel last year and given the weather conditions up at the Ski centre, which is usually the easiest place to find them, we got up early on the least windy day and just got a fleeting look at one before it flew off.  We tried a couple more times but couldn't find them again.

 

UK 125.  Ring Ouzel

Cairn Gorm Ski Centre

[Zim Girl]

This one is another lifer.  We had reports of a small flock of Snow Geese in fields not too far from Nethy Bridge, where we were staying.  They were very distant but we were able to find a small pull in from the A95 to see them.  They only stayed a couple of days.

 

UK 126.  Snow Goose

Boat of Garten

 

[Zim Girl]

Now the next two are definitely in the ebc category, especially the 2nd one.  We had been looking hard for Tree Pipits, Crossbills and Crested Tits in the forests.  Merlin told us this was a Tree Pipit so I am taking it's word for it.

 

UK 127.  Tree Pipit

Glen Quoich, Forest of Mar

 

[Zim Girl]

I wouldn't normally post anything this awful, but we spent a long time looking for Crossbills and only heard them a couple of times.  This one one was way across the Glen and I didn't realise I had even got a picture as we had been looking at a bigger bird . If you close one eye and squint you may be able to see the resemblance or you can just take my word for it 

 

UK 128.  Crossbill

.

Glen Quoich

 

Edited June 19 by Zim Girl

[Zim Girl]

Now, this one is almost up there with the Ptarmigan as top lifer of the year, but it was a very lucky find.  We were up on the Lecht snow road (A939) on the way towards Braemar.  As we were driving I saw a big bird flopping around in the heather by the side of the road.  I couldn't see what it was until we got past it and then saw it's face, an owl.  

I asked Adrian very quietly and calmly to turn the car around (NOT ).  Luckily we were right near the Ski centre so had room to manoeuvre, and even more lucky it was still there when we went back.  It had sat up now and was looking right at me.  Only a Long-eared Owl, we have never seen one before and now we had one right in front of us.  It was a bit bedraggled from being in the wet grass.

 

UK 129.  Long-eared Owl

Lecht Ski Centre

 

[Zim Girl]

So we missed on Snow Buntings, Crested Tits and Dotterel this time.  We heard the Cresties a couple of times in and around the Abernethy forest areas but they were far too high up for photos.

A couple of duplicates.

 

Meadow Pipit with lunch

Lochindorb

Dipper with lunch

Nethy Bridge

 

Some of the furrier wildlife seen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Zim Girl]

On the way home we dropped by the Argaty Red Kite Centre at Doune.  We were too early for the feeding sessions but just went on the off chance we might see a red kite and also because we had read they often see yellowhammers there.  They were right.

 

UK 130.  Yellowhammer

 

 

 

 

 

[Zim Girl]

Finishing this batch on another ebc I am afraid.  We searched for the Red Kites but only saw one perched in the distant trees, again I wouldn't normally bother with a picture this bad but we went out of our way to try and find it so it's going in.

 

UK 131.  Red Kite

[TonyQ]

What a wonderful selection of birds from the HIghlands. The Ptarmigan and the Long-eared Owl are real stars - and beautifully photographed (we have never seen a Long-eared Owl, and nor a Ptarmigan in the UK!)

We stayed in Nethy Bridge when we visited this area - a nice little village we thought. (We really must return)

You are building an excellent UK total this year

[Kitsafari]

Congrats on the lifers!

[PeterHG]

Such a great batch of additions, with enviable lifers like Ptarmigan, Long-eared owl and even a whole flock of Snow Geese!. And I agree with @TonyQ, beautifully photographed.

[Zim Girl]

21 hours ago, TonyQ said:

What a wonderful selection of birds from the HIghlands. The Ptarmigan and the Long-eared Owl are real stars - and beautifully photographed (we have never seen a Long-eared Owl, and nor a Ptarmigan in the UK!)

We stayed in Nethy Bridge when we visited this area - a nice little village we thought. (We really must return)

You are building an excellent UK total this year

Thank you Tony.  We were really, really pleased with the Ptarmigan and LE Owl. I don't think I stopped talking about the owl until we reached Braemar, and getting the Ptarmigan meant we didn't have to endure the bad weather going up Cairn Gorm.

This is our third visit to the Nethy Bridge area, just such a good location, we love it.

 

Thank you @Kitsafari and @PeterHG.

[Galana]

Good to see your success with birds and lifers.

For me Cairngorm is losing its attractions despite some success.

Just shows how bad the weather must be for you to score Snowgeese in June.

[michael-ibk]

Congrats on your lifers Angie, your post about you unable to stop talking about the Owl made me smile. Non-birders will never understand the tremendous joy of finding a long-sought lifer!

[Zim Girl]

21 hours ago, Galana said:

Good to see your success with birds and lifers.

For me Cairngorm is losing its attractions despite some success.

Just shows how bad the weather must be for you to score Snowgeese in June.

Thanks @Galana.  We loved the Cairngorms as walkers before we became birders so it has a lot to appeal to us.  Highly likely we will go back again next year.

 

15 hours ago, michael-ibk said:

Congrats on your lifers Angie, your post about you unable to stop talking about the Owl made me smile. Non-birders will never understand the tremendous joy of finding a long-sought lifer!

Oh I know.  You should have heard the whole conversation in the car about getting turned around and back before it disappeared 

[Peter Connan]

Persistence really paying off here! If the weather was as bad as it looks, I wouldn't have ventured out of the house at all except to collect more firewood!

[Zim Girl]

3 hours ago, Peter Connan said:

Persistence really paying off here! If the weather was as bad as it looks, I wouldn't have ventured out of the house at all except to collect more firewood!

I am afraid you have to get used to it living in the UK, Peter.  That said, today it is hot and sunny and glorious!

[Zim Girl]

On the way back from Scotland we dropped into the estuary hides at Leighton Moss and picked up another couple of birds.

This one is actually another lifer, mainly because I usually struggle to tell the difference between black-tailed and bar-tailed at distance.  No problem with these as I had a very nice birder chap letting me look through his scope to confirm.

 

UK 132.  Bar-tailed Godwit  (in foreground)

RSPB Leighton Moss  -  15/06/24

 

[Zim Girl]

As you can see in the background of the previous picture, there were also a lot of Knot as well.

 

UK 133.  Red Knot

RSPB Leighton Moss  -  15/06/24

 

[Zim Girl]

Earlier in the year we failed to get sand martin as they hadn't returned to their usual breeding spot, so we had to find somewhere else.  The local wildlife trust has a reserve south of us that has an artificial bank with nest holes especially for sand martins. We went there to have a look.

It was being used but is quite far away so I had to wait for one to fly past.

 

UK 134.  Sand Martin

Brockholes Reserve  -  05/06/24

 

[Zim Girl]

The last few are from home.

 

UK 135.  Coal Tit

Back garden  -  29/04/24