Small birds, a frog and a cow!

Hello

Last few images from Scotland are as below...

An interesting ringing recovery relates to a young Goldfinch caught and ringed by Chris Payne at Greens Norton in October 2017 which was then seen in the field and the ring details read (somehow!) at Nogent-sur-Vernisson in the Loiret region of France (south of Paris) in March this year. The distance between the two locations is 550km with the bird having travelled in a SSE direction and with a period of 153 days duration between the two data sets.

It would be tempting to suggest that this Goldfinch was on its way south and stopped of at Chris's garden for a food stop and subsequently wintered in the south of France or even into Iberia and was on it's way back when sighted in early spring. Many British Goldfinches now winter in the UK, assisted with the provision of niger and sunflower feeders, but traditionally they often left the UK and wintered in Portugal and Spain.

Bethan and Jacob noted two Yellow-legged Gulls in the small and recently-formed gull roost at Pitsford Reservoir this evening...

Regards

Neil M

Lesser Redpoll.

Sedge Warbler.

Common Frog.

Highland Moo!

Whitethroat (and fence)!

Twite (and fence)!

Chaffinch.

More West Highlands images

Hello

Some more images from the Ardnamurchan Peninsular and the Treshnish Isles from May this year...

Regards

Neil M

Grey Heron.

Razorbill.

'Bridled' Common Guillemot.

Puffin

Shag.

Twite.

Pine Marten.

Grasshopper Warbler.

More images from the West Highlands

Hello

Some time spent at Harrington Airfield this morning provided views of Turtle Dove and a reasonable number of Linnets, Whitethroats and Willow Warblers which included juvenile birds. Of the butterflies, Small Copper and Marbled White were probably the best.

With numerous trips away this spring I am still formatting images and the following come from two weeks in May when I was fortunate to again be on the Ardnamurchan Peninsular on the west side of Scotland, from which we undertook a couple of boat trips on the Hebridean Sea to the Treshnish Islands...

Regards

Neil M

Juvenile Song Thrush.

A standard sheep fence is
no real obstacle for a Red Deer!

Kittiwake.

Otter with prey.

Treecreeper.

Adult Song Thrush.

Turnstone.

Red Deer.

More ringing recoveries

Hello

Two Turtle Doves were still present at Harrington Airfield this afternoon and at Pitsford Reservoir the Spotted Flycatchers by the Fishing Lodge now have youngsters. Autumnal birds by the Sailing Club this afternoon included two adult Common Gulls and there was also two Yellow-legged Gulls (adult and an early juvenile).

Three ringing recoveries have been received as follows:-

1. An adult male Black-headed Gull was ringed in Germany at a place called Inseln Bohmke und Werder on 21st May 2017 and was then seen in the field at Pitsford Reservoir by Dave Jackson on 19th January this year;

2. A juvenile Reed Warbler was ringed at Stanford Reservoir on 31st July 2015 and this bird was trapped in a mist net at Stortons Pits on 24th June this year when identified as an adult male. 1059 days elapsed between the two captures and although the two sites are only 24km from each other this bird will have travelled to and wintered somewhere in Africa during the last three winters;

3. An adult Collared Dove was caught and ringed at Greens Norton on 1st April 2014 and was found freshly dead at Greens Norton on 14th June this year. In stark contrast to the Reed Warbler, it is likely that the dove rarely left Greens Norton during the last four years!

Regards

Neil M

The Black-headed Gull
as seen and photographed
by Dave Jackson.

More images from Norway

Hello

A few more images from the trip to Norway last month...

Regards

Neil M

Male Whinchat.

Moskenes, Lofoten Isles.

Kittiwake.

Common Gull.

Preening Magpie.

Hooded Crow.

Bluethroat.

Oystercatcher and Fieldfare
on fish drying racks.

Fishing boat and gulls.

Sperm Whale.

Arctic Skua.

Puffin.