Hi all
just back from a week in North and South Harris planting trees ! Along the way I managed to spot :-
Raven
Golden Eagle
Meadow Pippit
Rock Pippit
Gannet
Shag
Herring Gull
Common Gull
Pied Wagtail
White Wagtail
Lapwing
Oystercatcher
Curlew
Mallard
Ringed Plover
Sanderling
Tufted Duck
Greylag Goose
Mallard
Great Black Backed Gull
Hooded Crow
I am sure there would be much more to be seen if I'd been purely on birdwatching duties. The wetlands between the machair and the mountain are a great place to watch lapwing display in spring. The beach was good too and gave rise to one main query.
I have placed a (not great) photo of what I id'd as a sanderling on the gallery. Can anyone have a gander and confirm. Whitish unders with soft greys in the uppers, neck and partly on the head. A hint of a grey shoulder band. Black bill and legs.
Also, out to sea that day I saw a large black bird, obviously a sea bird, flying low over the water fairly far out, with rapid powerful wing beats, head and long neck held foward and a definite flash of white on the unders, even toward the neck. No picture unfortunately. The paid circled for a good few minutes over the sea before heading out beyond vision. Any thoughts on this being either a cormorant of great northern diver ? The white under was fairly noticeable, not just a patch, I'd say.
Watching the gannets cruising the waves before rising and plunging at speed was great. The rollers are not quite of surfing quality for humans but it was almost as if the gannets were surfing them at times as they cruised along.
Similarly a couple of large flocks of lapwing rose, with their distinctive flight of flappy wings, and circled round a few times before settling gradually.
It was good to see the continuing health of the raven colony too.
I put on shots of a hoodie and a meadow pippit too.
cheers
Andy