TonyQ Big Year 2022 - We go again

[Zim Girl]

Great sightings of the Corncrake and Hen Harriers!

[offshorebirder]

Wow @TonyQ - what marvelous sightings and opportunities to listen to Corncrakes!    That is my most-wanted bird in the world currently.   I had been thinking of pursuing it in Ireland at some point, since better odds of photographing one on the breeding grounds versus wintering grounds in Africa. 

 

But thanks to your post, I have done some Googling about Uist and am contemplating a visit in search of Corncrake and other neat birds.    I see there is a birding and natural history guide available:  https://www.western-isles-wildlife.co.uk/Templates/day_tours_outer_hebrides.html

 

And I would love a chance at a Dotterel!

 

If I decide for sure, I might hit you and others up in the Trip Planning forum for advice about Uist and the Outer Hebrides in general.

Edited July 12, 2022 by offshorebirder

[PeterHG]

Thanks for sharing the video with the sound of the corncrake and you did get some beautiful shots, too! Never seen or heard one myself.

[Dave Williams]

That Corncrake is a stonker! Very envious indeed. Your trip is another advert for Scotland Tony!

[TonyQ]

@Dave Williams@PeterHG@Zim Girl@Galanathank you. We were very excited to see the Corncrake

Thank you @michael-ibk - not long now then

@offshorebirderthank you.We loved Uist. (I will write a short trip report soon)

If you want to see a Dotterel I think you will need to visit the Highlands on the mainland to have a good chance, but I think they can be seen on Uist on passage.

@Galanais an expert on Lewis and other Scottish islands and a number of other members of Safaritalk visit Scotland fairly regularly so I am sure you would get a good response in Trip Planning

 

I will now post the last few birds from Uist (I will post birds from the rest of our trip a little later!)

 

131.UK.131. Great Black-backed Gull  Larus marinus         

North Uist        16.06.22

The largest of our gulls

Edited July 14, 2022 by TonyQ

[TonyQ]

132.UK.132. Red-throated Diver  Gavia stellata       

North Uist        13.06.22

North Uist        13.06.22

This was miles away. A super heavy crop, but identifiable.

We were driving in a fairly remote part of North Uist when we saw a couple of birders at the side of the track with a scope set up.

So we stopped and asked them what they had found, and they kindly gave us a chance to look through teir scope to see this. (we don't have a scope)

We may not be great at spotting birds, but we can spot scopes and long lenses!

[TonyQ]

133.UK.133. Rock Pipit  Anthus petrosus     

South Uist       14.06.22

[TonyQ]

A few duplicates - there were lots of waders visible (all on North Uist)

Dunlin

Oystercatcher

Ringed Plover

[TonyQ]

134.UK.134. Sanderling  Calidris alba          

North Uist        14.06.22

North Uist        14.06.22

Usually we have seen these in Winter, so it was nice to see them in breeding plumage

[TonyQ]

135.UK.135. Stonechat  Saxicola torquata   

(M) North Uist        14.06.22

(F) North Uist        17.06.22

Very common on roadside fences

[TonyQ]

This is the last of the birds from North Uist - and probably my favourite of the trip

 

136.UK.136. Short Eared Owl  Asio flammeus         

North Uist        14.06.22

North Uist        14.06.22

North Uist        14.06.22

I loved watching them hunt over rough pasture of moorland. I think they are really beautiful. I think we saw them every day, often numerous sightings

I had only ever seen one before - fairly distant on Mull - so we were very excited to see them here!

[Tdgraves]

Lovely owls @TonyQ

[michael-ibk]

Fantastic sighting - and photos! 

[Towlersonsafari]

lovely photo's @TonyQits amazing how often you can see Hen harriers and short eared owls on the Uists, and just the sheer abundance of waders!-that corncrake sighting was once in a million!

[Kitsafari]

wonderful owl shots! and very cool sounds from the corncrake.  

[Zim Girl]

Lovely SE Owl pictures - great sighting!

[Galana]

Brilliant SE Owls. My favourite also and a must for every trip to North Uist. The trip just would not be the same without them. It took me the whole week to get a Corncrake this year and I actually thought I was going to dip out. 'Somebody ' had cut the growth down at Corncrake Corner and I never even heard one calling there.

Thanks for showing us your collection.

I am already booked for next year.

[xelas]

The SEO alone is enough reason to revisit North Uist. Fantastic photos!

[TonyQ]

@Tdgraves@Zim Girl@michael-ibk@Kitsafarithank you

@Towlersonsafari@xelasthank you - Uist is a wonderful place for birds

@Galanathank you - we also looked manytimes for Corncrake without seeing them (heard them many more times!)

 

So we move away from Uist, heading to Ardnamurchan on the mainland

 

137.     UK.137. Gannet  Morus bassanus    

Ferry, Uist to Skye      18.06.22

It was very windy so we were indoors on the ferry. This was taken through a not very clean window! A good job Gannets are very distinctive

[TonyQ]

138.     UK.138. Manx Shearwater  Puffinus puffinus   

New bird for us       

Ferry, Skye to Mallaig 18.06.22

Ferry, Skye to Mallaig 18.06.22

Although the sea here was also a little rough, we were able to spend the crossing on deck. Very pleased to see these, but hard to photograph with the rocking movement of the boat. As I mentioned, a lifer for us so naturally a new addition to our UK list

[TonyQ]

139.     UK.139. Great Skua  Catharacta skua          

Kilchoan, Ardnamurchan        19.06.22

We went to Kilchoan to pick up the boat for a trip to the Tresnish Isles

Edited July 18, 2022 by TonyQ

[TonyQ]

140.     UK.140. Fulmar  Fulmarus glacialis  

Lunga, Treshnish Isles           19.06.22

Lunga, Treshnish Isles           19.06.22

[TonyQ]

141.     UK.141. Shag  Phalacrocorax aristotelis       

Lunga, Treshnish Isles           19.06.22

Lunga, Treshnish Isles           19.06.22

At a distance they look a dull black, but close up I think they are really beautiful birds with stunning eyes

[TonyQ]

142.     UK.142. Razorbill  Alca torda

Lunga, Treshnish Isles           19.06.22

[TonyQ]

143.     UK.143.. Kittiwake  Rissa tridactyla  

Lunga, Treshnish Isles           19.06.22