Monday 16 June 2014

TUB Tours: Speyside Tour Scotland 2014

Earlier in the month I led a tour for just one client around Speyside and Black Isle, fairly nearby north of Inverness. The idea was for him to clean up on the Scottish specialities. Seeing as it was early June we had missed our golden opportunities to see Capercaille and lekking Black Grouse. Added to that, the weather during our five day stay wasn't the best. But despite the disadvantages we still managed to bag over 100 species including beauties like Ring Ouzel, Ptarmigan and Dotterel.

We dipped on Crested Tit (although we may have heard them) and Scottish Crossbill. We based ourselves at the famous Grant Arms Hotel in Grantown-on-Spey near Aviemore and Loch Garten.

One of our favourite spots was Lochindorb, a large loch some 10 miles away from the hotel. We found some interesting birds there like a lone Pink-footed Goose amongst the hundreds of Greylags, Merlin, Redpolls and best of all a hunting Hobby one evening - a scarce bird this far north.

A great time was had on this trip. Come and join me next year!
 Lochindorb - our local patch
 Families of Greylags on Lochindorb
 The gorgeous Loch Morlich in the Cairngorms
 A male Ring Ouzel on the Cairngorms
 The house that has the best view in the world!
 Dippers
 Female Yellowhammer
 Male Yellowhammer
 Red Grouse
Slavonian Grebe

Species list

Black-throated Diver
Great Crested Grebe
Slavonian Grebe
Little Grebe
Cormorant
Shag
Grey Heron
Mute Swan
Pink-footed Goose
Greylag
Canada Goose
Shelduck
Mallard
Gadwall
Wigeon
Pochard
Tufted Duck
Eider
Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
Osprey
Buzzard
Sparrowhawk
Kestrel
Hobby
Peregrine
Merlin
Red Grouse
Ptarmigan
Red-legged Partridge
Pheasant
Moorhen
Coot
Oystercatcher
Ringed Plover
Dotterel
Lapwing
Dunlin
Common Sandpiper
Redshank
((Greenshank))
Curlew
Black-tailed Godwit
Woodcock
Snipe
Black-headed Gull
Common Gull
Herring Gull
Lesser Black-back
Great Black-back
Common Tern
Sandwich Tern
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
Cuckoo
Swift
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Skylark
Sand Martin
Swallow
House Martin
Meadow Pipit
Tree Pipit
Pied Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
Dipper
Wren
Dunnock
Robin
Wheatear
Stonechat
Song Thrush
Mistle Thrush
Blackbird
Ring Ouzel
((Blackcap))
Whitethroat
Sedge Warbler
Willow Warbler
Chiffchaff
Goldcrest
Spotted Flycatcher
Great Tit
Coal Tit
Blue Tit
Long-tailed Tit
Treecreeper
Magpie
Jay
Jackdaw
Rook
Carrion Crow
Hooded Crow
Raven
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Redpoll
Goldfinch
Greenfinch
Bullfinch
Reed Bunting
Yellowhammer

106 species

((heard))


Sunday 1 June 2014

TUB Tours 2014 Serbia Spring Tour - final count

A fabulous time was had by all in what is rapidly becoming one of my favourite countries. Serbia has some amazing wildlife and the locals are pretty amenable too. But the single thing I love the most about the country are its owls.

I can't wait for the winter tour in December 2014
 Female Ural Owl in her hollow stump nest site
 Out of the nest but keeping a watchful eye
 Barred Warbler
 Purple Heron
 Syrian Woodpecker
 Long-eared Owl
 Spotted Flycatchers

White Wagtail


Spring Tour Bird List 17-24 May 2014

Great Crested Grebe
Black-necked Grebe
((Little Grebe))
Pygmy Cormorant
Great Cormorant
((Bittern))
Little Bittern
Night Heron
Squacco Heron
Little Egret
Great Egret
Grey Heron
Purple Heron
White Stork
Black Stork
Spoonbill
Mute Swan
Mallard
Gadwall
Garganey
Pochard
Tufted Duck
Ferruginous Duck
Goldeneye
White-tailed Eagle
Lesser Spotted Eagle
Short-toed Eagle
Marsh Harrier
Long-legged Buzzard
Common Buzzard
Honey Buzzard
Sparrowhawk
Goshawk
Kestrel
Red-footed Falcon
Hobby
Peregrine
Moorhen
Coot
Pheasant
Avocet
Black-winged Stilt
Lapwing
Redshank
Greenshank
Black-headed Gull
Little Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
Black Tern
Whiskered Tern
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove 
Turtle Dove
Cuckoo
Ural Owl
Long-eared Owl
((Tawny Owl))
Little Owl
Barn Owl
Swift
Hoopoe
Kingfisher
Bee-eater
Roller
Black Woodpecker
((Green Woodpecker))
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Syrian Woodpecker
Middle Spotted Woodpecker
Wryneck
Skylark
Crested Lark
Sand Martin
Swallow
House Martin
Tawny Pipit
White Wagtail
Yellow Wagtail (flavissima, thunbergi & feldegg)
((Robin))
Nightingale
Black Redstart
Wheatear
Whinchat
Stonechat
((Song Thrush))
Blackbird
Barred Warbler
Blackcap
Whitethroat
Lesser Whitethroat
Sedge Warbler
((Savi's Warbler))
Reed Warbler
Marsh Warbler
Great Reed Warbler
Icterine Warbler
Chiffchaff
Wood Warbler
((Wren))
Spotted Flycatcher
Collared Flycatcher
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Marsh Tit
((Long-tailed Tit))
Penduline Tit
Nuthatch
((Short-toed Treecreeper))
Lesser Grey Shrike
Red-backed Shrike
Magpie
Jay
Jackdaw
Rook
Hooded Crow
Raven
Starling
Golden Oriole
House Sparrow
Tree Sparrow
Spanish Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Greenfinch
Serin
Hawfinch
Reed Bunting
Ortolan Bunting
Corn Bunting

129 species

((heard))