Oban - 9th - 16th August 2025

 After our week in Anstruther, Jayne and I drove across to Oban, to meet up with the rest of the family. Whilst there, in between the touristy bits, we managed to add 3 new bird species to the "Year List", a new butterfly for the year and add a new species of butterfly and mammal to the Life Lists.

The 3 new birds were: Greenshank (190), when 2 were spotted on the loch near our holiday home, Black Guillemot (191); 2 birds in and around Oban harbour and Manx Shearwater (192), with a flock of c20 seen from the ferry, whilst crossing over to Mull.

Black Guillemot (moulting into winter plumage)

The new species of butterfly was a Scotch Argus, that flew past us on the beach (!) and landed, very briefly, hence the awful photo, on Ganavan Sands, Oban.

Scotch Argus

The other butterfly species seen were: Red Admiral, Green-veined White and Grayling (seen on Isle of Luing).

Grayling

Other species seen, whilst up there were: Common Buzzard, Raven (3 over the Isle of Luing and over the holiday accommodation), Hooded Crow (no longer on the Year List since being  "lumped" back with Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Turnstone, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Gannet, Kittiwake, Herring, Common, Lesser Black-backed and Great Black-backed Gulls, Stonechat, Swallow, House Martin (nesting on our holiday home), Starling, a single Skua species (probably Arctic), seen harrying the terns (probably Arctic as well) on the ferry to Mull and some "pigeons" that could possibly be Rock Doves (seen on the Isle of Luing).

Hooded Crow

Mammal wise, we spent an enjoyable few hours out with the Heart of Argyl Wildlife Organisation in the Knapdale Forest on a "Beaver Walk", where we managed to watch an adult beaver swim the entire length of the Loch of Barnluasgan!!

European Beaver

Whilst on the ferry across to Mull, we saw a small pod of approximately 6 Common Dolphins (no photos unfortunately). The final animal of note, was a single Red Squirrel, seen disappearing into the bushes!

Cornwall Gulls

Jayne and I have just had a couple of weeks in Cornwall. Whilst there, we managed to see a few birds, including a couple of old friends (Herring Gulls), one "year tick" and 2 new darvic-ringed Great Black-backed Gulls.

The familiar birds were two Herring Gulls that we saw in St Ives on 6th August. The gulls, W:186 and W:195, have both been seen in previous visits to Cornwall, having been ringed there in 17th June 2014 and 26th June 2014 respectively. 

W:186

W:195

The new birds, two Great Black-backed Gulls, were both spotted in and around Looe. The first one, L:AY6, was seen on two occasions (30th July and 12th August) in the harbour area. It had been ringed, as a pullus, on Looe Island, on 20th July 2012, and had been reported in and around the harbour ever since. My sighting was the first since June 2020.

L:AY6 (12th August 2021)

The second gull, L:BB6, was spotted on rocks on Hannafore Point, opposite Looe Island, on 9th August 2021. It too had been ringed on Looe Island, as a pullus, on 24th June 2013. This bird had travelled a little further than the harbour, having been seen in Dawlish Warren, Devon, in 2016 and 2017, before returning to Looe Island to breed. My record was the first since 2019.

L:BB6

The new bird was a Manx Shearwater, seen flying past St Ives Island, on 6th August.

Year List update:

161 - Manx Shearwater

Wales 2020

 Jayne and I have just a couple of weeks in Wales, staying in Tenby. It was a family holiday, but we also saw a few nice bits of wildlife, including 5 "year ticks": Rock Pipit, Shag, Sandwich Tern, Manx Shearwater and Chough.

The Rock Pipits and Sandwich Terns (14), were seen in and around Tenby, whilst the Chough (4 birds) were seen about 2 miles out of the town on a headland opposite Caldy Island and the Shag and Manx Shearwaters (100s!!) were seen on a boat trip out of St David's. 

I also had my first Beautiful Demoiselle of the year on the river by St David's cathedral.

As expected, there were lots of Herring Gulls in and around the town, including a metal ringed bird, GC60771, that had been ringed on Caldy Island, 6km away, as a nestling, on 1st June 2010.

Herring Gull, GC6077

Year List update:

153 – Rock Pipit

154 – Sandwich Tern

155 – Chough

156 - Shag

157 – Manx Shearwater

Little Bustard - LIFER!

News of a Little Bustard in West Yorkshire broke earlier this week. As it is a lifer, I thought I'd drive up to see it today. When I arrived, it had gone into hiding, but, after an hour and a half it decided to come out again, and put on a good show for the next hour. It never came nearer than about 200m, but I managed great 'scope views. Here are a couple of heavily cropped photos.

Little Bustard

Since my last Year List update, I've also added another 4 "year ticks" along with the Bustard. The first, Manx Shearwater, was seen on a boat trip in Cornwall. The Curlew Sandpiper and Bearded Tit were seen whilst visiting Rye Harbour last week, and the Chough (a Derbyshire tick), was seen on Monday.

Year List update:
184 – Manx Shearwater
185 – Curlew Sandpiper
186 - Bearded Tit
187 – Chough
188  - Little Bustard

Year List Update - a Lifer!!

On Tuesday, Jayne and I spent 4 hours on a wildlife watching boat trip with AK Wildlife Cruises in Falmouth Bay. The trip was aimed mainly at cetaceans, but obviously, birds were also seen, including, as the title suggests, a lifer for me!

The first wildlife seen was Grey Mullet, with dozens of these fish feeding in the shallow water around the marina. As we set out on the water, we saw Herring and Black-headed Gulls. Mediterranean Gulls were also seen, including several juvenile birds. Other birds seen during the trip were: Fulmar (1), Razorbill (2; 1 adult and a juvenile), Peregrine Falcon (1 juvenile), Little Egret (1), Gannet, Whimbrel (1), Manx Shearwater ( 50+) and Storm Petrel (2) - a LIFER1!!

Manx Shearwater

The marine mammals were playing a little harder to get, but we did manage to get great views of several Grey Seals that were hauled out on the rocks. We also saw several Harbour Porpoises (perhaps up to 10 individuals), including adults and juveniles. They were very difficult to photograph, but I did manage a few shots.

Harbour Porpoises

Year List update:
176 – Manx Shearwater
177 - Whimbrel
178 – Storm Petrel

Cornwall news

Hi there. Just got back from a lovely two weeks in sunny Cornwall, so here's a short post about some of the things I've seen.

First news is that whilst away I managed to add a few more species to the "Year List".

143 – Little Egret

144 – Common Sandpiper
145 – Whimbrel
146 – Mediterranean Gull
147 – Manx Shearwater
148 – Sandwich Tern

Most of the new additions were from the RSPB's  Hayle Estuary reserve. Little Egret were seen on all visits, usually around about 5 birds, 2 Common Sandpipers were seen on most visits and around 4 Whimbrel were feeding with 70+ Curlew.

Whimbrel

There were at least 3 Mediterranean Gulls (2 moulting adults and 1 juvenile bird), usually seen in the high tide roost.

Mediterranean Gull

Away from the reserve the Manx Shearwaters were seen daily flying past "The Island" in St Ives  with hundreds of Gannets and the Sandwich Terns were seen fishing around the causeway at St Michael's Mount in Penzance.

In addition to the birds I also managed a couple of new butterflies and moths; Garden Tiger Moth and Dark Green Fritillary.