Where have all the geese gone?!

A solitary Ringed Plover foraged among the rocks on the West Beach near The Nairn Golf Course early this afternoon.  I don't see too many of these around Nairn: if any more are out there please let me know.

As usual there was a small flock of Eider Ducks on the waves just off shore, among the Cormorants and Gulls.

Where do all the geese go when the snow comes?  The Pinkfoot have made their way from Iceland and Greenland to avoid the cold and snow, only to struggle to find grazing lands around Nairn after our early onset of winter.  Many pass through Nairn on their way down to the central belt and lowlands; some moving on to East Anglia in England.  But with the whole of the East Coast of England swathed on snow, where do they go?  Unfortunately I don't have the answer!  Are they still grazing on the farmlands around here?  If anyone knows, please let us all know.

One last point: I'm on the look out for Snow Buntings and Purple Sandpipers - both showing themselves around this time.  The former are sparrow sized buntings, with lots of white; abundant on the Cairngorms - many to be seen in the car park.  Last year they were all over gorse around the beach, and on the harbour wall.  The Purple Sandpipers are normally seen on the rocky shores of the West Beach.  These are small upstanding and dark birds, about half the size of a Redshank.  Again, please let me know when you see them.

Seamus

Pink Footed Geese are back already!

About 2,000 Pink Foot were spotted by the A96 at The Enterprise Park at Forres. Someone reported this to me earlier today, so I can’t verify the sighting just yet. I will hopefully get over there sometime in the week. Once the geese start to arrive, our fields will be full of them; as will our skies. Let me know if you see them first?

Strath Conon, snow and Teal

On Monday we wanted to make the most of the sunshine so we drove out along one of the single track roads along Strath Conon, north east of Inverness. We were not disappointed. The sun was shining and the snow was glistening on the mountains and roadside – but remarkably the road was perfectly clear!

At least 10 Red Kites were soaring in the thermals along the A862 toward Ullapool, and two more were spotted way out at the furthest east end of the road, which shows they are spreading their wings far afield. Many, many Buzzards were also enjoying the warmth in the air, and they could also be seen on telegraph poles, trees and fence posts.

In the River Conon, near Marybank, in one of the few spots where the river flowed unobstructed by the ice, we spotted four Golden Eye (2M and 2F) and in the field alongside there were three fieldfare and 70 chaffinches darting between the field and the trees. I was also surprised to see 15 Mallard all together in the river; I normally see them in smaller groups.

When we reached Beauly we were treated to a field full of Greylag Geese (approx 150) and 80 Whooper Swans, as well as 12 Pink Footed Geese, just south of the visitors centre.

As we approached Inverness the firth was full of waders: at least 40 Bar Tailed Godwits, 30 Curlew, 12 Widgeon, 5 Redshanks, loads of Heron – and three Lapwing (of which we have seen very few this year) and our first Teal – 80 of them!

All these birds, great views – and a picnic to boot! A lovely day in the hills of this beautiful country.

Séamus