Andy Williams
@pelagicbirder.bsky.social
Former Marine Ecologist. Amateur naturalist and birder. Hobbyist drummer. Trying to learn Spanish. No politics, No religion. #Seabirds #Highlandbirds #Birdingscotland #ASD
1st day return pelagic this autumn on the Ullapool- Stornoway crossing: Circa 10 Minkes, 8-10 Risso's Dolphins, c120 Common Dolphins, 1 Storm petrel, 5 Sooty shears, 1 Pom skua, 5 Arctic skuas. #Highlandbirds #Cetaceans #Seabirds
That peachy birding moment when a distant soaring raptor comes ever closer and lower and you realise it's a cracking Honey Buzzard! #Highlandbirds
I rarely botanise - mostly due to looking at birds but I saw my first Scottish Primrose this week. I had no idea they are so wee. Grass of Parnassus was also a good find. #wildflower #Scotland
Hardly been any suitable weather for #Butterflies for weeks, so it was nice to see my first of the year Small PB Fritillaries on the wing today.
Wonderfully cryptic Ringed Plover chick- my eyes and the camera struggled to focus on it. #Waders #Highlandbirds
Totally cream crackered driving home today so took an hour out to sit in the sun and watch the world fly past. #Highlandbirds
Golden Plover - very handsome birds (Chick photo through windscreen so no photo awards incoming 😁). #Highlandbirds #Waders
Driving home today took me past the Brora Woodchat Shrike- it would have been rude not to! Only my second in Highland. A super bird found by a visiting birder. Many thanks to @deanmacaskill.bsky.social for getting me onto the bird with ease- there was a lot of habitat to cover! #Highlandbirds
Harsh light and heat haze but I saw my first ever LRP in Highland today- scarce birds up here and a long overdue county tick. #Waders #Highlandbirds
Still very cold in the hills but nice to see some waders slowly returning to the uplands- plus a bonus Mountain hare still in a winter coat. #Highlandbirds #Waders #Mammals
Last few days has seen arrivals of Ospreys with a few Wheatears and 1 singing Willow Warbler. Today I also saw 3 Common Sandpipers and several Sandwich Terns. Plenty of Pinkfeet are still loitering in the cold, damp conditions. Spring continues to arrive with a whimper. #Highlandbirds
Harsh winter birding conditions continue in the NW Highlands. A couple of LBBG's, a few Meadow pipits and Pied wagtails the only birds obviously fresh in. Checked through the flock of c50 Common Eiders and can report #NoKings - IYKYK. 😉 #Highlandbirds
Family visit in Cornwall so a chance to visit an old patch. Great to see Firecrests on/setting up territory with several males chasing each other around and giving occasional bursts of song whilst watched by two females. #Cornwallbirds #Kernow #Helston
Decided to do a count of the Scaup flock (80) at Alturlie bay near Inverness with @almcnee52.bsky.social and noticed a Great Crested grebe amongst them- still a good, scarce bird up here. #Highlandbirds
Distant grubby photo of my first Egyptian goose in Scotland. Bonus Marsh Harrier in baltic, breezy conditions and a superb adult drake Smew made for a good birding day. #BirdingScotland
Context is everything in birding- I barely broke my stride observing 4 White-tailed Eagles today- then frantically grabbed my camera for this Magpie- still a very scarce bird in the NW Highlands and a real treat to see one! #Highlandbirds
Low light, distant photo that doesn't do the Gairloch Bonaparte's gull justice. (My first in the Highland recording area). Scope views were fine, with a bonus Iceland gull in the melee. With @skyebirdsbob.bsky.social #Highlandbirds
