Showing posts with label Greater Scaup Bird. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Greater Scaup Bird. Show all posts

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Weekend Birding... 8 Scaup & Rough-Legged Buzzard!

What's that with the Eiders?
3 Scaup and a Tuffed Duck in the South Harbour 
Saturday...
One of each... Scaup, Tuffed Duck & female Eider

Tuffed Duck - 3 Scaup - the middle one has a pointy head like Lesser Scaup but who can say?

On the beach while photographing the Ducks I found this little "Wader" hanging with the Turnstone.
leg colour changes depending on light and shadow


Wing Pattern any help?

Redwing on South Harbour Cliff


Henry & I went down to the lighthouse to feed the fish in the studio.
We saw 2 Blackcaps & a Dunnock on the way, plus Bramblings, Chaffinch, Redwings & Fieldfare.

Henry spots this Snow Bunting just outside the studio tells me to take a photo.
A small flock of about 20 have been hang around the south of the isle for a while now.

 The Skerry Holm Ram


The Girl on Skadan

In the huge tidepool below my Lighthouse Studio I spied 4 more Scaup that flew out to Sea thanks to Henry's loud and excited voice. He saw a Heron and a Sparrowhawk! (Plus a Wigeon) that made 7 Scaup! I thought that might be some sort of a record? To my surprise shortly after on the Scrape I refound our old friend... the Scaup from our pond! OMG! it's alive and well! I watched it leave the pond and saw it was ringed. it even flew! now that's 8 SCAUP in a day! then 2 Owls flew out and around me! Wow! is this cool or what? On Sunday we found our Scaup again on Dave's Pond along the road at Field, It flew off down island as we drove by.

One of the 2 Owls I saw Yesterday... I flushed one from my Garden recently.
I wonder if they are the same two I saw driving to Darts Club Thursday night?
2:30pm and got a call as the sun was setting... Rough-Legged Buzzard in the north high on Ward Hill.
My camera is not nearly as good as my binoculars... consent problem for blogging.
Light was failing plus when it came close I was looking not taking pics.
Stunning!
Sunday...
Rough-Legged Buzzard - Speck to Smudge

As I was looking at the RLB drift over the hill ... Henry yells it's over there! What the heck?
This bird was back lite in failing light and but I could not make out the white patch on tail?
Later, I heard that a common Buzzard was seen today aswell. Wow! That's rare on Fair Isle!
I'm looking for a Buzzard in good light tomorrow.


One Bean Goose... David the Warden counted 59 

Other days highlights:  2 Reed Buntings at Netter Taft crop - Windchat at Chalet - Peregrine and Sparrowhawks

The Buzzard scared up the Gulls
Thanks that helps!

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Greater Scaup Garden Tick? Bird of the Week


(Greater) SCAUP Aythya marila

Originally found riding the waves in the South Harbour about 5 days ago.

The Scaup moved a shore, then up the Walli Burn one evening after 2 days at sea.
Only to be refound in our Garden the next morning by Liz & Henry.
Soon making it's self at home in my back pond? "Crazy!"
The pond is chuck full of Henry's Tadpoles and is having a feast! Seeing how most of these tadpoles have failed to fully transform to frogs, plus I figure they wouldn't make it though the winter. So let the duck eat!

The small pond is made from an old fiberglass Satillitedish from the islands communications mast.

Bird of the Week Oct. 17th - 23rd - Scaup - Garden & Pond Tick
What a laugh! not your average garden bird?
It's been here for 3days and is still here...
The Obs couldn't resist the ringing tick yesterday, but it was not scared off?
Yes, a strange place for a sea duck? but the bird seems happy for now.


But what's Happening? about 2 weeks ago...
 I Had this young Eider Duck in my pond too?

last week's bird? may it rest in peace...
Bird of the Week - Oct.10th - 16th - Lanceolated Warbler



Other Birds About?



Boring Old Rosefinch
more this year than ever!
Not that many of any rarity... lots of Redwings & Fieldfare. a few Redpoll... Golden Eye uncommon on Fair Isle I found a female or juv. in the South Harbour yesterday evening. Henry & I also spotted a possible Pied Flycatcher on a distant cliff face but it was so windy and faraway to be 100% sure... a few Rosefinch are hanging around. plus some Hen Harriers hunting the Walli Burn. Plus one lonely Oystercatcher on the golf course with some Snow Buntings, Bramblings and a Chaffinch.

Jackdaws like these 2 are not seen on Fair Isle often but are common on mainland Britain.


the hole we live in...