Week 23

4 – 10 June 2025

During my big year, I will update my blog most weeks. This is the twenty-third week's recap. The number next to the day indicates my year list at the end of that day. Birds written in italics indicate Scottish year ticks.

June 2,3,4,5,6 - Days 153, 154, 155, 156, 157: 178

While at Lochgoilhead, for a week of actives (mostly water sports), I took some time to try to find some new species for my big year. I was hoping for Wood Warbler and Pied Flycatcher, since we would otherwise have to visit Speyside in search of these two species, which are quite scarce in our part of the world - near Aberdeen. Unfortunately, I was unable to find either of these species, however, I saw Common Sandpiper, countless Siskins, a Gannet and a few Ravens, too. Thanks to this trip, I was able to add some summer migrants to my Argyll list, which I didn't yet have, such as Swallow and House Martin. In total, I finished the trip with 50 species, which I think is pretty good, considering that I didn't have much time to spend properly birding.

June 7 - Day 158: 178

Of course, Saturday mornings, mean Girdlenesting, and today was no exception. We arrived at Girdleness, where we immediately started searching for the Grasshopper Warbler nest that we expected to be in some brambles and gorse SE of Torry Battery. We got great views of the female carrying food to her young, but, despite our best efforts, we couldn't locate the nest. We walked down to Greyhope Bay, where we saw a Whimbrel, and a Ringed Plover fledgling. As we were setting up the mist net to try to catch some Sand Martins, we spotted a dark morph Arctic Skua, that came back and forth, stealing fish from the Sandwich Terns. Sadly, we didn't catch any Sand Martin, so we went round the lighthouse, hearing, and then seeing, a Grey Wagtail, on the way. We refound the Whimbrel in Walker Park, and also saw the Ringed Plover pair. We went back to the café, where we had some pastries and watched a pair of Fulmar glide past. We had a quick chat with Andrew Whitehouse, before giving a final shot at the Grasshopper warbler's nest. Soon, however, we went back to the car, empty-handed. On the way back home, Raymond and I stopped at an undisclosed location in search of Lesser Whitethroat. We saw Coot, Reed Bunting, some Mute Swan cygnets, and found a Sedge warbler nest, but no Lesser Whitethroat.