Firsts

Details of Black Tern, Snowy Plover and Willet from El Centenario submitted as firsts for Queretaro.  I'll keep you updated on the progress of these records

Also had 2 Black-headed Nightingale Thrushes in the Sierra Gorda which I hadn't realised at the time were firsts.  Unfortunately, I didn't get any photos or document the record.  Ah well, next time...

Birding Queretaro

An interesting paper published fairly recently on aquatic birds in Queretaro.

http://www.huitzil.net/HUITZIL_2010-140.pdf

12 reservoirs were monitored between 2004 and 2007 (including Presa Centenario!).  During this period  the authors added 29 new species to the state's bird list.

Many of these 29 were birds that I encountered at La Presa, including Fulvous-Whistling Duck (my birds must have been the 3rd record for QRO), Cinnamon Teal, Canvasback, Ring-necked Duck, American White Pelican, Ruddy Duck, White-faced Ibis, Semipalmated Plover, Stilt Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs and Marsh Wren.

A bit more research and I found an up-to-date list (as of 2010) of birds of Queretaro state:

http://www.uaq.mx/FCN/Investigadores/Prod/RPL/Listado%20Aves%20Queretaro%20Julio%202010.pdf

The good news is that I have 2 new species for the state! - American Black Tern and Willet.  I'll have to submit these to the appropriate authorities.

Winter UK 2011/2012

I've added a new page showing some pictures from this winter.  Find it down the left-hand side of the blog.

Scottish Highlands (3) - 'Whale' Cruise

Some decent birding around the North-West coast of Scotland this weekend, including a boat trip out from Gairloch into the waters off the north coast of Skye. On the water were plenty of Auks including Guillemots, Razorbills and a fledged Puffin.

Hundreds of Kittiwakes and Gannets as well. And the fishing Terns attracted some pirates.

Kicking Off

Great Skua

Parasite heading off

The tour disappointingly didn't throw up any Whales. 3 European Storm Petrels and a Sooty Shearwater made up for this though..

Meanwhile inshore along the coast near Gairloch, we stumbled upon great numbers of Divers, including summer plumaged Red-throated and a raft of 20 Black-throated at Red Point.

Other highlights included a winter plumaged Black Guillemot at the lighthouse up from Gairloch, and large numbers of Shag, Fulmar and Gannet patrolling the coast.

Scottish Highlands (2) - Seabird Spectacle

The east coast of Scotland in late August is always likely to throw up some good birds, and true to form, a couple of seaside trips produced some great species.

Dornoch 15/8

Arctic Skua - 6

Great Skua - 1

Kittiwake - 20

Fulmar - 2

Sandwich/Common/Arctic Tern - many

Arctic Tern

Kittiwake

Gannet

Shag

Tarbat Ness 21/8

Arctic Skua - 8

Great Skua - 1

Manx Shearwater - 1

Kittiwake 30

Fulmar - 6

Shag - 40

Gannet - 60

Arctic Tern - 30

Sandwich Tern - 100

Common Tern - 10

Arctic Skuas

Plenty of waders as well, including Sanderling, Dunlin, Knot, Turnstone and Ringed Plovers. Worth mentioning a couple more Scottish specialities as well. Hunting over Cromarty Firth I had 2 Ospreys, and driving through the Black Isle, I had 5 Red Kites soaring.

Scottish Highlands (1) - Mountain marvels

Well, the first non-Mexico post finally. I'm sad no longer to be writing about the fantastic birds and sites of Queretaro, and hopefully one day I'll be back to revisit some of these old haunts.

Birding goes on, though, and what better way to start a new chapter than with reports from one of the great birding areas of the UK - the Scottish Highlands. I'm here for a few weeks this summer, and am hoping to catch up with some enigmatic species. May is the best time of year to visit the highlands for birds, but with luck and perseverance, there is always good birds to be found...

I'm starting with reports from two climbs in the Cairngorms. Such days out have a double benefit. There isn't much better than spending a day climbing some of the highest mountains in Britain, and these summits also hold some of the rarest birds on these isles.

Firstly, it was up Carn Ban Mor and Sgor Gaoith. Once up on the moors, there wasn't a lot of bird life. A few Meadow Pipits and a single Wheatear were the only species until I got to the top and it started to liven up. Firstly a flock of calling Golden Plover, and then one of the specialities.

Yep, a flock of 6 Dotterel. Pictured here are males (top two) and a female (below). This species only breeds on very high peaks in Scotland, but can occasionally be seen on migration in lowland Britain.

Carn Ban Mor didn't actually yield much more until I got down to below the tree line where I was greeted by another character that can only be found in this special region of the UK.

Crested Tit, a gorgeous bird found most often by its distinctive call.

This bird was in a mixed species flock including Coal, Blue and Great Tits and a Willow Warbler. Also in the pine woods, I had Bullfinches and G.S.Woodpecker.

Though I was happy with Dotterel, there was one high altitude species which had eluded me and I was keen for another crack at what must be one of Britain's best birds. Hence yesterday, I climbed up the Cairn Gorm at first light, before other walkers disturbed this popular mountain. This is what I was after...

Snake in the grass?

No, this is the Ptarmigan. Firstly 2, then flocks of 4 and 7. Extremely pleased to have connected with these fellas. A little bit later, things got better when I stumbled upon 4 juvenile Snow Buntings, yet another bird which only breeds up here.

More to follow..

Presa Centenario fighting back

The start of the rainy season has resulted in the water levels at the Presa in Tequis starting to rise again. It's great news, and if it continues, then as we enter the autumn and winter, it will be teeming with birds again.

Nice to see some ducks had returned to the reservoir. I had about 60 Mexican Ducks and 40+ Ruddy Ducks. Also on the water, a handful of American Coots, 2 gorgeous Black-necked Grebes and a couple of Least Grebes.

Mexican Ducks

Eared (Black-necked) Grebe

There were a large number of Cattle Egret (and 1 Black-crowned Night Heron) feeding at the far end of the reservoir, and as I was walking around I could see that the flocks were gradually leaving and flying towards their roost in the centre. Positioned myself under the flight path and fired off some nice shots of them.

Cattle Egrets

Things are starting to pick up on the wader front as well. Killdeers were literally everywhere. Without doubt, there were at least 100 breeding pairs. The swampy area at the far end provided some further treats as well - 50 Black-necked Stilts including some with young, 4 American Avocets, 30 Lesser Yellowlegs and 1 Greater Legs.

Killdeer

Black-necked Stilts

In the scrub, Cactus Wrens, Curve-billed Thrashers, Lesser Goldfinches, House Finches, Bewick's Wren. I also walked back along the river, picking up Clay-coloured Thrushes, Black Phoebe, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Cassin's Kingbird.