Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Andrew Whitehouse

@anthrobirder.bsky.social

3.4K followers 1.2K following 540 posts

Anthropologist at the University of Aberdeen. Likes birds. A lot. Does stuff on environmental anthropology, landscape, conservation, human-bird relations, sound, perceptions of ecological change. https://andrewjwhitehouse.wordpress.com/

andrewjwhitehouse.wordpress.com

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Reposted by Andrew Whitehouse

Hayden Lorimer @slipshodspeller.bsky.social · 11h

Third helping of Winter Well on air soon.

(Just before The Archers for those who like to listen live to Radio 4!)

Episode 3 - ‘Get Out and Notice’ shares light-filled ideas and activities in the open air.

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

@hesterparr.bsky.social @alecfinlay.bsky.social

Winter Well - Episode 3 - Get Out and Notice - BBC Sounds

A guide to thriving in winter, offering advice on how to get through the darker months.

www.bbc.co.uk

2 4

Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 1d

Just that they're normally swimming and don't come out of the water much (unlike some ducks) so it's not often that I get a clear view of the feet.

Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 1d

Thanks Rosaleen - always a favourite to see.

Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 1d

My first Long-tailed Ducks of the autumn arrived in to the harbour mouth at Girdle Ness today, encouraged by a light northwest wind. Interesting to see their feet.
#Birds #BirdingScotland #UKWildlife

Two female Long-tailed Ducks are flying over grey water.

Two female Long-tailed Ducks are flying over grey water, gathering to land.

Two female Long-tailed Ducks are flying over grey water, about to land.

2 1 29

Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 1d

The 2nd calendar year Glaucous Gull reappeared at Girdle Ness today, sweeping across the bay before settling on the south breakwater.
#Birds #BirdingScotland #UKWildlife

An immature Glaucous Gull is flying over the sea, in front of a red and white ship and a yellow and white wind turbine. Some distant coastal land is in the background.

Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 2d

Terns seem to be staying later at Girdle Ness these days. This adult and juvenile Arctic Tern wandered between Greyhope Bay and Aberdeen Bay this afternoon.
#Birds #BirdingScotland #UKWildlife

An adult (asleep) and juvenile Arctic Tern are standing on seaweed covered rocks by the sea. An Oystercatcher is on the right.

Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 2d

An unusual view of a group of Long-tailed Tits that forayed along the north side of Girdle Ness today. There were eleven in the flock and they circled out over the harbour for a short time. Like other tits, they seem to be wandering more widely than usual this autumn.
#Birds #BirdingScotland

Three Long-tailed Tits are flying left to right against a grey sky. Another bird is in the background.

Reposted by Andrew Whitehouse

Dave Borthwick @borthwickdave.bsky.social · 3d

& sudden fall of temperature soon as sun goes, sky shocks indigo in aftermath & last weekend's stormwaters driven overground

4 42

Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 3d

A flat-screen TV sea at Girdle Ness today, stitched by lines of auks, gulls, Shags and rolling Harbour Porpoises. A Great Northern Diver blended the seasons in its plumage.
#Birds #Cetaceans #BirdingScotland

Various seabirds are scattered across a silvery-grey sea, including Great Black-backed and Herring Gulls, Shags, Guillemots and Razorbills.

A Harbour Porpoise shows its small dorsal fin as it surfaces on a grey, calm sea. A few gulls are in the distances.

A Great Northern Diver is swimming on a calm, grey sea. Some summer plumage remains, including the white spots on the back and white collar on the neck.

Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 4d

Thanks! Will definitely be looking tomorrow.

Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 4d

Regular Moorhen appreciation post. St Fittick's Park, Aberdeen, today.
#Birds #BirdingScotland

A Moorhen is swimming greenish waters, some water weed dripping from its red and yellow bill.

Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 4d

It was warm, calm and muggy at Girdle Ness today, feeling rather between seasons. Birds included a few Grey Wagtails, my first Little Grebe here this year, lots of Long-tailed Tits and three Stonechats.
#Birds #BirdingScotland #PatchBirding

A Grey Wagtail is walking left to right over a rock, holding its pink foot up as it walks.

A Little Grebe is swimming in calm, grey water just offshore from some rocks.

A Long-tailed Tit is perched in a tangle of bare twigs.

A male Stonechat is perched on top of a dry dock flowerhead.

1 25

Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 8d

Although I quite like the early bird shows on NTS. The total inability of the presenters to speak coherently matches my mood, as does the off-kilter music.

Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 8d

Or 'their new one's just dropped'... 6Music is really not that great these days. Always feels like they're trying too hard to be 'cool'.

Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 9d

Yes! Good comparison, in various ways.

Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 9d

I was delighted to find this Twite in the field by Girdle Ness lighthouse today. It's my first here for 13 years. They used to be almost annual but have become much less frequent, in common with their decline nationally.
#Birds #BirdingScotland #PatchBirding

A Twite is sitting on a concrete pillar, facing right. A Linnet sits on the other pillar with its back to us. In the background are parts of a ship.

1 40

Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 10d

A strong Icelandic feeling to the birds at Girdle Ness today:
Juvenile Pomarine Skua
Brent Goose (Pale-bellied!)
2 Great Northern Divers
25 Whooper Swans
33 Red-breasted Mergansers
5 Greylag Geese
440 Pink-footed Geese
2 Little Gulls
3 Golden Plovers
Bar-tailed Godwit
#Birds #BirdingScotland

1 50

Reposted by Andrew Whitehouse

Bruce Taylor @barrabirder.bsky.social · 10d

A freshly stranded By-The-Wind Sailor, one of many pushed ashore by strong winds on the west coast of Barra today. Lots of obvious specimens of 6-8cm scattered over the beaches but also masses of tiny ones down to 5mm in length spread along the strandline. #Beachcombing

3 56

Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 11d

Also Sooty Shearwater, Black Guillemot and Barnacle Goose out to sea.

Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 11d

The two Brent Geese were along the shore at Girdle Ness this morning but then headed off high to the south. A mea culpa that these are actually Dark-bellied Brents, which are much rarer here. I should have waited to see them out of the water!
#Birds #BirdingScotland

Two Dark-bellied Brent Geese flying south against a grey sky, looking dark-bellied.

1 18

Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 11d

This Glaucous Gull appeared on the breakwater at Girdle Ness today, perhaps the same bird that was present earlier in the year. Other birds in the wake of Storm Amy included my first Mediterranean Gull of the year and a lovely pale juvenile Long-tailed Skua.
#Birds #BirdingScotland #PatchBirding

An immature Glaucous Gull is sitting on a concrete breakwater looking very mean.

An immature Glaucous Gull with its wings outstretched as it lands on a concrete breakwater. A juvenile Herring Gull is to the right, cowering.

An immature Glaucous Gull is standing on a concrete breakwater with a Herring Gull behind it. Look how totally massive it is compared to the Herring Gull.

1 1 40

Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 12d

Yes, one of my favourite goose calls.

Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 12d

This Merlin skimmed through Greyhope Bay today, just ahead of Storm Amy. Autumn is the peak time for them here.
#Birds #BirdingScotland #PatchBirding

A Merlin is flying low over a grey sea. Some thick streaking is visible on its underparts.

A Merlin dashing over a grey, dappled sea, with waves crashing on dark rocks in the background.

Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 12d

Some closer photos of the two Pale-bellied Brent Geese from Girdle Ness today. They seem to be finding some tasty seaweed in the harbour waters. Such delicate geese.
#Birds #BirdingScotland #UKWildlife

A Pale-bellied Brent Goose is swimming and eating some bright green seaweed.

Two Brent Geese swimming left to right on greyish waters.

Two Brent Geese swimming close together in grey water flecked with seaweed.

1 22

Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 13d

I was pleased to catch up with the two Pale-bellied Brent Geese that have been frequenting the harbour at Girdle Ness recently. These will be resting on their way from Svalbard to Northumberland.
#Birds #BirdingScotland #PatchBirding