Peter Stronach
@macstronach.bsky.social
ornithology, wildlife, photography and ecology!
#highlandbirds #ornithology #teammoth #birdingScotland #seabirds
Highlands of Scotland 🏴
🪶 🦅 🦆 🦋 ⛰️ 🌊 🐋 🦈 🐙 🏝️ 🌳 🌲
#highlandbirds #ornithology #teammoth #birdingScotland #seabirds
Highlands of Scotland 🏴
🪶 🦅 🦆 🦋 ⛰️ 🌊 🐋 🦈 🐙 🏝️ 🌳 🌲
The central pair are a darker shade of grey than the outer tail feathers then they have that dark pigmentation on them which is usually just at the tip but is really variable in extent. In bad light and from a distance can look black or dark brown 👍
November 25, 2025 at 7:49 AM
The central pair are a darker shade of grey than the outer tail feathers then they have that dark pigmentation on them which is usually just at the tip but is really variable in extent. In bad light and from a distance can look black or dark brown 👍
A video from earlier in the autumn during some particularly heavy Pheasant migration in Highland! #highlandbirds
November 21, 2025 at 12:29 PM
A video from earlier in the autumn during some particularly heavy Pheasant migration in Highland! #highlandbirds
We had a bird from Lukolmskoye Lake in Belarus in April 2017 in Highland, amazing movement!
November 13, 2025 at 11:47 PM
We had a bird from Lukolmskoye Lake in Belarus in April 2017 in Highland, amazing movement!
A close but no Cigar-tailed Tit from Durness today! #highlandbirds #birdingscotland
October 30, 2025 at 6:36 PM
A close but no Cigar-tailed Tit from Durness today! #highlandbirds #birdingscotland
Which nearly turned into lunchtime for the Long-tailed Skua!. Some really great memories overall from the trip, the crew, the birders and just being on a yacht in such an amazing place was a real unforgettable privilege. I would thoroughly recommend the trip!
October 24, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Which nearly turned into lunchtime for the Long-tailed Skua!. Some really great memories overall from the trip, the crew, the birders and just being on a yacht in such an amazing place was a real unforgettable privilege. I would thoroughly recommend the trip!
Long-tailed Skuas and Wilson's Storm Petrels!
October 24, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Long-tailed Skuas and Wilson's Storm Petrels!
Obviously at the shelf edge you start to get some pretty strange combinations of species that would be unusual closer to land, Grey Phalaropes and Wilson's Petrels!
October 24, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Obviously at the shelf edge you start to get some pretty strange combinations of species that would be unusual closer to land, Grey Phalaropes and Wilson's Petrels!
The yacht seem to work well in getting close views of the petrels, with the lack of engine noise and being closer to the see meant pretty much eye level views!
October 24, 2025 at 12:43 PM
The yacht seem to work well in getting close views of the petrels, with the lack of engine noise and being closer to the see meant pretty much eye level views!
At times coming stupidly close to the boat, allowing great views and getting enough detail that individuals could be picked out and spotted again later in the day!
October 24, 2025 at 12:43 PM
At times coming stupidly close to the boat, allowing great views and getting enough detail that individuals could be picked out and spotted again later in the day!
One of the real highlights was the storm petrels, in the channel and on our journey out European Storm petrels were most numerous but as we neared the shelf edge Wilson's Petrel (pictured!) became more numerous until they were the commonest storm petrel on the shelf edge!
October 24, 2025 at 12:43 PM
One of the real highlights was the storm petrels, in the channel and on our journey out European Storm petrels were most numerous but as we neared the shelf edge Wilson's Petrel (pictured!) became more numerous until they were the commonest storm petrel on the shelf edge!
We didn't do well for rarities other than the amazing numbers of Madeiran Petrels, this Scopoli's was seen during our transit through French waters (Scopoli's left Cory's right!)
October 24, 2025 at 12:43 PM
We didn't do well for rarities other than the amazing numbers of Madeiran Petrels, this Scopoli's was seen during our transit through French waters (Scopoli's left Cory's right!)
Finally got around the last few nights to editing photos from the Challenger Expedition to the continental shelf edge in September, as well as the previously mentioned Madeiran Petrels here are a few highlights...
October 24, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Finally got around the last few nights to editing photos from the Challenger Expedition to the continental shelf edge in September, as well as the previously mentioned Madeiran Petrels here are a few highlights...
The mosquito Culiseta annulata which made the headlines recently with the first Iceland records, on my moth sugar last Friday in Strathspey! #teammoth
October 22, 2025 at 11:26 AM
The mosquito Culiseta annulata which made the headlines recently with the first Iceland records, on my moth sugar last Friday in Strathspey! #teammoth
The Eastern Nightingale from yesterday, arriving on scene even more surreal than usual even at Rattray with heavy smoke drifting across the area, hooded figures, late 90's techno blaring and an air raid siren soundtrack! Luckily bird unfazed... #birdingscotland
October 22, 2025 at 10:12 AM
The Eastern Nightingale from yesterday, arriving on scene even more surreal than usual even at Rattray with heavy smoke drifting across the area, hooded figures, late 90's techno blaring and an air raid siren soundtrack! Luckily bird unfazed... #birdingscotland
Needletail memories! #birdingscotland
October 8, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Needletail memories! #birdingscotland
When we found the Dusky Warbler on Shetland last week it was having a tack-athon with two blythi Lesser Whitethroats in the same trees, here is a recording of one of them... #birdingscotland
October 8, 2025 at 8:03 AM
When we found the Dusky Warbler on Shetland last week it was having a tack-athon with two blythi Lesser Whitethroats in the same trees, here is a recording of one of them... #birdingscotland
I’ve no experience of effractana so can’t really help, although description from micro book seems to fit it better from your photo. Emargana relatively common there. I would contact Mike Pennington to check it
October 7, 2025 at 8:09 PM
I’ve no experience of effractana so can’t really help, although description from micro book seems to fit it better from your photo. Emargana relatively common there. I would contact Mike Pennington to check it
This can’t have happened many times before, all three sword grasses to sugar in one garden on one night!
Dark Sword Grass, Red Sword Grass and Sword Grass!!
#teammoth @migrantmothuk.bsky.social
Dark Sword Grass, Red Sword Grass and Sword Grass!!
#teammoth @migrantmothuk.bsky.social
October 5, 2025 at 7:08 PM
This can’t have happened many times before, all three sword grasses to sugar in one garden on one night!
Dark Sword Grass, Red Sword Grass and Sword Grass!!
#teammoth @migrantmothuk.bsky.social
Dark Sword Grass, Red Sword Grass and Sword Grass!!
#teammoth @migrantmothuk.bsky.social
Apparently 1CY males can have very similar ground colour of GCs and MCs as adult males, thanks @scottinscilly.bsky.social. Seems to be a couple of GCs with pale tips on Asta bird
October 4, 2025 at 9:28 AM
Apparently 1CY males can have very similar ground colour of GCs and MCs as adult males, thanks @scottinscilly.bsky.social. Seems to be a couple of GCs with pale tips on Asta bird
Another find with John Lowrie in “challenging” weather conditions, a Dusky Warbler! 💥
October 1, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Another find with John Lowrie in “challenging” weather conditions, a Dusky Warbler! 💥
A day off isle today seeing the incredibly showy Radde’s Warbler at Valyie on Unst and the Short-toed Lark at a random spot on Yell! #birdingscotland #shetland
September 30, 2025 at 4:02 PM
A day off isle today seeing the incredibly showy Radde’s Warbler at Valyie on Unst and the Short-toed Lark at a random spot on Yell! #birdingscotland #shetland
21 years (😬) since I found my first, delighted to find this Eastern Subalpine Warbler with John Lowrie Irvine on Whalsay, Shetland today!
September 28, 2025 at 6:52 PM
21 years (😬) since I found my first, delighted to find this Eastern Subalpine Warbler with John Lowrie Irvine on Whalsay, Shetland today!
Just back from a pelagic trip out to the Whittard Canyon area on the continental shelf edge with @scillypelagics.bsky.social @scottinscilly.bsky.social @nomadbirder.bsky.social Madeiran Storm Petrel reclassified from MEGA!!! to scarce summer visitor in one evening with 84 counted last night! 😂
September 20, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Just back from a pelagic trip out to the Whittard Canyon area on the continental shelf edge with @scillypelagics.bsky.social @scottinscilly.bsky.social @nomadbirder.bsky.social Madeiran Storm Petrel reclassified from MEGA!!! to scarce summer visitor in one evening with 84 counted last night! 😂
This paper from last year👇 suggests that it’s not a migratory route at all for the species and its vagrants not breeders being detected - onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
September 11, 2025 at 2:14 PM
This paper from last year👇 suggests that it’s not a migratory route at all for the species and its vagrants not breeders being detected - onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
The strong southeasterlies seem to have brought in a lot of Red Admirals, 34 in the garden mostly on sugared fence posts!
September 11, 2025 at 11:43 AM
The strong southeasterlies seem to have brought in a lot of Red Admirals, 34 in the garden mostly on sugared fence posts!