Here are just a few of our autumn migration highlights from 2022

Where will YOU go birding in 2023?

update by Mark Warren

‘For birdwatchers across the UK, autumn can be an exciting time and especially so here in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. With three coasts to choose from, plus hills and the Cairngorm mountains birding is extremely varied, and often we are spoilt for choice! With holidays which visit Mull, Skye and the Outer Hebrides as well as here at our HQ in Nethy Bridge there is a great variety to choose from, and keen birders and those with a more general interest will be spoilt for choice.

In truth, migration in Scotland actually begins in late July as post-breeding flocks of wildfowl, waders, gulls and terns begin to build. Among commoner waders, Black-tailed Godwit, Ruff and Greenshank were all especially numerous, while the first rarity of the second half of the year was a Sabine’s Gull found by Mike and the 'Orkneys in High Summer' group in mid-July. Hot on the heels on a jaunt down to the Angus/Perthshire coast came drake Surf Scoter, Ruddy Shelduck and Great White Egret in just two hours, not to mention superb mammal experiences with Pine Marten and Beaver. Closer to home, local Crested Tit and Crossbills of various (dis)guises appear to have enjoyed good breeding seasons, while the local Black-throated Diver pair have offered delightful views with their two young. Sadly, the eagles have fared less well after cool weather in early spring, but on a positive note Hen Harrier and Short-eared Owl have both done well in Orkney and the Hebrides respectively.

By August, it was seabirds to the fore, the unprecedented numbers of Sooty Shearwater the main talking point - our Easy Walking tour logged a conservative 700 crossing the Minch. A Great Shearwater among them was a super bonus, while the Minch has proved a real hotspot for cetaceans with some exceptional Minke Whale sightings, with Orca, Fin and Humpback Whale also recorded. An unseasonal adult Woodchat Shrike was found out in the wilds by Holly and her bespoke American group, arguably bird of the month and just goes to show what might be out there! Much more familiar (to our American friends at least) was the Pectoral Sandpiper she found on the Moray Coast two days later – talk about a lucky streak!

The spell of easterly winds continued into September, Mark and our Autumn Migration group really hitting the jackpot with migrants and rarities seen on both the east and west coasts. Featuring were a stunning female Brown Shrike, no fewer than three Red-backed Shrike, Melodious Warbler, Common Rosefinch plus Redstart, Pied Flycatcher, and common warblers in good numbers. Birds were everywhere, while out west the Minch delivered again with eight Great Shearwater on the crossings. With such a roll call, many clients are already rebooking for 2023! On the home front Pink-footed Geese have started to arrive with large skeins flying high overhead most mornings. Some have even been seen overhead as we watched Ptarmigan in the mountains. Nearctic waders often feature this month, and we scored on two consecutive days. Firstly, Jenna and the Outer Limits group finding a juvenile Buff-breasted Sandpiper on Lewis, followed by Chris and the North Ronaldsay group with a lovely Long-billed Dowitcher.

After such a good early autumn, the latter half of September and October would have to be pretty special to keep up… and it certainly was, weather system after weather system from both east and west producing top quality birding all over Scotland, while some of our English tours profited in style too!

Also in September, Lewis and Harris really came up trumps for our Outer Limits group, guides Chris and Dave barely believing their own eyes when a superb white-morph Gyr flew over their heads and perched on a hillside! An epic raptor for sure, and with Leach’s Petrel, masses of Sooty Shearwaters and the world’s second largest mammal – a Fin Whale also featuring, there were plenty of ‘write-ins´ on the weekly checklist!

Still in the west, a massive wildfowl passage took place during our Autumn trip for birders to the Outer Hebrides, Ian’s group enjoying large numbers of Whooper Swan and Barnacle Geese in particular. A Ring-necked Duck was a nice rarity from the west, with point blank views of Grey Phalarope, Lapland Bunting and one of the only Long-tailed Skuas of the autumn too. A few weeks later in the Inner Hebrides it was thrushes at the fore, and Ian was again on fine form discovering Jura’s first Goshawk for ten years as it mobbed a Golden Eagle on our October Islay & Jura tour. In Mainland Scotland our local tours operating out of the Mountview Hotel were as busy as ever, our two Highland & Skye groups seeing the return of winter visitors including Slavonian Grebe, Scaup, Long-tailed Duck and Velvet Scoter on the Moray coast. Skye as ever produced fine views of both eagles and otters, a Mediterranean Gull was unexpected and it was nice to see Ptarmigan in the west coast hills again. The Highland Black Grouse leks have been well attended throughout and the rollcall from visits to Aberdeenshire on our Highland Autumn Birding tours included Pectoral Sandpiper, Temminck’s and Little Stint, Great White Egret, Marsh Harrier and Smew, the latter discovered by Jenna and her group.

What a wonderful autumn!’