Last weekend I was lucky enough to see puffins for a second time this year, this time on the Shetland Islands. Here they are known as “Tammie Norries,” probably because in the old scots language a tammie norrie is foolish looking man. They are also known as clowns of the sea, because of their clownContinue reading “Tammie Norries!”
Tag Archives: nature
Goosy Ganders
The other day we witnessed a wee gaggle of greylag geese and eleven fluffy goslings trying to reach the pond for a swim. We first came upon three adults and one gosling on the path in front of us. The adults seemed to be encouraging the youngster to go back to the group it hadContinue reading “Goosy Ganders”
London Exotics
I went hunting in the centre of London for ring (or rose) necked parakeets and then realised I didn’t really need to hunt as they seemed to be everywhere! They originally come from Africa and Southern Asia but were kept as pets in the UK. However many escaped and they are living in the wildContinue reading “London Exotics”
Feeder Firsts
We’ve had some new visitors to our garden feeder this winter, smaller than the goldfinches and tits, wee redpolls. They have a maroon streak on their heads and pinkish breasts. I’ve never ever seen them in the garden before. There was a group of three feeding from the feeder and on the ground. We’ve alsoContinue reading “Feeder Firsts”
On Return Tickets
The whooper swans have flown in from Iceland to spend the winter here. Down in an English nature reserve they have seen thousands, however I was pleased to see seven at my local Hogganfield Loch. There are a couple of young ones in the group whose grey plumage is gradually changing to white. Whooper swansContinue reading “On Return Tickets”
Going Nuts
Autumn is approaching and squirrels are actively collecting and stashing nuts. I’ve been watching both greys and reds busy doing this. I photographed this cheeky grey squirrel in Northern Ireland. Here its looking hopefully at me, hoping I might have some nuts to give. Of course I was a big disappointment and it jumped offContinue reading “Going Nuts”
Fabulous First Fledgling
Last night we had a long awaited fine evening and we saw from the owl cams that the fledglings were out! So we headed over to the barns and sure enough our bairns were practising flying the lengths of the barns. The light inside the barns was too poor to capture them in flight butContinue reading “Fabulous First Fledgling”
Bigger Barn Owl Bairns
The blurry photo below shows the first of our barn owl bairns to venture out of the box last week. This was perhaps his or her first sighting of a human being, myself, at 10pm. I had crept around the corner of the barn as I had seen on the the security camera footage thatContinue reading “Bigger Barn Owl Bairns”
Beaucoup de Beavers
Last October we tried to spot the Knapdale beavers near the Crinan canal but had no luck. They’ve been introduced back into the wild in Scotland, including at Loch Lomond. Recently in Pitlochry I saw lots of evidence of beavers, mainly sharp angular toothmarked gouges on riverside tree trunks and pointed stumps of trees. AContinue reading “Beaucoup de Beavers”
Great Crested Grebe Chicks!
Today we returned to Hogganfield Loch and were delighted to see that the great crested grebe chicks had hatched and were riding along on their Mums’ backs. Two lots of chicks were on their parents’ backs far off in the middle of the loch but we saw that one lot were being kept close toContinue reading “Great Crested Grebe Chicks!”
Sarah's Wildlife Watch 