butter butt

Hi I'm Terry and I'm an avid birdwatcher! I use Nikon Prostaff 10×42 Binoculars, and my favourite place to visit is the Slimbridge WWT Centre in Gloucestershire, the Holden Tower hide has splendid views over the marshes!

[butterbuttblog]

Another one of my personal favourites, I saw this one as I was heading back down to the kayak to paddle back... By chance I saw it dart its head out from behind a rock it was hiding behind. very timid little thing, constant shellshocked expression and quite scruffy plumage. This little bird had a lot of character, something I love to see, its fascinating, one of the reasons why I took up the binoculars in the first place. I wish I had a better way to capture what I saw, I had to use some childrens chalk I found in a cupboard here in the cottage. I am back at the cottage now, my arms are very tender so will be taking it easy for a while. 

[butterbuttblog]

A collection of the smaller more common birds I saw on the island. I am no incredible birdwatcher but I do know I have never seen the likes of them before and I don't think anyone has... I would have liked to stay longer on the island but I had no food and it was getting dark, but I knew I had left an Irish Whiskey cake on the side to have with my tea so I thought I would paddle back to the mainland after about 3 to 4 hours (despite the significance of my discovery it really was rather a small island with not a lot to keep one occupied)

[butterbuttblog]

This was the first bird I saw, normal enough looking, but one I had never seen before. It looks like a normal pelican but it possesses no ability to fly, it doesn't have actual wings per se, in the place of wings it has two big feathers that it cannot actually move, but do look like wings... to get around, it runs (incredibly fast...) Very strange. It must be a very unique environment to evolve in, with next to no predators. 

[butterbuttblog]

One of my particular favourites, the size of a vulture (about 27 inches (69cm) in size with a wingspan of about 69 inches (175cm) This bird was very restless, constantly hopping from foot to foot as if it were imitating the dance of a child desperate to relieve their bladder... Charming bird, again, beautiful plumage and such an impressive wingspan! I can’t believe I saw it as clear as day, I know scientists and birdwatchers alike will denounce me but I’m not crazy!

[butterbuttblog]

This one looked like a petrel but it had absolutely beautiful plumage, all sorts of blues electric blue, baby blue, turquoise blue, pale blue, pastel blue, cornflower blue, sky blue, and paled turquoise blue. Other blues too.

[butterbuttblog]

It may have been one of these islands that I washed up on but I don't think so, it can’t be... The bird life there was out of this world! I wish I had brought my camera so I could properly document I... instead I committed them to memory and have drawn all the birds I saw, I will be posting them soon just finishing them up now, final touches. I am not a good artist so it has taken a lot of time and effort but it was definitely worth it, this is the craziest thing that's ever happened to me in my life. 

[butterbuttblog]

I just found a tool called ‘GIF’ and it turned up lots of great moving images to put in my blogs! I don't know what ‘GIF’ means exactly but I’m sure my grandchildren would let me know, if my daughter ever took them to see me... ah well... This moving image is a lot like what happened to me! I was kayaking down the shore and this great big freak of a wave rose up like an albatross spreading it’s wings! I was lucky not to have perished. Anyway, I got pushed way out to sea onto this island! Beached! (but not injured save from a bump on the head and a few minor scratches...)

[butterbuttblog]

Hello Twitchers!

The most unbelievable thing happened when I took the kayak down to the bay! I just wish I brought my camera (I didn’t want to get it wet in the boat...) The strangest clouds I’ve ever seen started forming really quickly over the sea, but it didn’t look to be raining anytime soon and I had already heaved the bloody boat all the way down. I took my chances and started to paddle out and down the coastline to see what I could catch a glimpsey of... This sounds so pretend I hope you lot don't all take me for a fool... I cannot believe what happened today I just had to write it down and tell someone...

[boy-warbler]

Blue-grey gnatcatcher from yesterday at Ashbridge's Bay Park.

[butterbuttblog]

While on a ramble along the Moray Firth Coastline I spotted a great place to go out with the kayak from the cottage... There are even other boats there which is reassuring and it looks nice and calm. My plan is to finish up this post and then walk back to this spot with the kayak, it isn’t too far! Wish me luck, Twitchers!

[butterbuttblog]

Only one Sanderling sighted today, nonetheless a highlight of my day. These birds are energetic little things! Also very similar to the Dunlin...

[butterbuttblog]

BAR TAILED GODWIT 

I spotted two of these beauties today. Thousands of these birds fly down through the UK from the icy cold arctic of Scandinavia and Siberia, after breeding!

[butterbuttblog]

A very useful little site, good to keep up with things like this

[butterbuttblog]

Mad about this birdsong!

[butterbuttblog]

The delightful fishing village of Findochty, which dates back to the 1400s, sits on the edge of the natural harbour known as Crooked Haven. Nowadays, Findochty is used more by leisure sailors than fishermen, whilst the fishing boats have moved down the coast to Buckie. Findochty has a small sheltered beach at Long Head and a popular pub on the harbour front. Why not visit the delightful town of Cullen, situated beneath spectacular railway viaducts and renowned for its hearty smoked haddock and potato soup, or enjoy a spot of golf at either of the Cullen or Strathlene golf courses? Take a pleasant drive to the lively town of Elgin, home to an imposing cathedral, museums and the mesmerising Biblical Gardens. With the whole of the Moray Coast to explore, with its Whisky Trail, an abundance of historic houses and gardens, sparkling golden sands and hospitable inns, this is a superb base from which to enjoy the delightful north east coast of Scotland.

More about Findochty!

[butterbuttblog]

The weather looks to be good today so I might make the most of it and go out in the kayak the cottage comes equipped with! To be completely honest, I do not have a lot of kayaking experience at all but we will see how it goes...

[butterbuttblog]

A beautiful sunset on my first day here! Pictured below is a Dunlin, a bird I spotted quite a lot today! “The commonest small wader found along the coast. It has a slightly down-curved bill and a distinctive black belly patch in breeding plumage.” I cannot wait to see what tomorrow holds!