Al McNee

Scottish birder, hillwalker, malt whisky drinker and Papa!

[Al McNee @AlMcNee]

Quite a big drop-off in moth numbers in the couple of weeks, so not surprising that there were only 5 in the trap today. What did surprise was that two of them were new - Yellow-line Quaker and December Moth!

[Al McNee @AlMcNee]

@JohnSNadin54 @rothiemoon @Cramondbirder Yes, John, a stunner, enjoyed in the Shetland snow, plus the journey there and back was on the calmest water of any trip to Lerwick. Nearly gave Calum a heart attack when heading for the wrong Collafirth! 😳

[Al McNee @AlMcNee]

A fairly quiet day for us on Shetland, the weather being the least helpful with a lot of wind and rain. An OBP at Kergord was quite hard to see, let alone photograph, but the Arctic Warbler at the Burn of Njugalswater played very fair and here it is.

[Al McNee @AlMcNee]

Good birds, variable photography. Shetland has produced Snow Bunting, Common Rosefinch, Barred, Paddyfield, Lanceolated and Pallas's Grasshopper Warblers in the last three days.

[Al McNee @AlMcNee]

Great weather on Shetland, poor photography, but having YBW and Pallas's Warbler on the same day was very nice!

[Al McNee @AlMcNee]

A few birds from Shetland!

[Al McNee @AlMcNee]

Shetland, Day One. It's fair to say that the Pechora Pipit at Quendale showed quite well to the crowd!

[Al McNee @AlMcNee]

A nice way to get to 250 species in the garden, having only started in March! First, Merveille du Jour, resting on top of the trap and then Red-line Quaker deep within it. Very neat moths and not bad with the total only nine! A huge drop off in numbers in the last 10 days.

[Al McNee @AlMcNee]

Some of the good birds seen on North Ronaldsay in recent days: Booted Warbler; American Golden Plover; Pied Flycatcher and Bluethroat,

[Al McNee @AlMcNee]

Terrible butterfly year. Buddleia bereft, other than Large Whites, a Peacock and 2 Small Coppers. However, now Peacocks are up to max 11, 2 Red Admirals and a Comma; a relief of sorts. Good moths, too, with 2 new garden ticks - Pine Carpet and Black Rustic.

[Al McNee @AlMcNee]

@birderkettle I'm struggling for a polite reply! I'll have thought of something by the time of my Shetland autumn birding trip.....! 😃😃😃

[Al McNee @AlMcNee]

B&M today. Seriously?????

What the feck.........

[Al McNee @AlMcNee]

Moth weekend! On Saturday, confirmation of garden Dichelia histrionana, only the third UK site - Black Isle second. Yesterday to Loch Spynie to see Martin Cook's marvellous Oleander Hawk-moth. Today 223rd moth species for the garden - Epinotia brunnichana or Large Birch Bell.

[Al McNee @AlMcNee]

Quiet for birding, so carry on mothing. After all, the moths come straight to you and [mainly] stay still for very close observation and identification. Mind you, that latter factor can be tricky. An excellent fortnight for moths in the garden, with 40 new. A few below.

[Al McNee @AlMcNee]

More than 40 years of regular walks on the area now known as Merkinch LNR and the first time that I have ever seen one of these - Lesser Butterfly Orchid.

[Al McNee @AlMcNee]

New moths added to the garden list. Dusky Brocade, Green Arches and Light Emerald might all have been categorized as welcome, but likely. Swallow-tailed Moth, however, is reckoned to be a first for the vice-county, VC96, so very chuffed with this huge beauty!

[Al McNee @AlMcNee]

@macaskill_dean Should be Physocephala!

[Al McNee @AlMcNee]

After some brief birding, I went to Coul Links for Northern Brown Argus, a butterfly I haven't seen in a long time. Success, plus Small Blue and what may be a mean-looking Phylocephala nigra [corrections welcome!]. Thanks @macaskill_dean for directions!

[Al McNee @AlMcNee]

@JohnSNadin54 @RareBirdAlertUK @UpperForthBirds Very nice, John!

[Al McNee @AlMcNee]

A few days on and not a lot more until Bob McMillan @SkyeBirdsBob brought his trap and our combined efforts produced a few good moths. Coxcomb Prominent, Map-winged Swift, Scalloped Hook-tip and Poplar Hawk-moth.