Andrew Whitehouse

Anthropologist at University of Aberdeen. Mostly post about birds and music. Views tenuously my own.
On BSKY here:

[Andrew Whitehouse @Anthrobirder]

Whinchat is a scarce enough 'common migrant' at Girdle Ness these days that I'm always relieved to see one. I had that feeling with this bird that turned up in St Fittick's Park this evening. It's the only notable migrant I've seen here all month.

[Andrew Whitehouse @Anthrobirder]

On Sunday afternoon, I'll be talking about 'Living in Unprecedented Times' at this roundtable event, featuring various others saying interesting things. I'll be talking about the Anthropocene, extinction and shifting baseline syndrome.
https://t.co/JKdbXxNNQp

[Andrew Whitehouse @Anthrobirder]

I'll be at the ASA PeopleFest in Edinburgh this weekend. If you fancy getting outdoors, Jo Vergunst and I will be doing some sound related stuff around Holyrood Park (assuming it's not still on fire) on Saturday morning.
https://t.co/CmmG9W7Ymy

[Andrew Whitehouse @Anthrobirder]

@JohnSNadin54 Has been some discussion about it elsewhere. Possibly a Common x Roseate hybrid.

[Andrew Whitehouse @Anthrobirder]

Lots of seabirds were brought close inshore to Aberdeen Bay by the southeasterlies today. The numerous Sandwich and Common Terns attracted at least four Arctic Skuas, which flew sorties around the harbour mouth for agile food grabs.

[Andrew Whitehouse @Anthrobirder]

This group of six Sanderlings paused their migration to the Arctic for a quick bath in a rock pool at Greyhope Bay, Aberdeen today.

[Andrew Whitehouse @Anthrobirder]

Black Guillemots are regular in Aberdeen's south harbour in spring these days. This one yesterday was a bit closer to the shore than usual. #SuperSeabirdSunday

[Andrew Whitehouse @Anthrobirder]

A fantastic research project in Torry and Yell, which I'm involved with.

[University of Aberdeen @aberdeenuni]

The University of Aberdeen has been awarded funding through the Coast-R Small Grants Fund for a new research project examining how coastal communities are navigating environmental and energy transitions along the North Sea. https://t.co/13oBUwkDpV

[Andrew Whitehouse @Anthrobirder]

@red_mutant_eyes @PulpLibrarian Good cross over with Play School, as the theme to Fireball XL5 was sung by Don Spencer, who went on to be a Play School regular.

[Andrew Whitehouse @Anthrobirder]

@PulpLibrarian Hamble was clearly evil.

[Andrew Whitehouse @Anthrobirder]

Still plenty of Wheatears passing through Girdle Ness. This was one of five today. Most look quite big, so are presumably heading northwest.

[Andrew Whitehouse @Anthrobirder]

Chilean Flicker took more finding than I expected but eventually I got close up to this wonderfully spotty woodpecker in the El Yeso Valley.

[Andrew Whitehouse @Anthrobirder]

Two high-altitude waders from Termas del Plomo. Grey-breasted Seedsnipe hardly looks like a wader at all, but the Magellanic Snipe hiding in the long grass was a bit more of a typical 'snipe'.

[Andrew Whitehouse @Anthrobirder]

Some quirky passerines from central Chile: Patagonian Tyrant from Altos de Lircay and Moustached Turca, Rufous-naped Ground Tyrant, and Scale-throated Earthcreeper from the El Yeso Valley.

[Andrew Whitehouse @Anthrobirder]

Some final photos from Chile in January. The migratory White-throated Hawk is sometimes hard to find in the temperate Andean forests where it breeds but I had splendid views of this one at Altos de Lircay.

[Andrew Whitehouse @Anthrobirder]

Sedge Warblers are arriving now at Girdle Ness and are singing vigorously. In eastern Scotland they seem to be happy in dry scrub as well as wetter areas.

[Andrew Whitehouse @Anthrobirder]

St Fittick's Park has reopened, with instructions.

[Andrew Whitehouse @Anthrobirder]

@sean_nixon Thanks Sean - very much my thoughts too.

[Andrew Whitehouse @Anthrobirder]

Any kind of 'Yellow Wagtail' is unusual at Girdle Ness, so I was pleased to find this female today. The blue-grey crown and white supercillium suggest Blue-headed but I don't know if it's possible to be certain. Views are welcome.

[Andrew Whitehouse @Anthrobirder]

We're still looking through fences at St Fittick's Park, but I suppose at least it reduces disturbance at the weekend. That might be why the burn hosted a Green Sandpiper today, the first I've seen here for many years.