Andrew Whitehouse
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anthrobirder.bsky.social
Andrew Whitehouse
@anthrobirder.bsky.social
3.5K followers 1.2K following 660 posts
Anthropologist at the University of Aberdeen. Likes birds. A lot. Does stuff on environmental anthropology, landscape, conservation, human-bird relations, sound, perceptions of ecological change.
https://andrewjwhitehouse.wordpress.com/
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anthrobirder.bsky.social
Here's a superb Austral Pygmy Owl from Algarobbo in central Chile last month.
#SuperbOwl #Birds
A superb Austral Pygmy Owl is sitting on a tree branch facing towards us but slightly up. In the background are green leaves and blue skies. A superb Austral Pygmy Owl is sitting on a tree branch facing towards us. In the background are green leaves and blue skies.
February 8, 2026 at 9:44 PM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
It took a while to pin down this lovely dark juvenile Glaucous Gull at Girdle Ness today, after it had been found nearby by @fatpaulscholes.bsky.social Eventually it turned up around the harbour mouth before perching on the pier.
#Birds #BirdingScotland #SuperSeabirdSunday #PatchBirding
A juvenile Glaucous Gull is flying left to right over a grey sea. A juvenile Glaucous Gull is flying left to right over a grey sea, dangling its legs. Some other gulls are on the water and flying. A juvenile Glaucous Gull is flying right to left against a concrete wall. A juvenile Glaucous Gull is standing on top of a pier with other gulls around it, standing and flying. A rough sea is behind.
February 8, 2026 at 7:03 PM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
A favourite from the southern oceans was Black-bellied Storm-Petrel. Similar to the numerous Wilson's Storm-Petrels they share the seas with from above, they show their striking underside as they bank. Often seen delicately bouncing over the surface, feet pattering.
#Birds #SuperSeabirdSunday
A Black-bellied Storm-Petrel is flying over a silver sea. It's a small, dark seabird with a white rump. A Black-bellied Storm-Petrel flying over a silver sea. It shows its white underparts with black belly stripe. A Black-bellied Storm-Petrel is flying over a grey sea, angling its legs and feet towards the sea surface.
February 8, 2026 at 10:16 AM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
Part of a huge swarm of rose-tinged Franklin's Gulls that were wintering along the Pacific shore at Mantagua, central Chile last month.
#Birds #SuperSeabirdSunday
A large group of Franklin's Gulls are landing on a sandy beach. Ocean waves are breaking in the background.
February 8, 2026 at 9:09 AM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
A Dolphin Gull busying itself amongst the seaweed in Ushuaia, Argentina recently.
#Birds #SuperSeabirdSunday
A Dolphin Gull is walking through some seaweed covered rocks and pools. It's a dark gull with blackish wings, greyish body and red bill and legs.
February 8, 2026 at 9:02 AM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
Here are a couple of Southern Giant Petrels, seen recently in the South Atlantic and Antarctic. They have a face only a mother could love, but also a striking white phase that was regularly seen in Antarctica.
#Birds #SuperSeabirdSunday
A Southern Giant Petrel is flying against a blue sky. It's a large brown seabird with a thick bill and paler head. A white Southern Giant Petrel is flying against a grey sea.
February 8, 2026 at 8:56 AM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
A lost looking Barnacle Goose showed up on the golf course at Girdle Ness this afternoon, before inevitable dogwalker-induced displacement saw it off.
#Birds #BirdingScotland #PatchBirding #UKWildlife
A Barnacle Goose is standing in short grass looking left. In the foreground is a patch of heather. A Barnacle Goose is flying over green grass against a grey sky. Two golfers are walking over the grass.
February 1, 2026 at 6:22 PM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
The young Pale-bellied Brent Goose was in Aberdeen Harbour again today but was rather flighty. It made a few close passes before heading northwards.
#Birds #BirdingScotland #PatchBirding #UKWildlife
A young Brent Goose is flying over a grey sea. It's a dark goose with a whiter tail. The white bands on the wings indicate that it's a young bird. A young Brent Goose is flying over a grey sea. It's a dark goose with a whiter tail.
February 1, 2026 at 6:11 PM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
A South Polar Skua gliding in the snow off the Antarctic Peninsula. These were common in the area but often hard to distinguish from the local form of Brown Skua.
#Birds #SuperSeabirdSunday
A South Polar Skua is flying over a grey sea with its wings uplifted. It's a large brown seabird with white flashes in its wing. A South Polar Skua is flying over a grey sea with its wings uplifted. It's a large brown seabird with white flashes in its wing.
February 1, 2026 at 6:00 PM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
Great Shearwaters were frequently seen in the south Atlantic from the Sapphire Princess cruise to Antarctica. It was wonderful to see the intricacies of their plumage up close.
#Birds #SuperSeabirdSunday
A Great Shearwater is flying right to left over a grey sea. It's mainly dark brown above and white below, with long wings.
February 1, 2026 at 5:50 PM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
Great Northern Divers have been a familiar sight in Aberdeen Harbour this winter. There are two around now, including this one from earlier today.
#Birds #BirdingScotland #UKWildlife #PatchBirding
A Great Northern Diver (Common Loon) is swimming on some grey water, facing left. It's a large water bird with black and white plumage and a spear shaped bill.
January 31, 2026 at 6:56 PM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
This puzzling gull appeared in Aberdeen Harbour at dusk today. A bit bigger than most Herrings and somewhat darker than the darkest Scandinavian birds. Anyone any ideas what it might be?
#Birds #BirdID #BirdingScotland
An immature gull is walking over a stony beach. Another gull is in the background. An immature gull is standing on a stony beach, facing right. An immature gull is flying away from us, over a grey sea. An immature gull is flying away from us, over a grey sea.
January 29, 2026 at 6:59 PM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
Brent Goose is unusual at Girdle Ness at this time of year, but then the weather has been unusual lately. Not totally sure on the subspecies though probably an immature Pale-bellied in first winter plumage, despite the dark belly.
#Birds #BirdingScotland #PatchBirding
A Brent Goose is standing among seaweed covered rocks and water, nibbling at the weed. A Brent Goose is standing among seaweed covered rocks and water, nibbling at the weed.
January 29, 2026 at 6:55 PM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
Travelling across the southern oceans, the common seabirds change daily. When I sailed south across Drake's Passage from Cape Horn, Blue Petrel was the most numerous species. I never saw it on any other day. Such an elegant, pastel shaded bird at home in the roughest seas.
#Birds #SuperSeabirdSunday
A Blue Petrel is flying right to left across a dark blue sea. The upperside is visible with a dark head, blue-grey wings with a black M shape across them and a distinctive white band at the tip of the tail. A Blue Petrel is flying right to left across a dark blue sea. The underside is visible with a dark head and mostly clean white underparts and underwings.
January 25, 2026 at 4:21 PM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
Some urban seabird action, as a South American Tern throws elegant shapes over a coastal lagoon in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego.
#Birds #SuperSeabirdSunday
A South American Tern is flying against a backdrop of tall urban buildings. It's a pale whitish seabird, with a forked tail, black cap and red bill. A South American Tern is flying against a backdrop of tall urban buildings. It's a pale whitish seabird, with a forked tail, black cap and red bill.
January 25, 2026 at 4:07 PM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
White-chinned Petrel is one of the more widespread seabirds of the south Atlantic. I saw this one off the coast of Argentina recently. You can even see the white chin from which it gets its name, if you look closely.
#Birds #SuperSeabirdSunday
A White-chinned Petrel is flying low over a dark blue sea. It's a dark brown seabird with long wings and a white bill and chin.
January 25, 2026 at 3:56 PM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
A Southern Royal Albatross cruising low over the Atlantic off the Argentinian coast recently.
#Birds #SuperSeabirdSunday
A Southern Royal Albatross is flying right to left over a dark blue sea. It's a very large white seabird with mottled black wings and a pink bill.
January 25, 2026 at 3:48 PM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
A classic congregation of Gentoo and Chinstrap Penguins on a small iceberg near Port Lockroy in Antarctica recently. One of the Gentoos is having a good scratch.
#PenguinAwarenessDay #Birds
Nine penguins are standing on a blueish white chunk of ice in the sea. There are four Chinstrap Penguins and five Gentoo Penguins. One of the latter is scratching its head.
January 20, 2026 at 8:55 PM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
As it's #PenguinAwarenessDay here's a King Penguin in the rain at Bluff Cove in the Falklands a couple of weeks ago.
#Birds
The upper half of a King Penguin is visible as it looks left, with its bill pointing slightly upwards. It's raining and drops of rain are visible on the penguin's plumage.
January 20, 2026 at 8:38 PM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
Here's an interesting bit of grey sea off Aberdeen beach today, featuring a few Long-tailed Ducks, if you look closely. These were part of a record flock of 230. Maybe an influx is coming from the east? Also there were a Puffin, a Velvet Scoter, and 45 Common Scoters. #Birds #BirdingScotland
A grey sea in the foreground and in the background there's a sea wall, some groynes, a lot of parked cars and some houses. On the sea, it's just about possible to see some Long-tailed Ducks.
January 18, 2026 at 4:11 PM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
Cape Verde Shearwaters were fairly numerous off the coast of Buenos Aires province, Argentina on the Sapphire Princess cruise to Antarctica. They all seemed to be in heavy wing moult.
#Birds #SuperSeabirdSunday
A Cape Verde Shearwater is flying low over a dark blue sea. It is brown above with a dull cream coloured bill. Its wings are quite ragged and worn looking. A Cape Verde Shearwater is flying low over a dark blue sea. It is brown above and mostly white below with a dull cream coloured bill. Its wings are quite ragged and worn looking.
January 18, 2026 at 9:30 AM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
Time for some seabirds seen from the Sapphire Princess cruise to Antarctica recently. Here's an Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross seen off the coast of Buenos Aires province, Argentina.
#Birds #SuperSeabirdSunday
An Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross is flying right to left over a dark blue sea. It has black upperwings and white underparts and a black bill with yellow edge. It is in heavy wing moult.
January 18, 2026 at 9:18 AM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
I thought I'd missed Magellanic Woodpecker at Altos de Lircay but a double knocked drum and a laughing call brought me to a family group in all their quiffed, top-knotted glory, the female raining down chunks of wood from the trees above.
#Birds #Chile
A juvenile Magellanic Woodpecker is perched on a tree trunk. It is mostly black with a red crest. A juvenile Magellanic Woodpecker is perched on a tree trunk. It is mostly black with a red crest. An adult male Magellanic Woodpecker is is perched a on tree trunk. It is black with a red crested head and a pale yellow eye. An adult female Magellanic Woodpecker is perched on a tree branch. It is mostly black with a yellow eye and red around the face. On the top of the head is a wispy top knot of feathers.
January 16, 2026 at 10:21 PM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
Some closer shots of the Diademed Sandpiper-Plover at Termas del Plomo in the central Chilean Andes. It was a classic case of looking all over and then finding it feeding in a puddle next to the car park.
#Birds #Chile
A Diademed Sandpiper-Plover is wading through the muddy, grassy puddle. It's a small wading bird with black, red, brown and white plumage and yellow legs and feet. A Diademed Sandpiper-Plover is wading through the muddy, grassy puddle. It's a small wading bird with black, red, brown and white plumage and yellow legs and feet. A Diademed Sandpiper-Plover is wading through the muddy, grassy puddle. It's a small wading bird with black, red, brown and white plumage and yellow legs and feet.
January 16, 2026 at 9:58 PM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
Have had an enjoyable short trip to central Chile. Lots of new birds but perhaps the best was one I'd seen before: the incredible Diademed Sandpiper-plover. One of the finest birds there is, all set among the high Andes.
#Birds #PhoneVideo
January 13, 2026 at 10:09 PM