Al McNee
@almcnee52.bsky.social
Birder, moth-er, Malt Whisky drinker, Scot, Papa
Completely stumped. In Inverness moth trap this morning. Can anyone ID this?
October 10, 2025 at 8:22 AM
Completely stumped. In Inverness moth trap this morning. Can anyone ID this?
A wee dash today from Inverness to Maidens, Ayrshire. Target - Western Sandpiper. A Scottish tick for Bob M and Jenny McNee, a year tick for me [having seen the Musselburgh one in the last Millennium]. It could hardly have performed better - seen within a minute of arrival, feeding throughout!
June 5, 2025 at 8:20 PM
A wee dash today from Inverness to Maidens, Ayrshire. Target - Western Sandpiper. A Scottish tick for Bob M and Jenny McNee, a year tick for me [having seen the Musselburgh one in the last Millennium]. It could hardly have performed better - seen within a minute of arrival, feeding throughout!
Three new moths for the garden in recent days and despite fairly low numbers recently. Yellow-barred Brindle, Turnip Moth and Common Swift. The latter is also a first for VC86 and for most, if not all, of the Highlands!
June 4, 2025 at 10:14 AM
Three new moths for the garden in recent days and despite fairly low numbers recently. Yellow-barred Brindle, Turnip Moth and Common Swift. The latter is also a first for VC86 and for most, if not all, of the Highlands!
Jenny and I went up to the lochans behind Blackfold, looking for fritillaries. None seen, despite a good effort in glorious, suitable weather. But we did have a some good sightings, with Common Lizard, Four-spotted Chaser and a superb and always difficult-to-see Green Hairstreak, found by Jenny.
May 10, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Jenny and I went up to the lochans behind Blackfold, looking for fritillaries. None seen, despite a good effort in glorious, suitable weather. But we did have a some good sightings, with Common Lizard, Four-spotted Chaser and a superb and always difficult-to-see Green Hairstreak, found by Jenny.
A mega twitch to The Butt of Lewis for Solitary Sandpiper. Great bird enjoyed by a crowd of ten!
May 8, 2025 at 12:01 PM
A mega twitch to The Butt of Lewis for Solitary Sandpiper. Great bird enjoyed by a crowd of ten!
A mega twitch to The Butt of Lewis for Solitary Sandpiper. Great bird enjoyed by a crowd of ten!
May 8, 2025 at 12:00 PM
A mega twitch to The Butt of Lewis for Solitary Sandpiper. Great bird enjoyed by a crowd of ten!
A warmer evening, so some more moths in my trap this morning here in Inverness. 2025 reappearances of Purple Thorn, Brown Silver-line, Golden-rod and Ochreous Pugs were good, but somewhat topped by the garden's first-ever Streamer!
April 29, 2025 at 8:34 AM
A warmer evening, so some more moths in my trap this morning here in Inverness. 2025 reappearances of Purple Thorn, Brown Silver-line, Golden-rod and Ochreous Pugs were good, but somewhat topped by the garden's first-ever Streamer!
A belter new moth for my Inverness garden today - Lunar Thorn.
April 24, 2025 at 9:26 PM
A belter new moth for my Inverness garden today - Lunar Thorn.
A wee bit of action from Corrimony.
April 22, 2025 at 5:01 PM
A wee bit of action from Corrimony.
A very busy Easter holiday period - grandkids, domestics etc - so these photos are from 10 days ago when Jenny and I joined an SOC early morning outing to Corrimony to see the Blackcock lek. Brilliant visit - dry, not a breath of wind and a few birds strutting their stuff!
April 22, 2025 at 4:47 PM
A very busy Easter holiday period - grandkids, domestics etc - so these photos are from 10 days ago when Jenny and I joined an SOC early morning outing to Corrimony to see the Blackcock lek. Brilliant visit - dry, not a breath of wind and a few birds strutting their stuff!
A decent day. Quite a few moths, despite the freezing temperature this morning, included first 2025 Early Tooth-striped and Twin-spotted Quaker. Later - and at the fourth time of asking - I finally caught up with the drake Shoveler at Culloden House pond.
March 20, 2025 at 10:35 PM
A decent day. Quite a few moths, despite the freezing temperature this morning, included first 2025 Early Tooth-striped and Twin-spotted Quaker. Later - and at the fourth time of asking - I finally caught up with the drake Shoveler at Culloden House pond.
A few moths and some birding. Ten species of moths for 2025, including both Yellow Horned and Chestnut in the trap. Today's walk over Merkinch LNR produced a first singing Chiffchaff, with a further two up at Craig Phadrig. Carnac Point was a right chilly place in the brisk NE wind.
March 10, 2025 at 7:47 PM
A few moths and some birding. Ten species of moths for 2025, including both Yellow Horned and Chestnut in the trap. Today's walk over Merkinch LNR produced a first singing Chiffchaff, with a further two up at Craig Phadrig. Carnac Point was a right chilly place in the brisk NE wind.
One year after my first moth trapping, got four moths on a mild Inverness night. One Pale Brindled Beauty and 3 Chestnuts. Another couple of non-freezing nights coming up!
February 20, 2025 at 11:23 AM
One year after my first moth trapping, got four moths on a mild Inverness night. One Pale Brindled Beauty and 3 Chestnuts. Another couple of non-freezing nights coming up!
Third time lucky, Jenny and I caught up with this Hawfinch. Eight at least, but all quite distant and flighty. Also bagged a Tree Sparrow at Kiltearn. The year list grows slowly. Another beautiful and cold day.
February 8, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Third time lucky, Jenny and I caught up with this Hawfinch. Eight at least, but all quite distant and flighty. Also bagged a Tree Sparrow at Kiltearn. The year list grows slowly. Another beautiful and cold day.
The pulling power of peanuts! Could have done with a bit more sun ........
December 17, 2024 at 5:33 PM
The pulling power of peanuts! Could have done with a bit more sun ........