Being just 40 miles from home this seemed worth doing today. I had seen the Nearctic wader in question just once before, a little distantly at Bournemouth’s Longham Lakes in Sep 2012, so it hasn’t featured in this journal until now. My recollections of that occasion are vague, so having been told the new bird was easier to view I went to take a look.

White-rumped Sandpiper is one of the more regular Nearctic vagrants of its group to occur in the British Isles, with several records through each autumn passage. In July 2022 there had been sightings at Snettisham and Titchwell in Norfolk, Lodmoor in Dorset and three Scottish sites prior to a quite confiding individual turning up on the Berks / Bucks border during Thursday (21st). This wader breeds on the Arctic tundra from June to August, and return migration to the estuaries of southern South America spans July to early December with juveniles going last.

By comparison with what I regard as my default small wader Dunlin, White-rumped and the similar Baird’s Sandpipers are a little smaller. The two share a slimmer, longer-bodied and shorter-legged profile with remarkably long primary projections; the last-named feature meaning the wing-tips extend beyond the tail. After the white upper tail of its name, White-rumped’s other stand-out diagnostic is cited as a distinct whitish supercilium (eye stripe), while adults such as today’s bird display rusty tones to the head and upperparts. A weakish wing bar is apparent in flight. The graphic below presents full plumage topography for all three waders mentioned in this paragraph.

I arrived at the flat and featureless Dorney Common (SU942789) at 9:20am to find a dozen or more birders watching my quest, and was put onto it straight away. I had been here twice previously to log my second Pectoral Sandpiper (Sep 2012) and a Spotted Crake (Sep 2018 – see here), both of which had been quite difficult to view on an adjacent wetland.

The White-rumped Sandpiper was showing really well on a shallow flash in the common’s north-east corner (pictured below) that was populated by gulls, geese and just three transient waders. That feature still seemed remarkably muddy and watery in its scorched surroundings considering this past week’s exceptionally hot weather in which Great Britain had recorded temperatures of 40 deg C for the first time ever.

By comparison with my experience in Bournemouth almost 10 years ago, today was far more instructive as the bird was near enough for all the diagnostic features to be plain to discern. It also remained in close proximity with a plump and much darker-toned Dunlin for much of the time (pictured below). Its feeding action was generally quite brisk, though at times it appeared to move more inconspicuously. Using my digiscoping attachment I was also able to obtain the poor quality pictorial records of this post.

So my hour on-site here imparted a complete education in identifying WRS. As with last year’s Western Sandpiper (see here) and Long-toed Stint (see here) this had been another exercise in witnessing just how distinct these vagrant “peeps” are from one another on profile and jizz if only they are observed well enough. With the cost of petrol and health issues having impacted my birding so far this year, the twitchette of this post has been a very welcome diversion. This post’s featured bird departed overnight.

This was the only one of the three prime odo trip targets to be converted. Having previously recorded every native English damselfly, with the exception of Sandwich Bay’s Dainty colony, I now needed Scotland’s one further species to expand that list to Great Britain.

Our guide’s chosen site was the Rothiemurchus Estate (NH895093) where there are a number of lochans. By contrast with the Common Blue Damselflies they associate with, our quest stands out by flying weakly and low down in long grass at the water’s edge, and rarely over large expanses of open water. We were led to such an overgrown location where several pairs of Northern Damselfly were located.

This is one of the scarcest British damselflies, occurring only at around 26 established sites in Scotland where they require quite a precise micro-habitat. Adults are nowhere abundant and there are few locations in which more than 100 have been observed at one time. Breeding waters tend to be shallow to 60cm and sheltered by dense stands of tall sedges.

Emergence takes place in mid-May, after which immatures may disperse for several hundred metres before returning to the breeding site in early June. Males then perch a short distance apart in low vegetation near the water’s edge to await females to mate with. The flight season lasts until early August.

The diagnostics of this damselfly were mostly plain to discern in the several tandem pairs and individuals that we observed at this site today:

• The underside of the eyes and face are noticeably bright green in both genders
• The blue and dark brown males have a spear-shaped marking on abdominal segments 1 and 2 that rather stands out. The standard international name for this damselfly is Spearhead Bluet.
• When examined closely males also exhibit two short black lines on each side of the thorax, compared to a single line in Common Blue Damselfly
• In side view the paler parts of females are pea-green, unlike related species

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Trip Conclusions

The morning of this and the previous post was the only suitable weather window for insects in the first five days of the week to 30th. In wanting some kind of holiday this year I took a chance on Scottish weather and the gamble largely failed. I would not pre-book wildlife travel to Scotland again.

On 1st July we visited Loch Bran (NH506192) where a few fly-by Northern Emerald were seen by some of the group, including one by myself. That dragonfly is characterised by a fast and direct flight and one went right by me as pointed out by our guides. Given my previous experience with Downy and Brilliant Emerald I feel sure this trip target must be another very difficult subject, requiring possibly days of fieldwork to observe well and capture pictorially. So I may need to content myself with this fly-by tick.

If I re-attempt Azure Hawker in the future it would have to be on the spur of the moment in response to a particularly fair weather forecast, if suitable flights and accommodation are available and whatever the logistics of all that might be. And the same applies to the two butterflies, Chequered Skipper and Mountain Ringlet.

Ultimately this half-baked trip will be remembered for the wildlife it did produce, principally mammals while the northern insects will have to wait who knows when for another day.

This is a butterfly I have not presented previously in this journal. I had only recorded it once before, in the Cumbrian Pennines in July 2018. Those were worn and faded specimens and I gained only poor quality record shots to support the sightings. Our first day of this trip (26th) set the tone for the week ahead in being a total write-off in Odonata terms. We visited superb habitat but found nothing in the prevailing cool, overcast and damp weather conditions. Nobody could find a better forecast for the rest of the trip, and by the end of Sunday my spirits were low.

On Monday we headed further afield to the Cairngorms National Park where conditions were predicted to be more insect friendly until around 2pm. When our guide announced we were stopping for a break to observe Northern Brown Argus my interest level rose. The site was Craig Dubh (NN673957), a steep hillside rising above one side of the road.

Two butterflies were soon located, then the group carried on up the incline to look for Fritillaries. “Yes, I’ll have some of this,” I thought as I was left alone with a subject I very much wanted to capture pictorially. I was now in my element and at once down on my hands and knees performing contortions on the ground.

I am very pleased with these images that show perfectly this northern replacement of the regular and familiar Brown Argus’ diagnostic white upper wing dots. These butterflies were beautifully fresh and not having warmed up for the day were keeping quite still. That was a complete contrast to my 2018 experience.

When I eventually re-joined the group one each of Small Pearl-bordered and Dark Green Fritillary had been located here. Then on the way back down the hillside probably the same two NBA were re-found perched up in the long grass, and acceptable under-wing studies were duly gained. This had been a good start to day two.

Northern Brown Argus and Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary today

Northern Brown Argus is described (per Thomas and Lewington) as a locally common though declining species that occurs in scattered colonies. It is found on warm, sheltered northern hill and mountainsides, mainly on limestone and alkaline soils. Typical sites are well-drained, unfertilised grassland with patches of bare ground, abundant Rock Rose plants and an uneven lightly grazed sward. Numerous populations have been lost in recent years due to fertilisation or intensive stocking of such grasslands.

The butterfly was first discovered in Edinburgh at the end of the 18th century and was originally named rather unimaginatively the “Brown Whitespot”. But it resembled the Brown Argus in most respects and for the next 170 years there was much debate as to whether the two were distinct or sub-species. The picture was further confused by most northern English populations, such as those I observed in Cumbria, lacking the white upper wing spot. Those butterflies (known as salmacis – pictured below) have more clearly spotted underwings and more closely resemble continental European NBA.

Northern English form of NBA in Cumbria, 2018

NBA, in common with the most northerly populations of Brown Argus, produces just one generation each season while southern English Brown Argus are invariably double-brooded. Adult NBA are on the wing from June until mid-August, peaking in the first half of July. Most colonies are small, containing no more than 200 adults. NBA is also highly sedentary with individuals moving no more than 20 to 30 metres through their life cycle.

The principal areas for NBA in Great Britain are Scotland, especially the south and east; north Lancashire and Cumbria in north-west England, plus a remnant population in County Durham. I was very pleased of the opportunity to make an adequate study of this species today and in the absence of Chequered Skipper and Mountain Ringlet this was the butterfly highlight of the trip.

For my first holiday in three years I chose a week’s itinerary in the Scottish Highlands run by Glenloy Wildlife. Such group tours are not my natural habitat but with the potential for 10 lifers across odonata, butterflies and mammals, plus two British bird list additions, this was a case of needs must. I would be unlikely to observe that wildlife going solo.

The prime focus was intended to be the northern odonata – Azure Hawker, Northern Emerald and Northern Damselfly. Proper Scottish Chequered Skipper if any were still flying, and Mountain Ringlet given the right weather conditions, were also possibilities. Where birds were concerned I was pleased to add Golden Eagle (376) to my British list though we were not lucky with Crested Tit.

In the event the most successful area was mammals, with my first experiences of Pine Marten, Red Squirrel, Otter, Red Deer and Sika Deer all gained; and good observations of Common Seal and Dolphin. Of those the first two are resident in the grounds of Glenloy Lodge (NN118778) which is run by Jon and Angela Mercer. Each evening food is put out for the Pine Martens, while the Red Squirrels come to bird feeders through the day.

Pine Marten occurs widely across most of continental Europe, Andalucia, the Caucuses and parts of the middle east. Generalist predators, they have territories that vary in size according to habitat and food availability. Their dens may be found in hollow trees or the fallen root masses of Scots pines. In the British Isles most of the population is confined to the Scottish Highlands north of the central belt as well as the Grampians, preferring well-wooded areas with plenty of cover. Though they have increased their range in recent decades this remains one of the rarest British mammals and I would not expect to observe them other than in situations where they are attracted by man-made feeding opportunities.

These animals become active hunting and foraging at dusk, and at Glenloy Lodge usually appear from around 8:30pm onwards. There is a sun lounge on the front of the building outside which the Pine Martens’ food is laid out and each evening through my stay a female and two juveniles put on a show for the paying guests. I also saw the resident male once on the squirrels’ nut feeders in the morning. These (below) are the best of my pictorial records, captured through the double glazing of the sun lounge, some of which depict a juvenile … Aaaaw!

The early shift in the mornings was manned by the Red Squirrels that on some days I watched before breakfast. Ever since childhood I have read of how this native British mammal has been negatively impacted by the introduced north American Grey Squirrel, a story that has not changed too much in all those years. Now I was experiencing the fabled national original for the first time.

Red Squirrels occur across the Taiga zone of northern Europe and Siberia in coniferous woodlands, favouring Scots and Siberian Pine and Norway Spruce. They also inhabit broad-leaved woods in western and southern Europe where the mixture of tree and shrub species can provide better year-round food sources. But they have long been driven out of this habitat in the British Isles by the larger and more competitive Grey Squirrel that exploits the feeding opportunities to its own advantage.

Red numbers are said to have stabilised in Scotland, where 85 per cent of the British population of around 287,000 is now found. Increased Pine Marten numbers actually help the situation since the latter predate and hence help to control Grey Squirrels. Reds could actually live in most rural, suburban and even some urban habitats as long as there is no threat from greys. So conservation management in locations where reds have been re-introduced must keep the two species apart as they cannot live together long term. Such work is essential if the Red Squirrel is not to become extinct in the British Isles.

Red (left) and Sika Deer

Driving around rather too much in the tour minibus, in the absence of fieldwork opportunities for odonata, native Red Deer and introduced Sika were encountered fairly regularly. Red Deer is the largest British land mammal, widely distributed and expanding in range and number, and native stock is common in the Scottish Highlands. The distribution of Sika Deer too in Scotland is widespread and expanding. Their preferred habitat is coniferous woodland and heaths on acid soils.

Sika were first introduced from the far east and especially Japan in the 1860s. They are similar in coat colour to Fallow Deer with a distinctive black and white rump, and there is often a dark-coloured dorsal stripe running the length of the back. Populations of both these featured deer species require careful management to maintain health and quality and ensure a sustainable balance with their environment.

Surprising as it may seem it has also taken me this long to experience my first Otters, as well as the scarcer mammals that headline this post. A probable family group of four were encountered on Loch Linnhie to the south-west of Fort William on 28th. Lastly there were Common Seal in the same area then from a boat trip from Arisaig on 30th. After my superb experience of the Atlantic Grey Seal breeding colony at Donna Nook, Lincs in November 2019 (see here) it was now very pleasing to follow suit with these smaller, scarcer cousins.

Common Seal (pictured above) feed at sea but regularly haul out on to rocky shores or inter-tidal sandbanks around the coast of Scotland to rest or to give birth and suckle single pups in June or July each year. Pups are very well developed at birth and can swim and dive when just a few hours old. This enables Common Seals to breed in estuaries where sand-banks are exposed for only part of the day. Mothers feed their young with an extremely rich milk and pups grow rapidly, doubling their birth weight during the three or four weeks that they suckle. The above images are from Lock Nan Ceall just out of Arisaig on the boat trip.