KEY BIRDS

The fabulous birdlife of Scotland just can't be beaten, and here at Heatherlea we know every bird inside out. With more than 40 holidays per year, 17 seasons experience, and six local guides who live in Nethybridge and have led groups in Scotland for years and years, we know how best to find all the key species you want to see.

Here are just a few notes to show you how the birds change with the seasons. You can read about Scottish birds in 'How to find .....' books, but this is the right choice if you want the very best chances of seeing the bird in real life.

Scroll to the bottom of this page to see a complete list of birds seen on Heatherlea holidays in Scotland - our total now stands at 283*!

* STOP PRESS Added in June 2007 are Killdeer and Little Crake.

CAPERCAILLIE

2006 Heatherlea stats

Number of groups         = 95%

Number of guests          = 85%+

The world’s largest grouse is a must-see species whilst in the Caledonian pine forests. In 2006, 94% of Heatherlea groups had good views of Caper, with over 80% of all Heatherlea guests seeing at least one bird - with some lucky groups seeing up to 11 different birds in one day! A key part of our exceptional success with Capercaillie is our access to a private estate. Here many hundreds of our guests witness the ‘Horse of the Forest’ close-up from our comfortable minibuses, which act as mobile hides. Our groups run continuously from early March until late November, so you can see that with Heatherlea you have great chances of seeing Capercaillie whenever you come.

Birds are seen virtually every week because Heatherlea guides live and work here all year round, and we know where the birds are most likely to be visible. Throughout the winter months, the shorter hours of daylight mean that birds are active most of the time, with both males and females feeding during the day. Snows in the new year occasionally force us to search for the birds on foot along well-used forest tracks – keeping eyes and ears open for any signs of their presence in the trees. In melting snows, the birds forage more on the ground, and the males become busy preparing themselves for their lek – the display dance which decides the fortunes of each male in their bid to be the strongest, most successful bird in the woods, and mate with as many females as he can. It is during the lek that the male Capers make their famous ‘champagne-bottle-opening’ noises whilst throwing their heads back and fanning their tails. The lek lasts from mid-March through to mid-May, and although an impressive sight to witness, the birds are easily disturbed, so we only watch the lek at locally organised watches, when males can be seen strutting without risk of jeopardising their breeding potential. However wildlife is unpredictable, and fortunate Heatherlea groups have witnessed males unexpectedly displaying in the open at all times of day. Following the lekking period, the males disappear deep into the forest to moult, and although we are fortunate enough to visit a moulting area regularly, seeing up to six males together usually during a few weeks in July, views of females perhaps with chicks in the summer months is far more likely. By the end of July into early August the males are beginning to re-appear, and chicks are growing quickly, often running across tracks and roads in the company of their over-worked mother. Come mid-August afternoon forays into our estate produce the best results, as the heat of the day subsides and the birds emerge for their late-afternoon feed. The autumn sees birds become increasingly active throughout the day once more, with both males and females seen equally often. The now fully-grown chicks are left to fend for themselves from as early as October, so during the late-autumn as the days begin to shorten, Capercaillie are highly visible once more feeding in trees ahead of the hard winter.

In short, we watch the birds through the seasons and can show them to you whenever you join us! Choose Heatherlea if you want to see Capercaillie, and give yourself the best chance of a good sighting!

GOLDEN EAGLE

2006 Heatherlea stats

Number of groups         = 92.5%

Number of guests          = 90%+

One of the unforgettable Highland experiences is seeing the Golden Eagle soaring majestically over the rocky crags, and with so many Heatherlea weeks visiting the Isle of Mull and the impressive West Coast, there are even more opportunities to see this impressive all-Scottish scene. In 2006, over 90% of guests saw ‘goldie’, some down to a matter of feet away! With eagle territories throughout the Highlands, we encounter these mighty raptors every week of the year on all our Nethybridge-based holidays. Our Go Further! holidays to the Outer Hebrides, Mull, and Islay also provide good opportunities for those eagle hunters to witness the most Scottish of all birds gliding effortlessly in the skies.

During the harsh winter months adult Golden Eagles hunt tirelessly over their moorland and mountain habitat, making the most of the food on offer in the few hours of daylight available, and in their quest for survival can regularly be viewed at close quarters. The displaced juveniles venture off by themselves, often to areas with bountiful supplies of prey, and, after a couple of nomadic winters, will look to find a territory of their own. In the late winter and early spring with the snow still lingering on the tops, the males can be seen displaying with their characteristically elastic ‘porpoising’ flight, and before spring has fully bloomed, breeding has taken place, and the female is tucked away on one of the many nests the pair will have built up over the years. As the low winter sun reflects off the snow, the colours of the birds and the shadows they cast over the undulating landscape is one of the truly beautiful moments of the Highland birding year. With the arrival of more summer warmth and thermals forming in the air, the pair take it in turns to sit, with the mate sent off to hunt. We often get good sightings through the early summer months, with birds gliding imperiously in the blue sky. By the middle of summer, both adults are out in search of food for their offspring, who themselves are growing up fast on their carrion diet. Come late summer and early autumn, the chicks have fledged and are exploring their wild, barren upland habitats – this is one of the best times to see the ‘goldie’ at its most impressive with plenty of food available to them during the grouse and stag shooting seasons, and more eagles in the air than at any other time of year. In late autumn the youngsters begin to disperse and some early male displays start to occur. Food is still readily obtained as shooting continues on the moors ahead of the first snows, a time which sees all eagles struggle to stay alive in the inhospitable winter environment. With Heatherlea guides living and working in the Highlands all year round, we know which territories are being used throughout the breeding season and which pairs have bred successfully, and the most appropriate weather conditions in which to view each eagle. We are aware of any carcasses on the hill following the winter freeze, and the estates where shooting is in progress during the autumn. The high percentage of sightings over each season is solely down to the teamwork and local knowledge of Heatherlea, who over sixteen successive years of leading holidays are able to follow the changes in behaviour and habits of individual eagles over the course of a year.

WHITE-TAILED EAGLE

2006 Heatherlea stats

Number of groups         = 71%*

Number of guests          = 65%+*

*On holidays featuring Mull, the West Coast, and the Go Further! holidays to the Outer Hebrides, White-tailed Eagle was seen on over 90% of weeks in 2006, with many groups seeing several birds at one time.

Nothing can prepare you for that awe-inspiring moment when a sea eagle glides overhead. The largest and most imperious of British birds-of-prey is totally at home on the islands and the West Coast, and like the Golden Eagle, is being enjoyed at length by Heatherlea groups as we spend time in their territories specifically looking for them, either on Go Further! holidays to the Western Isles, or holidays based in Nethybridge.

The winter season sees the adult White-tailed Eagles hunting over their expansive territories, searching for any food that will have become available in the tough winter conditions. The juveniles and non-breeding birds roam further afield often appearing far from their breeding areas in the annual quest for survival. In late winter and early spring the males can be seen displaying, and by late spring the pair are sitting on their large, uncomplicated nest. Heatherlea are aware of which nest sites are in use from the earliest possible stage of the eagle’s breeding season, and watch this highly-protected species in the most responsible manner. We often have prolonged views of the birds at this time of year as they sit around watching the world go by, or return from a hunting flight. In early summer, both adults are hunting for food to keep their ever-growing chicks alive, but by mid-summer the chicks themselves are out of the nest, and increasingly involved in finding their own sustenance, leading to a wealth of birds in the sky, drifting on the thermals with their huge ‘barn door’ wings. With our local knowledge, Heatherlea can often pinpoint the best locations from which to view these circling giants, which depending on the weather conditions and wind direction, can vary greatly season by season. From late-summer we are also seeing an increasing number of juvenile birds exploring the mountains away from their breeding grounds from late summer through the long winter, meaning a year-round chance to see this popular speciality.

PTARMIGAN

2006 Heatherlea stats

Number of groups         = 97.5%

Number of guests          = 85%+*

*The actual figure of guests who see Ptarmigan having made the uphill walk to find them at higher altitude is 100%.

The Ptarmigan is a highly sought after species in the mountains of the north, and being situated in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park, with Britain’s highest plateau visible from the Mountview Hotel, Heatherlea guides know where the birds are on the hills every week of the year. In their all-white winter plumage Ptarmigan are often seen at lower elevations, whilst in summer a walk up the well-defined paths frequently leads us to parties of birds, allowing great photographic opportunities.

On ‘Easy-Walking’ holidays we look for birds at lower altitudes where less strenuous activity is required, regularly encountering birds near roads, and even from the comfort of the minibus itself!

Although sightings are weather dependent, only twice in the last three years has a group failed to obtain views of this enigmatic grouse, with all guests that make the walk up the mountain getting fantastic views of Ptarmigan, often for the first time.

Through the winter, with snow covering the mountains the Ptarmigan can often be viewed lower down the slopes on which they live out their lives. Silhouetted against the azure blue winter skies, the white birds stand out, allowing good telescope views without the strenuous battle of walking on the icy, snowy ground. By April, the snows have receded enough to get closer to the birds, and because Heatherlea visit the places where Ptarmigan are most common on a weekly basis, we can always assure the most suitable routes to the most accessible birds in the area. Ptarmigan are seemingly always moulting, and through the late spring and into the summer months, the birds lose their white winter coat and males gradually become more and more rock-coloured, whilst females become more and more olive to camouflage them against the sparse mountainous vegetation. Through the summer, we have a choice of routes to walk, and so will take the most sensible, and normally the least strenuous path in order to see the birds at close proximity. The way they blend in to their environment is nature at its best, and birds can often be located by the male’s guttural call, or by a fast-flying bird landing in a flutter of white wings. By late summer, family groups are strewn over the boulder-clad hillside, and we have encountered groups of over twenty birds scattered all around us at this exciting time of year. During the autumn, the Ptarmigan’s plumage begins to revert to its all white state, heralding the first snows in November, and the toughest few months of the year for the birds to endure as they once more come lower down to forage for food.

CRESTED TIT

2006 Heatherlea stats

Number of groups         = 97.5%

Number of guests          = 90%

This boisterous little speciality lives in the pine woodlands that surround the Mountview Hotel, and in autumn, winter and early spring can be found on the feeders outside the dining room window. Constantly moving and flitting about in search of food, they are often located by their distinctive call, and are here twelve months of the year, although during their short breeding season in late April and early May, can be quieter and slightly harder to find.

In the winter, the ‘Crestie’ can be found in the mixed species flocks which weave their way through the forests in search of rich food sources. Regularly this will include coming into village gardens to make use of bird feeder supplies of peanuts, including the garden at The Mountview Hotel, where Heatherlea guests often get great views of hanging ‘Cresties’ during breakfast time early in the spring. Gradually through the spring, the mixed flocks dissipate and we see the Crested Tits excavating nest holes in dead trees in the forest. Due to Heatherlea guides living in and around the Abernethy Forest, we are always aware of where the ‘Cresties’ are at their most numerous, and the locality of the most likely nest-sites for them. At the end of April, with the breeding season beginning, the males busy themselves with keeping the female well fed, which leads to their characteristic trilling calls being heard less often. Constantly flitting about amongst the lichen-clad tree trunks and branches of the ancient forest, the males are notoriously difficult to see well during the two weeks when breeding is at its most intense. Once breeding is over for the year, the birds resume their former daily routines, and although always moving about in the trees, with a little patience we are able to get good views, especially through the summer when the chicks are being fed, and are very vocal. The birds begin to flock again fairly early in the autumn, and by mid-autumn are once more searching for food around dwellings.

SCOTTISH/PARROT CROSSBILL

2006 Heatherlea stats

Number of groups         = 92.5%

Number of guests          = 80%+

Of the three crossbill species found in the local Scots’ Pine forests (Common, Scottish and Parrot), the large-billed species are the most highly prized. With the latest research suggesting sonograms are the only true identification tool of Scottish Crossbill in the field, Heatherlea are currently working with the scientists on technology that will allow us to make retrospective identification of the species possible. Until that technology is available, the most accurate identification to differentiate Scottish and Parrot from the Common is the size and depth of the bill.

Numbers of all three species of crossbill vary from year to year, as they move about in flocks searching for trees with a decent quantity of pinecones on which to feast, and due to this nomadic existence are an unpredictable family to find. With all Heatherlea guides living in Nethybridge – The Forest Village – we are ideally located to keep tabs on where the most likelihood is of crossbill flocks being located, and where the main movements are likely to occur. In 2006, which was a year with a good cone crop, Heatherlea only failed to find the large-billed species on three occasions, and quite often saw both Common and Scottish/Parrot over the week.

DOTTEREL

2006 Heatherlea stats

Number of groups         = 39%*

Number of guests          = 26%*

*The actual number of weeks during which Dotterel were present in 2006 was 18, making the group percentage 89%, with the two missed weeks being ‘Easy Walking’ holidays, where Dotterel was not attempted. This makes the number of guests who made the walk to the plateau and had good views of Dotterel 100%.

A firm favourite in the summer months is the walk up to the high plateau of the Cairngorms to look for Dotterel. In a good year, first arrivals take place in the last week of April, and the latest departures tend to be towards the end of August, but May and June are probably the best months to guarantee a sighting of this elusive, colourful mountain plover as they run about on the arctic grasses against the most spectacular of mountain backgrounds.

Upon their arrival, small ‘trips’ of Dotterel can be found at mid-altitude staging posts, foraging for whatever food is available to them on the sparsely vegetated montaine meadows, freshly cleared of snow and ice for the first time since the previous autumn. After about a week of acclimatising, the birds head up to the plateau where, all being well, breeding will ensue. The weather plays a vital role in the breeding cycle of Dotterel, with many of the colourful females leaving as soon as eggs have been laid, meaning any poor conditions after the end of May will be disastrous for the season. Heatherlea only look for Dotterel if the mountain weather forecast suggests that the day will enable guests to make the walk safely. Early in the Dotterel season, this may mean only one day a week will be suitable, but with the high elevation comes unpredictability with the forecasts, and conditions can change instantly.

The first view of these dainty waders is always a joy to behold, whether it be picking up a slight movement in the grass, or seeing the darting flight and hearing the thin, baleful call as they alight on the highest vegetated terrain in the country. By July, only males and any early juveniles remain, and by the end of August the majority of all birds have started their arduous journey back south to the Atlas Mountains in North Africa where they will spend the winter months.  

BLACK GROUSE

2006 Heatherlea stats

Number of groups         = 80%

Number of guests          = 70%+

Like their near relative the Capercaillie, the Black Grouse is a lekking species – where the males (Blackcocks) will communally dance and fight to attract the on-looking females (Greyhens), often in the vain attempt to become the most revered bird in the area, and to breed with as many females as possible. The myth that Black Grouse can only be seen lekking in spring still pervades, whereas they are active most mornings of the year – usually from the end of August through to the end of May. Heatherlea helped form the Code of Conduct for observing these birds, which means that although we view leks regularly, the birds are never disturbed, and can be enjoyed fully.

From daybreak through the bright, still, winter mornings, Blackcock are found at their lek sites. They can be heard bubbling, cooing and screeching as they partake in their jousting and jumping, wings down and tail-aloft display. The strange calls can be heard drifting over the moors in the still mornings through to the spring. After the morning’s exertions they can often be found sitting in budded birch trees or in grassy meadows relaxing and recuperating for the rest of the morning. By the start of June, once the lekking period has finally wound down and breeding has occurred, the males melt into their moorland habitat, and are seldom seen until the summer is drawing to a close. During the longer days of summer, the chances of seeing the well camouflaged, elusive females or females with chicks increases, as the Greyhen protects her offspring in the deep heather moorland, or along forest fringes. At the very end of August, the Blackcock begin to reappear, and in the cooler air of mid-autumn, as the morning sun burns off the dewy mists, the familiar bubbling can once more be heard, allowing us the opportunity to witness the amazing spectacle of the lek again.

OSPREY

Despite the spread of the Osprey across the rest of Britain in recent years, Strathspey and the area around the Mountview Hotel is still the true home of this remarkable fish-eating raptor since its successful re-introduction in the fifties just outside the village at Loch Garten. Although a summer visitor to our shores, the first Ospreys arrive back at their nesting grounds in early April, and can be seen throughout the summer months until the last departing juveniles disappear around late September, although there is always a chance of migrating birds from Scandinavia being seen after that, especially on weeks we visit Aberdeenshire and the east coast.

SLAVONIAN GREBE

This charismatic bird in its bright summer plumage is one of the summer’s most understated attractions. One of Britain’s rarest breeding species, we are very lucky to have some of the best sites close at hand, offering the chance to study the colours at close quarters, and to photograph them as they pop up from the still loch waters in their quest for weed and vegetation. Although seen year round, to guarantee them in their summer finery means a visit between April and early September.

RED-THROATED DIVER

The commonest of the three diver species to be found on Mountview Hotel-based holidays, the sleek Red-throated Diver can be seen every week of the Heatherlea year, but to be seen in summer plumage on inland lochs the best time would be from late-March to late-August. Their wailing calls evoke a mystical air in the morning stillness, and this is often a highlight for many guests.

BLACK-THROATED DIVER

The rarest of the divers, and arguably the most attractive in summer plumage, with its black and white neck stripes and checkerboard back pattern. Heatherlea see them throughout the year, but on their breeding grounds they are easiest to see from late-March to September, after which they return to coastal waters and congregate, often in large flocks. In 2006 we were privileged to follow the fortunes of a fluffy chick as it grew into adulthood before heading off for the winter. This soap opera was a weekly highlight for many of the guests, not to mention the guides!

RED GROUSE

Totally at home on the many grouse moors of the area, these comical grouse, ingeniously animated for whisky commercials, are seen throughout the year, often in pairs, or in the summer months in large family parties. Another prime target for photographers, the male stands visibly on guard, red comb over the eye prominent and white boots often hidden in the heather, whilst the female is more camouflaged and less inclined to show off. The ‘go-back’ call is one of the universally familiar sounds of the Highlands.

SKUAS

All four skua species can be seen on Heatherlea holidays. Our High Season in the Highlands holiday gives us close-up and personal views of Great and Arctic Skuas on their breeding grounds, and these two piratic birds can be enjoyed throughout the summer months at most coastal locations. Our Scottish Specials and Autumn Migration holidays often produce migrating Pomarine Skuas in favourable weather conditions, and in spring ‘Poms’ and the more exotic Long-tailed Skuas can regularly be seen going northwards in early to mid-May on our Outer Hebrides Ultimate Tour extension.

SEA DUCK

Vast numbers of overwintering sea duck can be seen along the coasts of northern Scotland from late September through to early May. Thousands of Long-tailed Duck and Velvet Scoter come in from Scandinavia, and join the throngs of Eider, Red-breasted Merganser and Common Scoter amassed on the dark grey waves. From early October, a search through the rafts might well yield Surf Scoter, an increasingly common winter visitor from the northwestern Atlantic.

SHEARWATERS

By far and away the commonest species is the Manx Shearwater, which can be seen from as early as March throughout the summer months until October, when they head off to the open ocean for the winter. The best views of these graceful pelagic birds are obtained on our Top 30 holiday in July and August. On the Scottish Specials and Autumn Migration holiday, we have annual sightings of Sooty Shearwater, Great Shearwater (especially at the very end of August or the very start of September), and the less frequent Balearic Shearwater has also been seen occasionally.

AUKS

Guillemot, Razorbill and Black Guillemot are seen weekly on Heatherlea holidays, but for the experience of them at home in their tightly packed seabird colonies the best time to visit Heatherlea is on the High Season in the Highlands holiday which runs from mid-May through to late-June. Puffins make their home in the grassy cliff-tops above the main noise and squalor of the colony, but for exceptionally close views of these colourful little characters the Go Further! holiday to Mull is a must. Puffins can generally be seen in small numbers through until September. From mid-October the much-sought Little Auk is regularly encountered in the right weather conditions.

RED KITE

Since their re-introduction to the Highlands, Red Kites have been highly successful, and are seen nearly every week, often very well. The thrill of seeing these long bow-winged raptors gracefully negotiating the skies is always a pleasure, and they are a popular bird on holidays with all Heatherlea guests, many of whom have only a limited opportunity to see them near home. Being resident, there is no best time to see the Red Kite – they are always on show!

RING OUZEL

Following its arrival in April, Britain’s only mountain thrush makes its presence known with its unique series of whistles. Surprisingly camouflaged against the scree slopes and rocky outcrops of its hillside habitat, the Ring Ouzel is a great addition to the weekly Heatherlea bird list up until the end of July, when the birds’ breeding season finally slows down, they become less active and fall silent.

HEN HARRIER

Despite well-documented pressure on the Hen Harrier, the amount of moorland habitat in the north of Scotland means there is still a fairly high concentration of this enigmatic bird-of-prey. Heatherlea sees good numbers of Hen Harrier throughout the year on all holidays, both those based in Nethybridge and on our Go Further! extensions to the islands, which are the most harrier-rich environments in the country. Although the ‘ring-tail’ female or juvenile birds are frequently encountered, a good percentage of our sightings are the ghostly pale male birds – a great sight as they quarter the heather-clad ground in search of small mammals below.

GREAT NORTHERN DIVER

All Heatherlea holidays in spring offer the opportunity to see this bird, often in large numbers, with a few staying as late as early-June in some years, when they can be seen in full summer plumage before their flight back up to their breeding grounds in Iceland. This imposing diver is a common winter visitor from October on coastal waters, where their bulky frame can be seen at long distance.

WHITE-WINGED GULLS

Both the more robust Glaucous, and the somewhat more slender Iceland Gull are seen on Heatherlea trips throughout the extended winter period that prevails in the far north. Although varying year by year, the first white-winged gulls tend to arrive around October, and as the temperatures plummet further north, so the numbers swell in the harbours and along the coasts of northern Scotland. The Highland Winter Birding and Highlands and the Far West Coast holidays provide the best opportunity of seeing these northern gulls, often in a variety of ages and plumages ranging from 1stWinter birds through to full adults.

CORNCRAKE

Every single participant on our Outer Hebrides Ultimate Tour has enjoyed incredible views of this normally shy and elusive species. Despite increasing across their range, the Scottish mainland still lacks the numbers of birds found on the islands. As well as the Outer Hebrides, the Corncrake is possible on the Go Further! Mull holiday, where guests enjoyed views in 2006.

PEREGRINE/MERLIN

With numbers steadily rising, it is wonderful that here in the wild and craggy terrain of the Highlands there is always a good chance of seeing both in stunning surroundings. Although visible year-round, the best views of Peregrine tends to be in the summer when the adult birds teach their offspring how to hunt, and the youngsters practice with mock aerial chases and reaction-sharpening manoeuvres in clear blue skies. Merlin are frequently seen throughout the year, with spring and autumn gatherings of Meadow Pipit flocks perhaps being the best time to see these flashing dark raptors.

PETRELS

Considering they are some of the most common birds around the seas of Britain, the diminutive Storm Petrel and its relatives are extremely difficult to see. Although regularly seen from April, on Heatherlea Top 30 holidays in late-July and August the views are often very close from the boat out to the islands, and on the Scottish Specials and Autumn Migration holidays from late August to October, there is an excellent chance of seeing Leach’s Petrel as well.

THE COMPLETE SCOTTISH LIST

SPECIES IN BOLD INDICATE THOSE SEEN BY HEATHERLEA GROUPS IN SCOTLAND SINCE 1991

Mute Swan Cygnus olor
Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus
Bean Goose Anser fabalis
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons
Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus
Greylag Goose Anser anser
Snow Goose Anser caerulescens
Ross’ Goose Chen rossii
Greater Canada Goose Branta canadensis
Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis
Brent Goose Branta bernicla
Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis
Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna
Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata
Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope
American Wigeon Anas americana
Gadwall Anas strepera
Eurasian Teal Anas crecca
Green-winged Teal Anas carolinensis
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
American Black Duck Anas rubripes
Northern Pintail Anas acuta
Garganey Anas querquedula
Blue-winged Teal Anas discors
Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata
Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina
Common Pochard Aythya ferina
Canvasback Aythya valisineria
Redhead Aythya americana
Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca
Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula
Greater Scaup Aythya marila
Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis
Common Eider Somateria mollissima
King Eider Somateria spectabilis
Steller's Eider Polysticta stelleri
Harlequin Duck Histrionicus histrionicus
Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis
Common Scoter Melanitta nigra
Black Scoter Melanitta americana
Surf Scoter Melanitta perspicillata
Velvet Scoter Melanitta fusca
Bufflehead Bucephala albeola
Barrow's Goldeneye Bucephala islandica
Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula
Smew Mergus albellus
Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator                                            
Goosander Mergus merganser
Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis
Willow Ptarmigan (Red Grouse) Lagopus lagopus
Rock Ptarmigan Lagopus muta
Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix
Western Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus
Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa
Grey Partridge Perdix perdix
Common Quail Coturnix coturnix
Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus
Golden Pheasant Chrysolophus pictus
Red-throated Diver Gavia stellata
Black-throated Diver Gavia arctica
Great Northern Diver Gavia immer
Yellow-billed Diver Gavia adamsii
Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps
Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis
Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus
Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena
Slavonian Grebe Podiceps auritus
Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis
Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophris
Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis
Soft-plumaged/ Madeira/ Cape Verde Petrel Pterodroma mollis/madeira/feae
Cory's Shearwater Calonectris diomedea
Great Shearwater Puffinus gravis
Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus
Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus
Balearic Shearwater Puffinus yelkouan
Macaronesian Shearwater Puffinus baroli
Wilson's Storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus
White-faced Storm-petrel Pelagodroma marina
European Storm-petrel Hydrobates pelagicus
Leach's Storm-petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa
Swinhoe’s Storm-petrel Oceanodroma monorhis
Northern Gannet Morus bassanus
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
European Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis
Ascension Frigatebird Fregata aquila
Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris
American Bittern Botaurus lentiginosus
Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus
Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax
Green Heron Butorides virescens
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
Snowy Egret Egretta thula
Little Egret Egretta garzetta
Great Egret Ardea alba
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea
Black Stork Ciconia nigra
White Stork Ciconia ciconia
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia
European Honey-buzzard Pernis apivorus
Black Kite Milvus migrans                                                             
Red Kite Milvus milvus
White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla
Eurasian Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus
Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus
Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus
Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus
Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis
Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus
Common Buzzard Buteo buteo
Rough-legged Buzzard Buteo lagopus
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos
Osprey Pandion haliaetus
Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni
Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus
American Kestrel Falco sparverius
Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus
Merlin Falco columbarius
Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo
Eleonora's Falcon Falco eleonorae
Gyr Falcon Falco rusticolus
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus
Water Rail Rallus aquaticus
Spotted Crake Porzana porzana
Sora Porzana carolina
Little Crake Porzana parva
Baillon's Crake Porzana pusilla
Corn Crake Crex crex
Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
Common Coot Fulica atra
American Coot Fulica americana
Common Crane Grus grus
Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis
Little Bustard Tetrax tetrax
Macqueen’s Bustard Chlamydotis macqueenii
Great Bustard Otis tarda
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta
Stone-curlew Burhinus oedicnemus
Cream-coloured Courser Cursorius cursor
Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola
Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni
Little Plover Charadrius dubius
Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula
Killdeer Charadrius vociferus
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus
Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus
Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii
Caspian Plover Charadrius asiaticus
Eurasian Dotterel Charadrius morinellus
American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica
Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva
European Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola
Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus
Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris                                                                
Red Knot Calidris canutus
Sanderling Calidris alba
Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla
Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri
Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis
Little Stint Calidris minuta
Temminck's Stint Calidris temminckii
Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla
White-rumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis
Baird's Sandpiper Calidris bairdii
Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata
Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea
Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus
Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima
Dunlin Calidris alpina
Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus
Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis
Ruff Philomachus pugnax
Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus
Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago
Great Snipe Gallinago media
Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus
Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus
Eurasian Woodcock Scolopax rusticola
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa
Hudsonian Godwit Limosa haemastica
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica
Eskimo Curlew Numenius borealis
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata
Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda
Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus
Common Redshank Tringa totanus
Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis
Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia
Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca
Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes
Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitaria
Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus
Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola
Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius
Grey-tailed Tattler Heteroscelus brevipes
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
Wilson's Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor
Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus
Grey Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius
Pomarine Skua Stercorarius pomarinus
Arctic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus
Long-tailed Skua Stercorarius longicaudus
Great Skua Stercorarius skua
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus
Laughing Gull Larus atricilla
Franklin's Gull Larus pipixcan
Little Gull Larus minutus                                                                           
Sabine's Gull Larus sabini
Bonaparte's Gull Larus philadelphia
Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus
Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis
Mew Gull Larus canus
Lesser-Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus
Herring Gull Larus argentatus
Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis
Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides
Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus
Ross's Gull Rhodostethia rosea
Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla
Ivory Gull Pagophila eburnea
Sooty Tern Onychoprion fuscata
Bridled Tern Onychoprion anaethetus
Little Tern Sternula albifrons
Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica
Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida
Black Tern Chlidonias niger
White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus
Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis
Royal Tern Sterna maxima
Lesser Crested Tern Sterna bengalensis
Forster's Tern Sterna forsteri
Common Tern Sterna hirundo
Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii
Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea
Common Guillemot Uria aalge
Brünnich’s Guillemot Uria lomvia
Razorbill Alca torda
Great Auk Pinguinus impennis
Black Guillemot Cepphus grylle
Little Auk Alle alle
Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica
Pallas's Sandgrouse Syrrhaptes paradoxus
Rock Pigeon Columba livia
Stock Pigeon Columba oenas
Common Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus
Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto
European Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur
Oriental Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis
Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura
Great Spotted Cuckoo Clamator glandarius
Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus
Black-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus erythrophthalmus
Yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus
Barn Owl Tyto alba
Eurasian Scops Owl Otus scops
Snowy Owl Bubo scandiaca
Northern Hawk Owl Surnia ulula
Little Owl Athene noctua
Tawny Owl Strix aluco
Long-eared Owl Asio otus
Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus
Tengmalm's Owl Aegolius funereus                                                  
European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus
Common Nighthawk Chordeiles minor
Chimney Swift Chaetura pelagica
White-throated Needletail Hirundapus caudacutus
Common Swift Apus apus
Pallid Swift Apus pallidus
Alpine Swift Apus melba
Little Swift Apus affinis
Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops persicus
European Bee-eater Merops apiaster
European Roller Coracias garrulus
Hoopoe Upupa epops
Eurasian Wryneck Jynx torquilla
Green Woodpecker Picus viridis
Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos minor
Calandra Lark Melanocorypha calandra
Bimaculated Lark Melanocorypha bimaculata
Greater Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla
Crested Lark Galerida cristata
Wood Lark Lullula arborea
Sky Lark Alauda arvensis
Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris
Sand Martin Riparia riparia
Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor
Purple Martin Progne subis
Eurasian Crag Martin Ptyonoprogne rupestris
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
House Martin Delichon urbicum
Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica
Richard's Pipit Anthus richardi
Blyth's Pipit Anthus godlewskii
Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris
Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni
Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis
Pechora Pipit Anthus gustavi
Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis
Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus
Rock Pipit Anthus petrosus
Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta
Buff-bellied Pipit Anthus rubescens
Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava
Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola
Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea
White / Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba
Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum
Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus
White-throated Dipper Cinclus cinclus
Winter Wren Troglodytes troglodytes
Hedge Accentor Prunella modularis
Alpine Accentor Prunella collaris
European Robin Erithacus rubecula
Thrush Nightingale Luscinia luscinia
Common Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos
Siberian Rubythroat Luscinia calliope
Bluethroat Luscinia svecica                                                        
Siberian Blue Robin Luscinia cyane
Red-flanked Bluetail Tarsiger cyanurus
Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros
Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus
Whinchat Saxicola rubetra
Stonechat Saxicola torquatus
Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina
Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe
Pied Wheatear Oenanthe pleschanka
Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica
Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti
Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush Monticola saxatilis
Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius
White's Thrush Zoothera dauma
Siberian Thrush Zoothera sibirica
Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus
Swainson's Thrush Catharus ustulatus
Grey-cheeked Thrush Catharus minimus
Veery Catharus fuscescens
Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus
Common Blackbird Turdus merula
Eyebrowed Thrush Turdus obscurus
Dusky Thrush Turdus naumanni
Dark-throated Thrush Turdus ruficollis
Fieldfare Turdus pilaris
Song Thrush Turdus philomelos
Redwing Turdus iliacus
Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus
American Robin Turdus migratorius
Cetti's Warbler Cettia cetti
Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler Locustella certhiola
Lanceolated Warbler Locustella lanceolata
Common Grasshopper Warbler Locustella naevia
River Warbler Locustella fluviatilis
Savi's Warbler Locustella luscinioides
Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola
Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
Paddyfield Warbler Acrocephalus agricola
Blyth's Reed Warbler Acrocephalus dumetorum
Marsh Warbler Acrocephalus palustris
Eurasian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus
Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus
Thick-billed Warbler Acrocephalus aedon
Eastern Olivaceous Warbler Hippolais pallida
Booted Warbler Hippolais caligata
Sykes’s Warbler Hippolais rama
Icterine Warbler Hippolais icterina
Melodious Warbler Hippolais polyglotta
Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla
Garden Warbler Sylvia borin
Barred Warbler Sylvia nisoria
Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca
Orphean Warbler Sylvia hortensis
Common Whitethroat Sylvia communis
Dartford Warbler Sylvia undata
Marmora's Warbler Sylvia sarda
Rüppell’s Warbler Sylvia rueppelli                                                    
Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cantillans
Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala
Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides
Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis
Pallas's Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus proregulus
Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus
Hume's Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus humei
Radde's Warbler Phylloscopus schwarzi
Dusky Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus
Western Bonelli's Warbler Phylloscopus bonelli
Eastern Bonelli's Warbler Phylloscopus orientalis
Wood Warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix
Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita
Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus
Goldcrest Regulus regulus
Firecrest Regulus ignicapilla
Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata
Red-breasted Flycatcher Ficedula parva
Taiga Flycatcher Ficedula albicilla
Collared Flycatcher Ficedula albicollis
Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca
Bearded Tit Panurus biarmicus
Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus
Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus
Great Tit Parus major
Crested Tit Lophophanes cristatus
Coal Tit Periparus ater
Willow Tit Poecile montana
Marsh Tit Poecile palustris
Wood Nuthatch Sitta europaea
Eurasian Treecreeper Certhia familiaris
Eurasian Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus
Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus
Isabelline Shrike Lanius isabellinus
Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio
Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach
Lesser Grey Shrike Lanius minor
Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor
Southern Grey Shrike Lanius meridionalis
Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator
Masked Shrike Lanius nubicus
Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius
Black-billed Magpie Pica pica
Spotted Nutcracker Nucifraga caryocatactes
Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax
Eurasian Jackdaw Corvus monedula
Rook Corvus frugilegus
Carrion Crow Corvus corone
Hooded Crow Corvus cornix
Common Raven Corvus corax
Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris
Rosy Starling Sturnus roseus
House Sparrow Passer domesticus
Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis
Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus
Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus
Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs                                                                        
Brambling Fringilla montifringilla
European Serin Serinus serinus
European Greenfinch Carduelis chloris
European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis
Eurasian Siskin Carduelis spinus
Common Linnet Carduelis cannabina
Twite Carduelis flavirostris
Lesser Redpoll Carduelis cabaret
Common Redpoll Carduelis flammea
Arctic Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni
Two-barred Crossbill Loxia leucoptera
Common Crossbill Loxia curvirostra
Scottish Crossbill Loxia scotica
Parrot Crossbill Loxia pytyopsittacus
Trumpeter Finch Bucanetes githagineus
Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus
Pine Grosbeak Pinicola enucleator
Common Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula
Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes
Evening Grosbeak Hesperiphona vespertina
Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia
Tennessee Warbler Vermivora peregrina
Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia
Chestnut-sided Warbler Dendroica pensylvanica
Blackburnian Warbler Dendroica fusca
Cape May Warbler Dendroica tigrina
Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata
Blackpoll Warbler Dendroica striata
American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla
Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla
Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas
Hooded Warbler Wilsonia citrina
Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis
Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia
White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys
White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis
Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis
Lapland Longspur Calcarius lapponicus
Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis
Black-faced Bunting Emberiza spodocephala
Pine Bunting Emberiza leucocephalos
Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella
Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus
Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana
Cretzschmar's Bunting Emberiza caesia
Yellow-browed Bunting Emberiza chrysophrys
Rustic Bunting Emberiza rustica
Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla
Yellow-breasted Bunting Emberiza aureola
Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus
Pallas's Bunting Emberiza pallasi
Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala
Corn Bunting Emberiza calandra
Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus
Bobolink Dolichonyx oryzivorus
Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater
Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula      

                                                Total:283