Andrew Whitehouse

A very distant photo of a dappled blue-grey sea with two White-beaked Dolphins surfacing. These are the dark shapes showing their dorsal fins.

Dark shapes jumping at the horizon. The sea off Girdle Ness this evening was heaving with White-beaked Dolphins. Dozens were doing fast leaps out of the water, both horizontally and vertically. Most were around 2-3 miles out but some were a few miles more distant.
#UKWildlife #Dolphins #Cetaceans

A Roseate Tern is flying against a background of rocks and shore. It's reddish legs are dangling down. It's a pale tern with long tail streamers, a mostly black bill and a slight pink tone to the underparts.

A Roseate Tern is sitting on brownish rocks by the sea. It's a pale tern with long tail streamers, a mostly black bill and a slight pink tone to the underparts. A Turnstone and a juvenile Common Tern are in the foreground.

A Roseate Tern is sitting on brownish rocks by the sea, calling. It's a pale tern with long tail streamers, a mostly black bill and a slight pink tone to the underparts. A Turnstone and a juvenile Common Tern are in the foreground.

A Roseate Tern is flying against a grey sea.

The recent influx of terns into Greyhope Bay gave me hope I might finally encounter a patch tick Roseate Tern. This evening, that hope was realised with this lovely adult. Such an elegant seabird.
#Birds #BirdingScotland #PatchBirding

A Black-billed Shrike Tyrant, facing right while perched on a rock. It's a brown bird with a pale eye and a long black bill.

Two Bare-eyed Ground Doves standing on broken rocks. They're a small brown dove with bare orange skin around their eyes.

Two Grey-hooded Parakeets perched on thin branches. They're a small green parakeet with greyish forecrowns and whitish throats.

A Rufous-bellied Mountain Tanager on the ground amongst twigs and grass. It's a chunky blue grey bird with bright rufous underparts and a white eye brow.

A few birds from wonderful northwest Argentina, in this case from the highlands of Cuesta del Obispo. Here are Black-billed Shrike Tyrant, Bare-eyed Ground Dove, Grey-hooded Parakeet and Rufous-bellied Mountain Tanager. The latter was a fortunate sighting of this tricky bird.
#Birds #Argentina

Looking northeast from the foghorn at Girdle Ness. There is a grass bank, pebbly beach and rocky outcrops. The sea and sky are silvery grey.

A silver sea for seawatching this evening at Girdle Ness. My first two Sooty Shearwaters of the headed north, along with 56 Manx Shearwaters.
#Birds #BirdingScotland

A Magellanic Plover is running across wet sand among rocks. It's a grey and white bird with a short bill, pale eye and thick orange legs.

A Magellanic Plover is taking off from the shoreline. There is a white band in its wings and its dangling its orange legs downwards.

A Magellanic Plover is running across sand with waves crashing behind it. It's a grey and white bird with a short bill, pale eye and thick orange legs.

A Magellanic Plover is running across sand with the sea behind it. It's a grey and white bird with a short bill, pale eye and thick orange legs.

Magellanic Plover was a hugely pleasing bird to see in southern Buenos Aires province. These photos from Balneario Orense show off its odd pigeon-like countenance and oversized orange feet nicely.
#Birds #Argentina

A Southern Screamer is flying against a grey sky. It's a large, mostly grey bird with a broad wings that have two spurs along the front edge.

A Southern Screamer is flying against a grey sky. It's a large, mostly grey bird with a broad wings that have two spurs along the front edge.

Southern Screamer is an Argentinian bird you wouldn't want to mess around with, particularly once you notice the two spurs protruding from each forewing. Photos from near San Clemente del Tuyú.
#Birds #Argentina

Definitely. It's a quirky combination of the subjective settler experience and the scientific formalisation of English names.

And some of these are still the names used for entirely different species in the Antipodes e.g. Willie Wagtail, Tomtit.

A Hudson's Canastero is sitting in grassy vegetation with its back to us. It's a slime, streaky brown bird with subtle variations in colour.

A bird I encountered more easily than expected in eastern Argentina was Hudson's Canastero, a scarce bird of rushy marshes. I love the subtle colours and shapes on the back. Taken in San Clemente del Tuyú.
#Birds #Argentina

A group of geese in a rough grassy field. Most are Ashy-headed Geese, which are a mix of orange, grey and white. There's also a male Upland Goose on the right, which is very white on the head and neck with a barred body.

A mixed group of geese in a rough grassy field. Most are Ashy-headed Geese but the two in the centre are Ruddy-headed Geese. There's also a female Upland Goose third on the left. This looks similar to the Ruddy-headed but is much larger with a different head shape.

A mixed group of geese in a rough grassy field. Most are Ashy-headed Geese but the two in the centre are Ruddy-headed Geese. There's also a female Upland Goose second on the left. This looks similar to the Ruddy-headed but is much larger with a different head shape.

Winter goose watching South American style, from last week in southern Buenos Aires province. I saw large numbers of Ashy-headed and Upland Goose and smaller numbers of the rarer Ruddy-headed Goose.
#Birds #Argentina

A Comma butterfly is feeding on a thistle flower. The 'c' shaped mark on the underside of the wing gives the butterfly its name.

It was a good day for butterflies at St Fittick's Park today, with nine species including just my second ever Comma here. This species is still scarce in Aberdeen but seems to be getting more frequent.
#Butterflies #UKWildlife

They're common quite near here but don't come into the city much. Before this weekend I'd only ever seen one here.

Have had some wandering juveniles around Girdle Ness over the weekend too.

Arctic tern are currently hanging round at Girdle Ness in un(recently)precedented numbers. I counted 460 today. Still plenty to come from the local breeding colony too. Lovely to see this species have a good year

Glitch environmentalism - Naomi Parker, Adam Searle, Jonathon Turnbull, 2025 Birding is a form of wildlife recreation that often involves exclusive communities and spaces, where both access and practice are policed along hegemonic lines....

GLITCH ENVIRONMENTALISM is freely accessible for two weeks... make sure to download it soon!!

we think with Legacy Russell's Glitch Feminism (2020) to examine digitally-mediated activism challenging birding's hegemonic, exclusionary histories and cultures

w/ Naomi Parker and @jonnyjjt.bsky.social

It looked a bit like a weird ground dove with long legs.

Just a few days left in Argentina but still time for the bird of the trip. After trudging for miles along a beach, I thought I'd missed this Magellanic Plover. It was a total joy when it finally appeared.
#Birds #Argentina

Am now in coastal eastern Argentina. Gull enthusiasts, of whom I know there are many, will enjoy the thick brown tones of this immature Olrog's Gull.
#Birds #Argentina

A Steinbach's Canastero is sitting in a bush. It's a brown grey and rufous bird with a short chunky bill.

A Steinbach's Canastero is sitting in a bush. It's a brown grey and rufous bird with a short chunky bill.

A Steinbach's Canastero is taking off from a bush. This picture shows the distinctive tail pattern well, with rufous feathers on the sides.

Lots of secretive brown birds to look for in NW Argentina, including this Steinbach's Canastero, endemic to Monte Desert scrub.
#Birds #Argentina

It does seem to be one that's more cooperative than others.

A White-browed Tapaculo is standing on a rock facing slightly towards us. There is grass in the background. The bird is mostly grey, brown and white.

A White-browed Tapaculo is standing on a rock facing towards us. There is grass in the background. The bird is mostly grey, brown and white.

A White-browed Tapaculo is standing on a rock facing left. There is grass in the background. The bird is mostly grey, brown and white.

One of my favourite birds so far in Argentina has been the endemic White-browed Tapaculo. This one near Tafi del Valle was giving me one of its hard stares.
#Birds #Argentina

A Rufous-throated Dipper is up to its belly in rushing water, facing towards us.

A Rufous-throated Dipper is up to its belly in rushing water, facing towards us.

A Rufous-throated Dipper is sideways on while standing on a lichen covered rock.

A Rufous-throated Dipper is facing towards us on a lichen covered rock, flicking its wings open.

Dippers: completed it. The last species to see in my favourite family didn't disappoint. I had a wonderful time watching Rufous-throated Dippers at Quebrada los Sosa. Endlessly characterful birds.
#Birds #Argentina

Produced several of my favourite ever albums ever, including the two you mention. The striking thing is the variety of styles and the quiet influence down the years.

Am in northwest Argentina now. Here's a Condor moment.
#Birds

A Blond-crested Woodpecker in Peruibe. They really like bananas.
#Birds #Brazil

It's good to see the Bananaquits form an orderly queue for the feeder. The bees show no such niceties.
#Birds #Brazil

Oh wow! Will have to check this out when I get the chance.

A White-winged Swallow is flying over some rippled, dark water. The swallow is flying left to right and is a mix of dark blue, white and blackish.

A White-winged Swallow in motion over the lake waters at Intervales.
#Birds #Brazil

A Solitary Tinamou is facing right with green vegetation behind it. It's greyish-brown with darker mottling and has a very small head and thin bill.

A Solitary Tinamou close-up from Intervales, giving full living dinosaur vibes.
#Birds

A Long-tufted Screech-Owl is sitting on the branch of a tree. The branch is covered in moss and other plants. The owl is intricately patterned and has yellow eyes.

A Long-tufted Screech-Owl is sitting on the branch of a tree. The branch is covered in moss and other plants. The owl is intricately patterned and has yellow eyes.

A Rusty-barred Owl is sitting on the branch of a tree at night. The branch is covered in moss and other plants. The owl isn't facing towards the camera but is patterned with brownish barring.

Some owling from around Intervales. I had wonderful views of Long-tufted Screech-Owl and also saw Rusty-barred Owl nicely, although it didn't want to look down at the camera.
#Birds