Andrew Whitehouse
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anthrobirder.bsky.social
Andrew Whitehouse
@anthrobirder.bsky.social
3.4K followers 1.2K following 590 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
I'm still gleaning patch year ticks at Girdle Ness with this Velvet Scoter that flew north today. Meanwhile, the Great Northern Diver continues in the harbour.
#Birds #BirdingScotland #PatchBirding #UKWildlife
A Velvet Scoter is flying right to left over a blue sea. It is a mostly blackish duck with a white rectangle on its wings. A Great Northern Diver is swimming right to left. The water is reflecting red from a nearby ship in the harbour.
November 29, 2025 at 3:52 PM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
This Woodcock was quietly roosting under a small conifer in St Fittick's Park today.
#Birds #BirdingScotland #UKWildlife #ThermalBirding
A partially obscured Woodcock is sitting on the ground among leaf litter and other vegetation, it's large eye staring back from the centre of the image.
November 29, 2025 at 3:47 PM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
Jack Snipe have been hard to find this year, but this one at St Fittick's Park today shone out in the thermal imager as it flattened down against the edge of the reeds.
#Birds #BirdingScotland #PatchBirding #UKWildlife #ThermalBirding
A Jack Snipe crouches down close to the marshy, wet ground. It is surrounded by wetland grasses and plants and is well camouflaged amongst them. A Jack Snipe crouches down close to the marshy, wet ground. It is surrounded by wetland grasses and plants and is well camouflaged amongst them. This is a close up of the head and bill.
November 29, 2025 at 3:44 PM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
A juvenile Arctic Tern at Girdle Ness today, which in late November should be as far south as it currently is north.
#Birds #BirdingScotland #UKWildlife #PatchBirding #SuperSeabirdSunday
A juvenile Arctic Tern is flying left to right over a rippled blue sea. A juvenile Arctic Tern is flying left to right over a rippled blue sea. A juvenile Arctic Tern is flying left to right over a rippled blue sea. A juvenile Arctic Tern is flying right to left over a rippled blue sea.
November 22, 2025 at 5:43 PM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
A fox in the snow on the bowling green in Torry, Aberdeen today, a carton of tuna steak giving some nourishment in the cold.
#UKWildlife #FoxOfTheDay
A fox is pawing at a carton of tuna steak in the snow. A fox is pawing at a carton of tuna steak in the snow. A fox is holding a carton of tuna steak in its mouth while standing in the snow.
November 21, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Reposted by Andrew Whitehouse
sapiens.org
“As a medical anthropologist, I’m fascinated by the political, economic, and social networks that have transformed humble bird’s nests into one of the most expensive animal products in the world.”

Read more: www.sapiens.org/culture/edib...
November 18, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Reposted by Andrew Whitehouse
alexanderlees.bsky.social
Hard agree. Incredible that you can routinely drive in winter from Grantham to Norwich now and not see a single flock. It is increasingly becoming a bird of reserves and not the wider countryside, even in winter #UKBirding
anthrobirder.bsky.social Andrew Whitehouse @anthrobirder.bsky.social · 16d
Things have come to a pretty pass when it takes until mid-November to see my first Lapwing of the year at Girdle Ness. This one was in Greyhope Bay this morning. Maybe the bird that's undergone the most perceptible loss in British avifauna in my lifetime.
#Birds #BIrdingScotland #UKWildlife
A Lapwing is standing on a rock in the foreground, showing its crest and greenish upperparts. In the background are more rocks with waves crashing onto them.
November 16, 2025 at 5:21 PM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
Purple Sandpipers gathering on the rocks at Greyhope Bay, Girdle Ness today, their busy twittering cutting through the rolling surf. Their numbers are building up for the winter but changes in roosting habits make it harder to accurately assess the numbers these days.
#Birds #BirdingScotland
A large group of Purple Sandpipers are dotted about on a dark, rocky outcrop amidst frothy sea.
November 16, 2025 at 4:04 PM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
The young Great Northern Diver is still in Aberdeen Harbour, today ploughing head-first through the waters and pulling out fish.
#Birds #BirdingScotland #UKWildlife
A Great Northern Diver is swimming on dark, rippled water, facing left. A Great Northern Diver is swimming through dark rippled water holding a narrow fish in its bill. A Great Northern Diver is swimming through dark rippled water with its bill submerged beneath the surface as it swims forward. A Great Northern Diver is swimming on dark, rippled water, facing slightly toward us as it swims left.
November 16, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Reposted by Andrew Whitehouse
wadertales.bsky.social
You make a fair point about the disappearance of breeding Lapwing, Andrew. The thinning out of the breeding distribution has meant that they have ceased to be a 'local' bird for many.
This was a sad blog to write:
wadertales.wordpress.com/2017/11/30/2...
#ornithology
November 16, 2025 at 11:29 AM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
Things have come to a pretty pass when it takes until mid-November to see my first Lapwing of the year at Girdle Ness. This one was in Greyhope Bay this morning. Maybe the bird that's undergone the most perceptible loss in British avifauna in my lifetime.
#Birds #BIrdingScotland #UKWildlife
A Lapwing is standing on a rock in the foreground, showing its crest and greenish upperparts. In the background are more rocks with waves crashing onto them.
November 15, 2025 at 6:45 PM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
Seawatching below grey skies and an easterly at Girdle Ness. After yesterday's late Sooty Shearwater, 2 more passed today. Also, 2 Little Auks, 3 Bonxies, a Manx Shearwater and a Little Gull. The highlight was my first Slavonian Grebe here for several years, heading north.
#Birds #BirdingScotland
A grey sea and sky, with waves crashing onto rocks. In the foreground is a grassy slope, a gravel track and a high fence.
November 15, 2025 at 3:35 PM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
My latest ever Sooty Shearwater headed north over some iridescent seas at Girdle Ness this afternoon. Bunched parties of Kittiwakes were heading the same way, looking for a route out to the Atlantic.
#Birds #BirdingScotland #UKWildlife
A shimmering, blue grey sea with blue sky and fluffy grey and white clouds. A concrete jetty goes out into the sea among dark rocks. Short grass is in the foreground.
November 14, 2025 at 5:08 PM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
Foggy arrivals at Girdle Ness today: Short-eared Owl (primarily), the NS Iona (emergently), the sun (diffusely).
#Birds #BirdingScotland #weather #UKWildlife
A Short-eared Owl is flying away from the camera in a foggy blue-grey sky. A ship appears out of a bank of fog. Only the top half is visible. To the right is the beacon at the end of the harbour breakwater. A ship appears out of a bank of fog. To the right is the beacon at the end of the harbour breakwater. The sun shines through the fog above some short, dewy grass.
November 7, 2025 at 3:22 PM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
An immaculate juvenile Great Northern Diver in Aberdeen Harbour today.
#Birds #BirdingScotland #PatchBirding #UKWildlife
A juvenile Great Northern Diver is swimming right to left over calm blue water. You can see its reflection and feet slightly in the water. Pale edges to the wing feathers indicate the age.
November 7, 2025 at 3:07 PM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
Proper #patchgold today in St Fittick's Park with this drake Gadwall on the main marsh. It's only my fourth ever record here and the first for five years.
#Birds #BirdingScotland #PatchBirding #UKWildlife
A male Gadwall is flying against a grey sky, showing the underside of its wings. A male Gadwall is flying against a grey sky, showing the upperside of its wings.
November 2, 2025 at 3:30 PM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
Grey cold at Girdle Ness today, but the wind had eased from yesterday. A late morning flurry of 40 Little Auks was enjoyable. Other birds moving included 2 Sooty Shearwaters, a Great Northern Diver, 3 Little Gulls, a Merlin, and 26 Long-tailed Ducks.
#Birds #BirdingScotland #UKWildlife #PatchBirding
A grey sea crashes onto some dark rocks by a concrete jetty. The sky is grey.
October 26, 2025 at 2:24 PM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
Arduous conditions at Girdle Ness this morning, with showers more on than off and a biting north-westerly. Relatively slow going at sea, with three Little Auks the highlight. Also one Great Northern Diver and 32 Long-tailed Ducks.
#Birds #BirdingScotland #UKWildlife
A rough sea is crashing onto a rocky shore with a rainbow and cloud in the sky. In the foreground is rough grassland.
October 25, 2025 at 12:56 PM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
A few tired looking Goldcrests arrived at Girdle Ness today. This one was gleaning insects in the willows but another had only got as far as a patch of thistles, before heading to the unlikely surrounds of the harbour breakwater.
#Birds #BirdingScotland #UKWildlife
A Goldcrest is perched in a willow tree, trying to find insects among the remaining leaves.
October 19, 2025 at 7:18 PM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
Today brought the autumn's first real arrival of thrushes at Girdle Ness, mostly Redwings and Blackbirds but a few Fieldfares strutted the short grass too.
#Birds #BirdingScotland #UKWildlife
A Fieldfare is standing on some dewy grass, facing left. An out of focus Goldfinch is in the background. A group of Redwings are feeding on some green, dewy grass.
October 18, 2025 at 5:57 PM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
Pixels win prizes. This resplendent adult Pomarine Skua was the seawatching highlight at Girdle Ness today, picked out by @inchgarthbirding.bsky.social
#Birds #BirdingScotland #PatchBirding #UKWildlife
A Pomarine Skua is flying over a grey sea. The picture shows the long, thick tail projections known as 'spoons'.
October 18, 2025 at 5:47 PM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
A pale phase Arctic Skua directs aggro towards a Common Gull off Girdle Ness today. It then gets chased off by another Common Gull.
#Birds #BirdingScotland #UKWildlife
A pale Arctic Skua is flying downwards towards a Common Gull. A grey sea is in the background. A pale Arctic Skua is flying across towards a Common Gull. A grey sea is in the background. A pale Arctic Skua is flying behind a Common Gull. Their mouths are wide open with noise. A grey sea is in the background. An Arctic Skua is being chased in flight by a Common Gull over a grey sea.
October 17, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Reposted by Andrew Whitehouse
slipshodspeller.bsky.social
Third helping of Winter Well on air soon.

(Just before The Archers for those who like to listen live to Radio 4!)

Episode 3 - ‘Get Out and Notice’ shares light-filled ideas and activities in the open air.

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

@hesterparr.bsky.social @alecfinlay.bsky.social
Winter Well - Episode 3 - Get Out and Notice - BBC Sounds
A guide to thriving in winter, offering advice on how to get through the darker months.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 15, 2025 at 12:12 PM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
My first Long-tailed Ducks of the autumn arrived in to the harbour mouth at Girdle Ness today, encouraged by a light northwest wind. Interesting to see their feet.
#Birds #BirdingScotland #UKWildlife
Two female Long-tailed Ducks are flying over grey water. Two female Long-tailed Ducks are flying over grey water, gathering to land. Two female Long-tailed Ducks are flying over grey water, gathering to land. Two female Long-tailed Ducks are flying over grey water, about to land.
October 14, 2025 at 4:40 PM
anthrobirder.bsky.social
The 2nd calendar year Glaucous Gull reappeared at Girdle Ness today, sweeping across the bay before settling on the south breakwater.
#Birds #BirdingScotland #UKWildlife
An immature Glaucous Gull is flying over the sea, in front of a red and white ship and a yellow and white wind turbine. Some distant coastal land is in the background.
October 14, 2025 at 4:30 PM