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deanmacaskill.bsky.social
@deanmacaskill.bsky.social
Highland birder, Moth'er, wildlife gardener, mostly out and about somewhere in Sutherland with occasional jaunts across the border into Ross-shire.
some snow on a nest box.
January 8, 2026 at 1:40 PM
So snowed in now for 6th day and catching up on Moth records for 2025, two new for VC107 -
Twin-spotted quaker and Northern diamond-back.
January 7, 2026 at 7:36 PM
Good to see this Robin is still in my garden near Dornoch, i first saw it in March 2024. It was ringed at Lentran Point nr Inverness in January 2023.
January 4, 2026 at 2:10 PM
Pleased to pick out a pair of Surf Scoter in the Common Scoter flock at Dornoch yesterday however a Black Scoter totally unexpected.
December 17, 2025 at 5:07 PM
Some captivating waders at Embo brightened up a dull day .
December 10, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Slavonian Grebes in early morning light at Dornoch.
December 1, 2025 at 4:49 PM
It's been a couple of years since i last saw a Water Pipit locally.
Very flighty , but managed a couple record shots.
November 12, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Good timing today when i pulled up just as this White-tailed Eagle was pulling a Salmon from the water.
November 8, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Some ducks from yesterday, Gadwall and Green-winged Teal on the pond at Tain Links, hybrid Wigeon at Loch Fleet.
November 5, 2025 at 6:34 AM
A good count of 67 Red Kites going to roost tonight.
November 2, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Arctic Tern , one of two still at Embo today.
October 30, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Calm early morning sunrise at Achavandra
October 22, 2025 at 6:51 AM
Surprised to see an Eagle Owl on a post as i drove by Skelbo Loch Fleet yesterday.
October 21, 2025 at 5:30 AM
66 Moths of 19 species in VC107 last night, including a couple of migrants Rusty -dot Pearl and Dark Sword-grass,
October 15, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Barred Warbler again today, showing better feeding on Elderberries with a pair of Blackcap.
September 27, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Another garden tick - Barred Warbler! i was looking for the tristis type chiffy to try and get a photo , got distracted by a Blackcap then up popped a Barred Warbler.
September 26, 2025 at 12:29 PM
Finally added Comma to my garden list , 😀👍
That brings my garden list of butterflies species up to 18..
September 24, 2025 at 7:03 PM
A decent Sea Watch yesterday off Lothbeg Point.
Four species of Shearwater a juv Sabines Gul, 3 Skuas species a Peregrine Falcon hunting well offshore eventually catching an Auk and several species of Duck all into the Dornoch firth.
September 8, 2025 at 7:13 AM
A few shots from today.
June 19, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Saxon, Autumn Green Carpet and Clouded silver blending in well with the bark of an Oak.
May 1, 2025 at 9:46 AM
Not a spectacular looking beast , but a new for garden species is a welcome record.
Rhigognostis incarnatella
April 14, 2025 at 7:10 PM
A couple of my favourite spring Moths posing for photos this morning.
April 13, 2025 at 7:46 AM
My first ever spring Brindled Ochre was the pick of the bunch last night, 11 species from 74.
April 11, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Stopped at a fence line today in SE Sutherland and noticed a male Rannoch Brindled Beauty, it didn't take long to find 57 females and 43 males with at least another 1km of fence unchecked!
April 3, 2025 at 6:01 PM
60 Moths of 10 species last night, not a bad haul.
a few pics added.
April 1, 2025 at 5:34 PM