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Bird Sightings: Red-necked Phalarope
Red-necked Phalarope
Phalaropus lobatus
Deagan-allt, Isean-dearg
Photography © Terry Fountain
Uist - Outer Hebrides (Western Isles)
19th May, 2007Our red-necked phalarope photographs:
Red-necked Phalarope Red-necked Phalarope
Female
In 2000 there were only 13 pairs of Red-necked Phalarope breeding in the whole of the UK, most were in Shetland. The Northern part of Scotland is on the Southernmost edge of it's breeding range. There are now estimated to be 20 to 30 pairs breeding in the UK.
RSPB Loch na Muilne nature reserve on the Isle of Lewis is a red-necked phalarope breeding site.
The female red-necked phalarope usually arrive in mid-May and by the end of August have left our islands.
They spend summer in the Arctic and sub-Arctic and in winter live at sea off the Arabian coast.
Red-necked Phalarope do not make typical monogamous pairings. The females are the most brightly coloured, they sing and court the males, and also fight each other for the attentions of the males.
The males incubate the eggs and feed the young whilst the females take on a second partner...
Red-necked phalarope feed by swirling up freshwater bottom sediments and eating the insects etc that rise up. The process by which they swirl the water makes them spin around.
RSPB Loch na Muilne nature reserve
Take the A858 from Stornoway to Arnol, park at the blackhouse. Walk down past the blackhouse and take the track on the right. (800m to the reserve)
Very open land, allow plenty of time for all to settle after your arrival!
Terry Fountain's web site:
http://www.hebridesphotographic.com
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