Just enjoyed distant but quite good and prolonged views of an Otter around the North Pier. At one stage it even tried to climb up the wall of the pier! Only the second time I've seen one from home.
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Birds fae Torry (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter Andrew Whitehouse
- Start date
Fairly quiet here this weekend, although the quite delightful weather today encouraged a lot of birds into song. Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Song Thrush, Reed Bunting and Goldcrest were all at it around the waterworks today. More surprising in the same area was a Red Admiral on the wing. I'm pretty sure I've never seen one in February in Scotland before. Two Rooks were on the school playing field both today and yesterday.
1. Skylark on the beach at Nigg Bay
2-5. Lots of 'dolphoonery' going on today
1. Skylark on the beach at Nigg Bay
2-5. Lots of 'dolphoonery' going on today
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Fairly quiet today in mild but breezy conditions. Two Rooks were around Nigg Bay and Ringed Plovers were starting to get territorial on the beach there. The main event was some progress on the Purple Sandpiper Totaliser:
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That's Numberwang!
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That's Numberwang!
Visible Otters
An Otter again around the North Pier just now. Yesterday a drake Wigeon was on the Dee by Victoria Bridge.
An Otter again around the North Pier just now. Yesterday a drake Wigeon was on the Dee by Victoria Bridge.
The Otter was so visible today it was basically the first thing I saw after getting out of bed. Look out the window - have a quick look for the Otter - there it is. Once again it was just by the North Pier, scampering about on the low rocky platform.
I went for a walk in the afternoon, in rather lovely, clear weather. Not a lot was about, although there was an obvious northward movement of Kittiwakes and other seabirds. Eight Reed Buntings were the most I've seen so far this year in the Nigg Bay area.
I took a few pictures in the beautiful light.
I went for a walk in the afternoon, in rather lovely, clear weather. Not a lot was about, although there was an obvious northward movement of Kittiwakes and other seabirds. Eight Reed Buntings were the most I've seen so far this year in the Nigg Bay area.
I took a few pictures in the beautiful light.
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A clear and mild day after yesterday's continuous rain, much of which was still lying around in puddles. Around Nigg Bay the birds were coming in two by two. A couple of Woodcock were flushed near the football pitch. There were pairs of Long-tailed Tit and Bullfinch and also two Goldcrests. One Water Rail was calling and my first Yellowhammer of the year was near the bay.
Otherwise things were fairly quiet. There was a bit of movement out to sea, including one Goldeneye and four Common Scoter. A female Stonechat was in Greyhope Bay.
Otherwise things were fairly quiet. There was a bit of movement out to sea, including one Goldeneye and four Common Scoter. A female Stonechat was in Greyhope Bay.
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A juvenile Iceland Gull again around the North Pier just now.
I had a brisk wander around the Ness late this afternoon in pleasant but cool conditions. A few enjoyable sightings followed. What we must now refer to as the 'regular pair' of Otters were swimming across the harbour without a care in the world. Plenty of Bottlenose Dolphin activity today too. A bit of a suprise was a Short-eared Owl, which was quartering the area between Greyhope Bay and the Battery. A male Stonechat was in Nigg Bay and a Moorhen was seen with characteristic brevity along Tullos Burn.
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The morning was quite damp but the weather was much better through the afternoon. The wetlands were mostly fairly quiet, aside from three Common Snipe. On Nigg Bay there was an impressive group of at least 22 Long-tailed Ducks. A minimum of ten Red-throated Divers were offshore, along with both Harbour Porpoise and Bottlenose Dolphin. There was again some action on the Short-eared Owl front in the Greyhope Bay area. There actually seemed to be two birds around, although only one was seen at any particular time. One bird had an obvious gap in the outer primaries on the left wing, which was distinctive.
Here are photos of both owls. 'People getting married' was a patch tick for me.
Here are photos of both owls. 'People getting married' was a patch tick for me.
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Rather a foggy morning here in Torry, although this cleared out to sea to some extent by midday to leave a rather pleasant, warmish day. Stuff around Nigg Bay included two Chiffchaffs, one of which was very good for tristis. The other seemed like a normal colybita and was apparently unringed. It was hard to tell if the tristis-type was unringed because it only seemed to have one leg! The only calls heard were colybita but were probably from the normal looking bird.
A Woodcock was again flushed near the waterworks and there were a pair of Stonechats. 11 Long-tailed Ducks and a drake Red-breasted Merganser were on Nigg Bay. 192 Purple Sandpipers were roosting.
A Woodcock was again flushed near the waterworks and there were a pair of Stonechats. 11 Long-tailed Ducks and a drake Red-breasted Merganser were on Nigg Bay. 192 Purple Sandpipers were roosting.
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Spring was definitely happening this morning in Torry and it was quite a pleasant time to be trudging around the local sewage works. Keeping me company were twelve Common Snipe and a single Jack Snipe. A Moorhen was seen for several seconds on the marsh - as long a view as I've had of one here for months.
A pair of Bullfinches were along the railway embankment, the male seemingly 'singing', or at least what passes for Bullfinch song. Wonder if they'll breed here this year. Singing more stridently was a Chiffchaff, which seemed to be ranging quite widely along the embankment and through the willows. A ringed Siberian Chiffchaff was also seen fairly well, accompanying the large numbers of Goldcrests (at least 12 but probably more).
Nigg Bay held nine Long-tailed Ducks and a drake Red-breasted Merganser. Eleven Red-throated Divers were either there or passing offshore. A pair of Stonechats were along the south bank. A neat 200 Purple Sandpipers were roosting on Skate's Nose. My first Peregrine of the year was picked out flying across the city towards its nest site.
A pair of Bullfinches were along the railway embankment, the male seemingly 'singing', or at least what passes for Bullfinch song. Wonder if they'll breed here this year. Singing more stridently was a Chiffchaff, which seemed to be ranging quite widely along the embankment and through the willows. A ringed Siberian Chiffchaff was also seen fairly well, accompanying the large numbers of Goldcrests (at least 12 but probably more).
Nigg Bay held nine Long-tailed Ducks and a drake Red-breasted Merganser. Eleven Red-throated Divers were either there or passing offshore. A pair of Stonechats were along the south bank. A neat 200 Purple Sandpipers were roosting on Skate's Nose. My first Peregrine of the year was picked out flying across the city towards its nest site.
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Another rather delightful day here in Torry. There was a bit less about than yesterday though. I'm pretty certain two Chiffchaffs were singing in the Nigg Bay area. Also 14 Snipe and seven Goldcrests there. The bay held 17 Long-tailed Ducks. We did have some Purple Sandpiper Totaliser topping:
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Cracking stuff. Also a Peacock butterfly on Abbey Road.
Looks like things might go a bit southeasterly over the next few days, which could be mildly interesting. I predict... a few more Chiffchaffs.
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Cracking stuff. Also a Peacock butterfly on Abbey Road.
Looks like things might go a bit southeasterly over the next few days, which could be mildly interesting. I predict... a few more Chiffchaffs.
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RecoveringScot
Well-known member
Check every bunting. Rustic Buntings have turned up as early as March in the past when the winds were E or SE (I found one really by accident on 7th April long ago). One might be tempted to assume Reed Bunting for every brownish bird at this early time of year. Maybe unlikely nowadays as they have declined but you never know.
I didn't get a chance to check the buntings on a brief walk this morning but my bold prediction of 'More Chiffchaffs' came to fruition with three seen: one on Abbey Road and two along the north bank. Presumably these were all migrants, as were at least seven Goldcrests. Not too much else was around aside from seven Long-tailed Ducks and six Red-throated Divers. Two Lapwings displaying over Tullos Hill were my first of the year.
I had a look around the Nigg Bay area this morning, in still, mild and slightly muggy conditions that eventually gave way to light rain. The most heartening sight and sound was of a Swallow twittering over the south side of Torry and then the pools. A fairly early arrival. Four Chiffchaffs were present. Two were singing and there was also another colybita together with the ringed Siberian Chiffchaff. Also about were ten Snipe, a Yellowhammer and a Goldcrest. Five Siskin flew emphatically out towards the North Sea in two separate groups. The Bay held seven Long-tailed Ducks and six Red-throated Divers.
Despite being slightly cooler than yesterday, there was a bit more 'summer' about today. Not that it was initially apparent around Nigg Bay, which seemed very quiet. A pair of Long-tailed Tits seemed a bit territorial and there were three Goldcrests, four Snipe and the usual two Chiffchaffs singing. Out in the Bay itself were 12 Long-tailed Ducks.
Things picked up in Walker Park, where two male Wheatears were trotting about. In the distance across Aberdeen Bay, four Sandwich Terns were fishing. Then along the north bank, a Swallow cruised around and four Sand Martins were busying themselves at the sand bank below the Battery.
As you'll see from the pictures, there's also a lone 'Hooded Crow' hanging about Nigg Bay. It was around yesterday too. I'm not sure it's the same one that was paired up around the school fields last year but it could be. It's a bit hard to say how close to 100% it is. The grey looks a little bit on the dark side and there are perhaps some black markings on the undertail, although it's in shadow so hard to be sure either way. IDing Hooded Crows in the hybrid zone: in the words of Run DMC, it's tricky.
Things picked up in Walker Park, where two male Wheatears were trotting about. In the distance across Aberdeen Bay, four Sandwich Terns were fishing. Then along the north bank, a Swallow cruised around and four Sand Martins were busying themselves at the sand bank below the Battery.
As you'll see from the pictures, there's also a lone 'Hooded Crow' hanging about Nigg Bay. It was around yesterday too. I'm not sure it's the same one that was paired up around the school fields last year but it could be. It's a bit hard to say how close to 100% it is. The grey looks a little bit on the dark side and there are perhaps some black markings on the undertail, although it's in shadow so hard to be sure either way. IDing Hooded Crows in the hybrid zone: in the words of Run DMC, it's tricky.
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Mark Lew1s
My real name is Mark Lewis
Yep it's pretty unusual but not out of the question - I've had them coming in-off at different times of year. I bet you were disappointed when it turned out to be 'only a buzzard'!
