Who do you think I am? Sherlock Holmes? Anyway, the car's body was still in excellent condition, with no visible damage to the paintwork. Is that what you meant?
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Birds fae Torry (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter Andrew Whitehouse
- Start date
Who do you think I am? Sherlock Holmes? Anyway, the car's body was still in excellent condition, with no visible damage to the paintwork. Is that what you meant?
turkish van
Number 1 celebrity badger
Sherlock Holmes, even of the Downey Jnr variety, would be credited with better english skills than that. Body in the car, not body of the car. If you find a mysterious grave shaped hole, then a nearby car in an odd place, does your mind not jump to the obvious conclusion?
Look, I'm trying to cover things up the best I can, so if you can keep quiet about the body...
Mum's the word. Walls have ears. Trust no one.
It's really quite warm and sunny here today. I actually wandered round the Ness in shorts and sandals, which almost never happens. Anyway, it didn't take me very long to find the recently reported Iceland Gull, which was sitting on the North Pier. The views were a bit distant but I was able to give it a pretty good look. As far as I can tell this is a 3rd calendar-year bird. The bill has a grey-green base, black subterminal band and, I think, a paler tip. It also seems to have a pale grey saddle. The shape is fine for an Iceland, with small, rounded head, shortish bill and long wings. It seems like a relatively big individual - presumably a male. Some absolutely cracking photos are attached. What's more, it has also snuck its way onto the house list, albeit rather distantly.
Other stuff included five Goosander on the harbour, my first Girdle Ness Sedge Warbler of the year on the north bank and a Harbour Porpoise (two were around yesterday evening). On Greyhope Bay there was a large gathering of terns: at least 50 Common and 23 Arctic. Also there were a Knot and a Dunlin. Five or more Turnstones are still about.
On the rocks below the Coo I managed a rather splendid Girdle Ness mammal tick - a Weasel - which was dashing about in between the cracks in the stone for quite some time.
Other stuff included five Goosander on the harbour, my first Girdle Ness Sedge Warbler of the year on the north bank and a Harbour Porpoise (two were around yesterday evening). On Greyhope Bay there was a large gathering of terns: at least 50 Common and 23 Arctic. Also there were a Knot and a Dunlin. Five or more Turnstones are still about.
On the rocks below the Coo I managed a rather splendid Girdle Ness mammal tick - a Weasel - which was dashing about in between the cracks in the stone for quite some time.
Attachments
Jane Turner
Well-known member
That's not a cracking photo of an Iceland Gull
This is
http://www.birdforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=251262&d=1270228072
This is
http://www.birdforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=251262&d=1270228072
That is good actually. It's quite hard to tell if it's a gull or slightly differently coloured patch of mud.
Dave Kennedy
Well-known member
I live in South Africa, so can't even tell which one is supposed to be the Iceland Gull. Please remember us foreigners, and say things like "It's the one on the left", or something of the sort.
Best wishes,
Dave
Definitely the one on the right of the picture Dave!
I should really go birding around here again shouldn't I *makes mental note*
A flock of around 25 Canada Geese flew low over Victoria Road this morning - my first of the year in this area.
Mark Lew1s
My real name is Mark Lewis
The ness has been a bit quiet of late...plenty of birds around but nothing out of the ordinary. Quite a few young birds around today....starlings, greenfinchs, and a willow warbler. Also lots of chuntering from the cover from whitethroats and sedge warblers.
Nigg bay had some very smart breeding plumage waders, purp, turnstone and a single dunlin.
And a pair of house martins nesting near the golf club....which I haven't noted round here before.
Nigg bay had some very smart breeding plumage waders, purp, turnstone and a single dunlin.
And a pair of house martins nesting near the golf club....which I haven't noted round here before.
Mark Lew1s
My real name is Mark Lewis
A genuine migrant today....a garden warbler in the battery willows. Quiet otherwise, apart from newly fledged pied wags and chiffchaff.
Had a quick look early this morning, before going to see better birds up the coast. Lots of Bottlenose Dolphin action and several Red-throated Divers moving up and down the coast was the best of it. I was quite surprised to see a Reed Bunting singing next to the Battery.
The weather was rather autumnal this morning when I went round the Ness but the birds had a distinctly mid-summer feel. Lots of 1st summer gulls loafing about, a returning Redshank, flocks of juvenile Starlings, auks whizzing past offshore, nothing remotely rare. There were some impressive spikes of Northern Marsh Orchid and a female Wheatear was darting about the south side. I saw a few this time last year, which made me wonder what they were up to. It's a bit of an odd time to get migrants.
More important news was that the tower by the lighthouse now has a turny-around thing on it. And the mysterious hole by the bench has been mysteriously filled (see pictures). I've also discovered that the Spar near me stocks vegetarian rowies, so I can now enjoy the delights of a 'Torry croissant'.
More important news was that the tower by the lighthouse now has a turny-around thing on it. And the mysterious hole by the bench has been mysteriously filled (see pictures). I've also discovered that the Spar near me stocks vegetarian rowies, so I can now enjoy the delights of a 'Torry croissant'.
Attachments
Invasion Force
I was wandering up Victoria Road in Torry this afternoon (coming back from the shops and the Temminck's Stint) and was surprised to see ten Crossbills flying along the road. The start of something bigger?
I was wandering up Victoria Road in Torry this afternoon (coming back from the shops and the Temminck's Stint) and was surprised to see ten Crossbills flying along the road. The start of something bigger?
bombycilla
Well-known member
That is interesting Andrew. Were they glips (4E) or parakeets (1B) or something else ? I note some have been turning up on Orkney and Shetland ( and North Ron) over the last few weeks. Not sure if these are "incoming" or "outgoing".
Sadly I was carrying my shopping at the time, so didn't get a recording
. I got more of a glip impression from the calls, but I don't have a good enough ear for these to be sure. They appeared to be flying inland, so maybe coming in rather than going out. I shall have to get out and look for more (and try to get some recordings).
Had a look around this evening, in calm and quite muggy weather. A family of seven well-grown Goosander were with their mother on the river. Another five adult Goosanders were seen around the Ness. A Sedge Warbler was on the north bank and a Reed Bunting was again singing by the Battery. A few Bottlenose Dolphins upping their ends in the usual areas. On Greyhope Bay there was a scattering of Turnstones and small numbers of Common and Sandwich Terns. From their regular calling I assume the Ringed Plovers have young, but it's hard to pick them out from amongst the single. Offshore two languid Manx Shearwaters flew north.
Mark Lew1s
My real name is Mark Lewis
A cracking day weather wise, enlivened by a black guillemot off the foghorn, along with a manxy, a puffin, and large numbers of gulls and auks. The ness can be a very pleasant place at times like this with loads of butterflies and wildflowers to distract from the birding.....
talking of the foghorn, I noticed that the gap in the fence has been repaired. No more viewing from the Upper Circle. :C
gus guthrie
gus guthrie
Are Black guillemot uncommon up the East Coast or do you get them in certain locations ?
