Teamscotch
Well-known member
Yes - disappointingly Northern, although I'll admit my heart skipped a beat when I first saw it sitting in the heather!
Cheers,
Phil
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Birds fae Torry (7 Viewers)
- Thread starter Andrew Whitehouse
- Start date
Yes - disappointingly Northern, although I'll admit my heart skipped a beat when I first saw it sitting in the heather!
Cheers,
Phil
Tattiemannie
New member
Hi folks, I'm new on here ... but have looked in many times, particularly in connection with bird life on Tullos Hill - having taken an interestin this location since the tree for every citizen scheme and the asociated deer cull.
I was on the hill yesterday, picking brambles and elderberries, when I heard what was very, very like the call of a corncrake. I went home thinking this was unlikely, but listened to bird calls online, and am more convinced that it was a corncrake I heard ... unless there is a bird with a similar call of course.
Can anyone suggest what may have been the source of the call? I want to be excited and insist it was a corncrake ... but I'll stay calm and wait for responses from folks who perhaps know more about what is on the hill and could be making such a call.
I was on the hill yesterday, picking brambles and elderberries, when I heard what was very, very like the call of a corncrake. I went home thinking this was unlikely, but listened to bird calls online, and am more convinced that it was a corncrake I heard ... unless there is a bird with a similar call of course.
Can anyone suggest what may have been the source of the call? I want to be excited and insist it was a corncrake ... but I'll stay calm and wait for responses from folks who perhaps know more about what is on the hill and could be making such a call.
Welcome to BirdForum and Birds fae Torry Tattiemannie. Although Corncrake is possible here in autumn, it's very unlikely. What's even more unlikely is for it to be calling at this time of year because the characteristic sound is normally only given during the breeding season. It's a bit hard to know what other possibilities there might be. Pheasant is possible and a bit similar. Mistle Thrush makes a dry rattling call. Hard to be sure though! It might be helpful to know exactly where it was coming from e.g. on the ground, in a tree, from grass etc.
Could Jays be a possibility as well?
Rich
Rich
They're very scarce around the city - I've never seen one in this area at all, although you get them further up Deeside.
Today was very different to last weekend - much cooler and a lot of the birds seem to have left. Migrants were in short supply, though my first Redwing of the autumn was near the Coo. Seawatching was the main feature. A Short-eared Owl was seen battling in off, whilst being pursued by a couple of skuas. Skuas were a bit of a headache for me too, with at least six being seen. I think most were Arctics, like this one, but some were a bit too distant to be sure. Two Bonxies and a Sooty Shearwater went north. Also moving were five Common Scoter and four Teal. A few Harbour Porpoises surfaced. A Snipe was heard calling around Greyhope Bay.
Tattiemannie
New member
Cheers Andrew, as I said I thought it unlikely both in terms of their normal distribution, and the time of the year, but so far, having listened to calls by other rails, and many recordings of corncrakes, I am left knowing exactly what I heard, and corncrake calls are still the best match, and a very good match at that.
Re time of year though, I am more knowledgable re. wild plants than birds, and I see evidence of disruption to the season ... a few plants which had finished flowering in August ( or should have ) had flowers ... it has been an unusual summer, so I wonder if that could possibly have an effect.
I will look into the birds mentioned by yourself and have a listen to their calls. You asked for more info re location.
I was walking east along the path to the north of the fenced off area. about 50 to 100 yards east of the fenced off area I heard what struck me as the far off sound of someone sawing wood. This came from the left, somewhere in a large area of grassland on the north side of the hill. I looked to see if someone was perhaps pruning trees, but at the same time began to think it was not actually the sound of a saw on wood. there were breaks in the 'sawing' and I suppose the sound was a bit like the repeated drawing back and forth of a wood saw. Anyway, seeing nothing, I walked on until, to my right, i heard a similar sound, but more defined as a 'double syllable' rasping and closer together in time... a little like the classic frog sound from the movies, but harsher and deeper. it seemed quite close, and coming from a small clearing surrounded by gorse and broom. There was a ditch between myself and the area. I listened and tried to define where the sound was coming from, but realised I was unlikely to see anything as it could so easily be coming from in, or under the bushes.
At one point I could hear both the 'sawing' sound to the north, and the fuller grating sound close by. I made my way over the ditch, and the sound stopped. I stayed still for quite a long time ... possibly around ten minutes, and then heard the sound again. However I took a couple of steps towards the clearing, and heard the sound no more.
I was all set to go back to the hill today prepared to record with my phone if i heard it again, but not in this weather
Re time of year though, I am more knowledgable re. wild plants than birds, and I see evidence of disruption to the season ... a few plants which had finished flowering in August ( or should have ) had flowers ... it has been an unusual summer, so I wonder if that could possibly have an effect.
I will look into the birds mentioned by yourself and have a listen to their calls. You asked for more info re location.
I was walking east along the path to the north of the fenced off area. about 50 to 100 yards east of the fenced off area I heard what struck me as the far off sound of someone sawing wood. This came from the left, somewhere in a large area of grassland on the north side of the hill. I looked to see if someone was perhaps pruning trees, but at the same time began to think it was not actually the sound of a saw on wood. there were breaks in the 'sawing' and I suppose the sound was a bit like the repeated drawing back and forth of a wood saw. Anyway, seeing nothing, I walked on until, to my right, i heard a similar sound, but more defined as a 'double syllable' rasping and closer together in time... a little like the classic frog sound from the movies, but harsher and deeper. it seemed quite close, and coming from a small clearing surrounded by gorse and broom. There was a ditch between myself and the area. I listened and tried to define where the sound was coming from, but realised I was unlikely to see anything as it could so easily be coming from in, or under the bushes.
At one point I could hear both the 'sawing' sound to the north, and the fuller grating sound close by. I made my way over the ditch, and the sound stopped. I stayed still for quite a long time ... possibly around ten minutes, and then heard the sound again. However I took a couple of steps towards the clearing, and heard the sound no more.
I was all set to go back to the hill today prepared to record with my phone if i heard it again, but not in this weather
Tattiemannie
New member
OK, having listened to several calls, I think it most likely to have been a ring necked pheasant ... with a really sore throat Purely on what I heard, in the absence of all other facts and probabilities I would still say 'corncrake' ... but there are a couple of recordings in particular of a male pheasant crow that are close enough to persuade me that this was the culprit.
Thanks again for your help Andrew, and Clark.
Purely on what I heard, in the absence of all other facts and probabilities I would still say 'corncrake' ... but there are a couple of recordings in particular of a male pheasant crow that are close enough to persuade me that this was the culprit.Thanks again for your help Andrew, and Clark.
Mark Lew1s
My real name is Mark Lewis
Some interesting bits and bobs today. In the morning 3 tufty flew through the harbour, and at lunchtime a female type Merlin was dashing around the harbour putting on a wonderful display.
This evening, in the relative calm there were a few migrants on show. 2 ring ouzels were best, backed up by about 10 blackcap, 2 brambling, a lesser whitethroat, a few goldcrest, and good numbers of thrushes.
This evening, in the relative calm there were a few migrants on show. 2 ring ouzels were best, backed up by about 10 blackcap, 2 brambling, a lesser whitethroat, a few goldcrest, and good numbers of thrushes.
Teamscotch
Well-known member
OK, having listened to several calls, I think it most likely to have been a ring necked pheasant ... with a really sore throat
Thanks again for your help Andrew, and Clark.
Plenty of Pheasant on The Hill this autumn. I also wondered if you might be hearing one of the bird scaring devices used in the Tullos Industrial Estate below the hill - occasionally I have wondered what on earth the noise is...!
Started my walk In lovely sunshine and ended In dull damp conditions.Nothing exciting seen but a Redpoll was just along from the Bay of Nigg Car Park.Off the "Coo" was a Bonxie giving the Gulls a hard time,a single Red throated Diver and a Common Scoter.I got a little excited by a small wader In Walkers Park,which was partially hidden by Oyster Catchers but It was nothing rare,being a Dunlin,which was spooked by Council workers,cleaning the mess left by the recent Travelling community,who were camped there.What a disgrace.
Purple Sandpipers,Ringed Plover and Turnstone were on the rocks In Greyhope Bay and a few Redwing around the bushes by the Skates Nose.Another little bit of excitement,came In the way of a small brown bird,flitting around the Sycamore and the nearbye undergrowth but after much patience,It turned out to be a Dunnock.
Purple Sandpipers,Ringed Plover and Turnstone were on the rocks In Greyhope Bay and a few Redwing around the bushes by the Skates Nose.Another little bit of excitement,came In the way of a small brown bird,flitting around the Sycamore and the nearbye undergrowth but after much patience,It turned out to be a Dunnock.
Mark Lew1s
My real name is Mark Lewis
Plenty of movement this morning. I managed to squeeze a quick look around nigg bay in before work, and enjoyed plenty of thrushes, goldcrests, a few long tailed tits, and a blackcap.
All the action was overhead though. I had, either coming or going from Phil's hill! a crossbill, 4 bullfinch, 2 mistle thrush, 4 siskin, and a good few chaffinch in about 20 minutes.
Plenty of blackcaps around the allotments with goldcrests, and at lunchtime, a woodcock sauntering around.
All the action was overhead though. I had, either coming or going from Phil's hill! a crossbill, 4 bullfinch, 2 mistle thrush, 4 siskin, and a good few chaffinch in about 20 minutes.
Plenty of blackcaps around the allotments with goldcrests, and at lunchtime, a woodcock sauntering around.
Had a walk round "The Ness" again this morning,with my friend Doug.A Water Rail In the Rose Willow Herb over the back of the South Bank was unexpected.A female Sparrowhawk sitting on the rocks down from "The Coo" was attracting some mobbing birds and a Common Buzzard came In off the sea,at Greyhope Bay.
At the Battery,there was a Lesser Whitethroat and a very obliging male Blackcap.Also quite a few Wrens were seen on my walk and Robins are everywhere.
Seen Mr Whitehouse at the Battery but never had the chance to speak,so hopefully he may have came across some more stuff on his walk.
Over to you Andrew.
At the Battery,there was a Lesser Whitethroat and a very obliging male Blackcap.Also quite a few Wrens were seen on my walk and Robins are everywhere.
Seen Mr Whitehouse at the Battery but never had the chance to speak,so hopefully he may have came across some more stuff on his walk.
Over to you Andrew.
I thought that might have been you Ben! I think you did a bit better than me with Water Rail and Lesser Whitethroat.
I struggled for migrants, only seeing one Blackcap and a Redwing. I'm surprised more wasn't about. My best sighting was a flock of twenty Barnacle Geese heading south. Otherwise things seemed fairly quiet with the only other notable birds being four Red-breasted Merganser, five Common Scoter, an Arctic Skua and a Dunlin. A Sparrowhawk was at 'the Tree' and perhaps may have been the one you had at the Coo. I wonder if it was a migrant.
I struggled for migrants, only seeing one Blackcap and a Redwing. I'm surprised more wasn't about. My best sighting was a flock of twenty Barnacle Geese heading south. Otherwise things seemed fairly quiet with the only other notable birds being four Red-breasted Merganser, five Common Scoter, an Arctic Skua and a Dunlin. A Sparrowhawk was at 'the Tree' and perhaps may have been the one you had at the Coo. I wonder if it was a migrant.
Mark Lew1s
My real name is Mark Lewis
Wow - it's been busy today!
At lunchtime I had a mealy redpoll along the north bank, and 11 tree sparrows went south over the battery, as did a lone barnacle goose. The redpoll went over inland rather frustratingly, but then did the scent thing and turned back to land on a railing in front of me. It then hopped down into the grass and disappeared into the 'new cover' when I had to go back to work.
At lunchtime I had a mealy redpoll along the north bank, and 11 tree sparrows went south over the battery, as did a lone barnacle goose. The redpoll went over inland rather frustratingly, but then did the scent thing and turned back to land on a railing in front of me. It then hopped down into the grass and disappeared into the 'new cover' when I had to go back to work.
I also had a Mealy Redpoll today at 'the Tree'. It didn't stop too long, but I reckon it's the first Redpoll of any kind I've had on the deck at Girdle Ness. Not much else about, except for a couple of duck flocks: around 15 Teal and 30 Wigeon. Lots of dolphin activity too.
I suspect things may develop over the weekend though - looks interesting.
I suspect things may develop over the weekend though - looks interesting.
Teamscotch
Well-known member
Big arrival of thrushes, principally Redwing & Blackbirds on the Hill early doors today. Also a good arrival of Brambling & a couple of Blackcaps. Felt monster, but I ran out of time...
Mark Lew1s
My real name is Mark Lewis
I've been out twice - can't add anything to Phil's list apart from a few swallows. Agree about the monster though. Tomorrow could be good.
Teamscotch
Well-known member
Yikes - I thought my note would be the prelude to a decent haul locally thus arvo!
Tomorrow it is...
Mark Lew1s
My real name is Mark Lewis
Much less going on today than I expected. A few goldcrests, blackcaps and thrushes scattered around but not a lot else. There was a very Siberian looking chiffchaff at the north bank, and 4 tree sparrows were flying around. There was also a snow bunting at the battery, as well as 2 reed bunting. Could well be other stuff around....
