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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Birds fae Torry (3 Viewers)

This happened today....most unexpected!

Also, 2 Siberian chiffchaffs singing around Nigg bay, and my first willow warbler of the spring too.
 

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Back birding in Torry today, for the first time in a while. Given that the weather this week has felt more like winter than the actual winter did, it's perhaps not surprising that spring hasn't really kicked on too much while I've been away. There were a few differences from the beginning of the month though. Most obvious were the Willow Warblers, which were numerous. 19 were heard singing - 15 in Nigg Bay and 4 in the Abbey/Victoria Road area. At least a couple looked distiinctly grey with little obvious yellow. There were also five Blackcaps in Nigg Bay, with two pairs rather aggressively chasing one another about. Otherwise, two Chiffchaffs were singing and there was still one Snipe. On the bay itself were four Long-tailed Duck.

Four 'northwestern' looking Wheatears were in Walker Park and a White Wagtail was along the strandline in Greyhope Bay. A Dunlin stopped briefly in the car park there. The best bird was a drake Tufted Duck, swimming near the North Pier. I managed to get home in time to pick it out from the window and make it my 112th species for the house list.

Here's a spectacular photo of the Tufty.
 

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There was a black-throated diver in Nigg bay earlier on but I didn't see it this afternoon. And I didn't see the tufty either...!
 
Not too much new stuff today. A Redpoll over the wetlands was my first of the year, but otherwise things were as they were. There were three Snipe, two Common Scoters, a Dunlin, a Stonechat and at least six Wheatears but for the most part it was a bit quiet in the blustery wind.
 
There have been a few migrants about over the past couple of days, although I've not seen as many as others. Today I managed two short wanders. This morning a look around the allotments, north side and battery turned up one of the Black Redstarts that others have been seeing - a female along the shore near the Banana Pier. A Whitethroat was singing nearby. Also a few 'migrant' Willow Warblers and a Blackcap around.

This evening I had a look around Nigg Bay. A Moorhen showed unusually well on the marsh, and I also saw my first Sedge Warbler of the year - though it wasn't singing.
 

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Had an early morning walk around Nigg Bay today. On the way I heard two Chiffchaffs singing along Victoria Road. Yesterday I heard a different one further down the road. That's notable for Victoria Road, as it's an increase on my previous best of none whatsoever. Also a Blackcap and two Willow Warblers singing around the streets of Torry.

There were more warblers singing around Nigg Bay, with single Whitethroats and Sedge Warblers, four Blackcaps and 16 Willow Warblers. A Moorhen was again showing on the marsh, although I didn't see the young that are apparently (and pleasingly) around. Further good news was a pair of Long-tailed Tits near the railway embankment. That might be another species to the add to the 'Now breeding in Torry' list. Two Snipe were still about.

The best bird was a bit of a surprise: a quite chunky Mealy Redpoll that appeared in the willows near the waterworks. Not something I'd really expect at this time of year, but perhaps it's come in on the recent easterlies. Some record shots below.
 

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Always a thrilling moment, but this evening at least five Swifts appeared over Victoria Road for the first time this year. That's two days later than last year, though it's not too bad given how cold it is at the moment. Not quite as thrilling but also new for the year was a Collared Dove on Victoria Road.

I headed out to the Ness this evening to do a bit of seawatching. There was a bit of concerted northward movement but only of regular stuff. An Arctic Tern was new for the year. In Walker Park there were six Ringed Plovers, a Dunlin and four Wheatears.

It's worth mentioning for the benefit of those who don't live locally that there's quite a lot of stuff going on at Girdle Ness at the moment. Most prominent has been the beginnings of work on the new harbour in Nigg Bay. This has entailed the entire south side of Girdle Ness and the beach at Nigg Bay being fenced off. Walker Park is also fenced off. It's possible that this, temporarily at least, isn't a bad thing as far birds are concerned because it'll mean they're not getting kicked about by golfers and dog walkers but it makes it a lot harder to walk around the Ness and to go from Nigg Bay to the lighthouse. As you can see from the pictures, the area is also now festooned with trucks, diggers and important looking people in high-vis jackets.

A further development is in Greyhope Bay, where a new multimillion pound seawatching hide is going to be built. I think it has some other functions, but seawatching is the main one if I remember correctly. Over the last few days they've started putting up a marquee for a big fundraising event on Friday, featuring no less a luminaries than Hue and Cry and Dougie Vipond. Just £1300 quid for table. I wonder if some of Greyhope Bay car park's regular 'nocturnal users' will gatecrash it.
http://www.greyhopebay.org.uk/
https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/f...ew-10m-aberdeen-dolphin-watching-centre-look/
 

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A quick look around the Nigg Bay marshes this evening. My first Pheasant of the year was calling from Tullos Hill. I also saw one Moorhen again and there were still three Snipe. Perhaps most interesting was what I think was my first ever bat in Torry along the railway embankment. I guess it was a 'Pipistrelle sp.'. Nice to see anyway.
 
I've not had much chance to go birding around Torry over the past couple of weeks but even when I have it's been a bit quiet. I managed a sneak around the north side this morning, with conditions seemingly favourable. There wasn't very much at all in terms of migrants though. A Whimbrel and a Knot were in Greyhope Bay. Two Wheatears were in Walker Park. Otherwise there was little of note aside from a large flock of around 70 Common Scoters south.
 
Another look around this morning, in ridiculously warm and sunny conditions, but this time around Nigg Bay. There wasn't anything too major but there was some notable breeding evidence around. Two young Moorhens were with an adult on the marsh. I'd not seen the young that others saw a while back, and wondered if they might have been lost, but I guess they're a few weeks old now. A pair of Bullfinches were near the railway embankment, suggesting they might still be nesting somewhere nearby. A large horde of young Long-tailed Tits were in the same area. This is the first time I've ever seen recently fledged Long-tailed Tits in Torry and presumably were the handiwork of the pair that has regularly been about through the spring. A Garden Warbler was singing and very occasionally showing in the scrub between the waterworks and the football pitch.

There was also a bit of insect activity, including a nice Small Copper and at least three Large Red Damselflies.
 

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An interesting morning in Nigg Bay today. The weather was again sunny and warm, but with a slightly fresher southeasterly wind than the last few days. The main interest cropped up along the railway embankment by the 'scrubby triangle' near the school fields. Plenty of warblers were singing but I picked up a few less familiar phrases. I fairly quickly reckoned I was hearing a singing Common Rosefinch. It stopped singing for a short time and then sang again, but was still out of sight. Eventually it sang from a large whitebeam where it was perhaps seen briefly, looking like a dull brown individual. It then disappeared for around an hour. I was pretty much giving up on it reappearing when it suddenly flew into a nearby bush where it showed quite well for a couple of minutes as it sang. It looked as though it had come in from the north, along the path towards Torry, so perhaps it was moving around quite widely. I got some passable photos and a couple of recordings. You can enjoy the fruits of my labours below.

Not too much else was around, although there were two Garden Warblers singing, a Redpoll, the family of Long-tailed Tits and a juvenile Moorhen.
 

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A cracking find Andrew.
A fine reward for all those hours you put In round there.

Thanks! Hope it turns up again - it's probably worth a look in the morning when it's more likely to be singing.

I had a wander to the Ness this evening. A surprise was a Golden Plover with a bit of a gammy leg in Walker Park. Six Manx Shearwaters were my first of the year.
 

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A change in the weather today, with fairly brisk northwesterlies and more cloud. Not suprisingly fewer birds were singing and there was no sign of the Rosefinch. It was pretty much just the usual stuff in the Nigg Bay area, with the Long-tailed Tit family and a young Moorhen again seen.

I've not been along the south side of the golf course much lately, so was pleased to find at least four recently fledged Stonechats in the gorse. Three Rooks were also on the south side before flying inland. A Wheatear was in Walker Park. Offshore, two Puffins and two Common Scoter flew north. A Dunlin and a Knot were in Greyhope Bay.

The best bird came right at the end. I was walking along Abbey Road when I heard a fairly unusual sounding song. I had an idea of what it was but needed to see it to be sure. Eventually it appeared in the trees along the road: a Lesser Whitethroat giving its more elaborate song, rather than the usual trill.
 
Hello Andrew
I'm undertaking my annual tour next week and will be around and about the Aberdeenshire region mid week for work...

Is there any local news on the Black Scotor off Blackdog ?
Is it a new bird there and where might be the best chance to access this , from the Blackdog village?

I will be trying for Orcas first off the top as missed them by an hour or so last year.

Thanks
Matthew
 

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