Birds fae Torry (21 Viewers)

Joseph N · Sep 17, 2009

Fat Paul Scholes said:
Nothing to add to Josephs seawatch totals....Nice to meet you both too! Joseph....I think you should ask for a scope this christmas

The only other bird of note was a garden warbler at the battery.

Good to hear that at a Garden Warbler was at the Battery, as it at least that shows some sort of migration of passerines. As for getting a scope, I may be getting one for Christmas actually, or before (fingers crossed!). I really do need one, as if something unusual goes past far out, I have no chance. For now, I don't mind sharing with my Dad.

TheSeagull · Sep 17, 2009

Anything on the sycamore recently?

Ken Hall · Sep 17, 2009

Ken Hall said:
Its make your mind up time, for me tomorrow. Down to the Ness or all the way back to Starnafin for the 'legs.

Well, like any well balanced birder I did the obvious thing. I went to both. Saw the lovely yellowlegs at Strathbeg, and nothing of note at the Ness.

Andrew Whitehouse · Sep 17, 2009

Like Ken I also saw very little of note on a quick whizz round the Ness this evening. The Sycamore in particular was distinctly lacking! Two Manx Shearwaters north from my flat got me mildly excited but on a seawatch from the Coo I only managed one more. Also 8 Common Scoters, an Arctic Skua and an Arctic Tern. Otherwise just two Goosanders on the harbour and a Wheatear on the golf course.

Mark Lew1s · Sep 18, 2009

Likewise, very, very quiet this morning.

Joseph N · Sep 18, 2009

TheSeagull said:
Anything on the sycamore recently?

Had a check at the sycamore today, no signs of bird activity unfortunately Calvin. :-C

My Dad and I were down at Girdlness again after school finished for the day. Despite a strong wind which I think was southerly, there was minimal passerine movement. Sea-watching at the Coo was not as good as it was on Wednesday by no standards, but it was ok, I guess, with around 15 Manx Shearwaters passing and quite big guillemot and gannet passages. However, no skuas whatsoever.

TheSeagull · Sep 20, 2009

Nothing except a diver on the bird side of things today but there was a cetacean! I seen it diving three times before I lost it, it was a very dark coloured species, maybe White-beaked Dolphin?

Ian Bell · Sep 20, 2009

Had my first Pink feet (40+) over the house this morning flying south.

Andrew Whitehouse · Sep 20, 2009

TheSeagull said:
Nothing except a diver on the bird side of things today but there was a cetacean! I seen it diving three times before I lost it, it was a very dark coloured species, maybe White-beaked Dolphin?

Whereabouts was it Calvin? It's much more likely to be Bottlenose Dolphin or Harbour Porpoise than White-beaked Dolphin. Bottlenose tends to look very dark.

Andrew Whitehouse · Sep 20, 2009

I had a couple of jaunts around the Ness this weekend. Before venturing out into the big wide world I did a bit of seawatching from the flat yesterday morning, which produced an Arctic Skua, a Bonxie, a Red-throated Diver and at least one Bottlenose Dolphin. A wander in the afternoon produced at least four Goosander, 3 Purple Sandpipers, 25 Knot, 34 Turnstones and, perhaps most impressively, a female Stonechat on the shore at Greyhope Bay. The latter was the first I'd seen at Girdle Ness all year. I did a seawatch, which classically involved watching the sea and not very many birds, except for one Manx Shearwater.

This morning was nice and sunny but there were no birds. The only notable feature was the first substantial movement of Pink-footed Geese of the autumn, with several groups flying southwards. Lots of Red Admirals and Painted Ladies in the sun too. In the afternoon I had distant views of three species of raptor from the flat: a Peregrine on Triple Kirks and Sparrowhawk and Buzzard over the city.

Not only has it been quiet for birds lately, it's also been quiet for shopping trolleys. You can imagine how delighted I was then to discover this beautiful full-size Asda trolley yesterday, in the grass near the Sycamore tree. In perfect condition - presumably fresh in.

TheSeagull · Sep 21, 2009

Andrew Whitehouse said:
Whereabouts was it Calvin? It's much more likely to be Bottlenose Dolphin or Harbour Porpoise than White-beaked Dolphin. Bottlenose tends to look very dark.

Maybe, I pictured the Bottlenose as greyish while this was almost black, I'm leaning towards Common Dolphin. It was clearly visible from the beach esplanade and was on the left side of the lighthouse sticky-outy-bit :-O

Andrew Whitehouse · Sep 21, 2009

TheSeagull said:
Maybe, I pictured the Bottlenose as greyish while this was almost black, I'm leaning towards Common Dolphin. It was clearly visible from the beach esplanade and was on the left side of the lighthouse sticky-outy-bit :-O

Bottlenose look fairly plain and dark and are very much commoner than any other dolphins, particularly close in to the shore. It's certainly the most likely explanation. How big was it and what sort of shape dorsal fin did it have?

Ken Hall · Sep 21, 2009

Not only has it been quiet for birds lately, it's also been quiet for shopping trolleys. You can imagine how delighted I was then to discover this beautiful full-size Asda trolley yesterday, in the grass near the Sycamore tree. In perfect condition - presumably fresh in.

and what a superb photo Andrew!!! Worthy of winning any competition.B

Asda is a long way from The Sycamore - how did it get there? Do people take them home and keep them as pets until they tire of them, and then dump them in what they think is suitable habitat? :eek!:

Andrew Whitehouse · Sep 21, 2009

Ken Hall said:
Not only has it been quiet for birds lately, it's also been quiet for shopping trolleys. You can imagine how delighted I was then to discover this beautiful full-size Asda trolley yesterday, in the grass near the Sycamore tree. In perfect condition - presumably fresh in.

and what a superb photo Andrew!!! Worthy of winning any competition.B Asda is a long way from The Sycamore - how did it get there? Do people take them home and keep them as pets until they tire of them, and then dump them in what they think is suitable habitat? :eek!:

I like to think that the trolley has made its own way across the Dee (at least if it's come from the beach Asda), although the unwanted pet scenario has some credibility too. Maybe it's reverse migration.

markgrubb · Sep 21, 2009

Andrew Whitehouse said:
I like to think that the trolley has made its own way across the Dee (at least if it's come from the beach Asda), although the unwanted pet scenario has some credibility too. Maybe it's reverse migration.

A stringy sighting if ever I saw one. You are not too far from the local Asda's, Dr W and given your history with wrens........ will have to check in with your next door neighbour Big Aggie (not for those of a nervous disposition or those not acquainted with flowers of the invective)-the truth will be revealed

TheSeagull · Sep 21, 2009

Andrew Whitehouse said:
Bottlenose look fairly plain and dark and are very much commoner than any other dolphins, particularly close in to the shore. It's certainly the most likely explanation. How big was it and what sort of shape dorsal fin did it have?

There's a difference in dorsal fin shapes? :-O
Anyway I couldn't see anything except the colour and that it was a dolphin diving, I never thought Bottlenose looked dark but rather a light grey, I'll take your word for it :t:

Joseph N · Sep 23, 2009

My Dad and I were down at Girldness yet again after school today. There wasn't a huge lot down there. Off sea it was particularly quiet, with no particular passages of anything apart from 5 Red-throated Diver south and around 20 Pink-footed Geese north. Meanwhile, there was oddly a Golden Plover in the enclosed field close to the Coo and up to 3 Wheatears present. However that was all that Girdlness could provide this evening bird-wise. There were some nice views of Bottlenose Dolphin just off the Harbour though.

Ian Bell · Sep 23, 2009

Had approx 400-500 Pink Foots flying south this evening and 10 House Martins feeding on Insects down at Tullos Playfields tonight.

Andrew Whitehouse · Sep 25, 2009

Lots of enthusiastic Bottlenose Dolphinery around the harbour mouth this morning. Also a Peregrine on Triple Kirks and some of your vis mig, mostly Meadow Pipits but also a few Pied Wagtails south. Also visibly migrating, but not in Torry, were half a dozen Siskins over Old Aberdeen.

Andrew Whitehouse · Sep 27, 2009

I had a stroll around the Ness late afternoon yesterday, in absurdly pleasant weather. The birds were typical of such conditions, the best being 6 Goosander, 18 Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin, a Wheatear, 5 Common Scoter and an Arctic Skua.

Lots of frolicking dolphin action this morning. More excitingly I managed my first house tick in what seems like an age: a Wheatear flitting about on the North Pier.

Birds fae Torry (21 Viewers)

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