• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Wild in Aberdeen - City and Shire (1 Viewer)

Technically this isn't Aberdeenshire as such.......

Yes, it is! They bred there last year too, and they've been a bit further north at Fowlsheugh for a bit longer. They also seem to also be on the increase on the north Aberdeenshire coast.

Actually, technically you could argue it's in Kincardineshire, but it's definitely in the Aberdeenshire administrative area and is part of NE Scotland for the purposes of bird recording, as opposed to being in Angus.
 
Last edited:
I imagine that Ravens have a hard time spreading east through some of the more heavily keepered parts of the area. I see them most times I head over the Lecht or the Cairnwell but much less frequently to the east (although I saw one near Aboyne last week).

Eventually I suspect enough will get through to reach a critical mass that will then colonise the lowlands of Aberdeenshire, relatively unhindered by persecution.
 
I imagine that Ravens have a hard time spreading east through some of the more heavily keepered parts of the area. I see them most times I head over the Lecht or the Cairnwell but much less frequently to the east (although I saw one near Aboyne last week).

Eventually I suspect enough will get through to reach a critical mass that will then colonise the lowlands of Aberdeenshire, relatively unhindered by persecution.

When I came back up here from Wales, I was disappointed to see that Raven records were very low in the farming areas. On Anglesey farmers ignored them, and they were consequently almost stupidly common (my house was about 6 miles from the famous Newborough Forest roost - over a thousand birds was regular). In my immediate area there was rarely a day without a dozen or so birds knocking about. I even had one in the back garden early one morning. On 5/09/1998 I had a soaring flock of 350, along with 2 juv. Marsh Harriers. Not bad for a short walk.

By the way, Ravens' wings whistle loudly like Mute Swans when they're flying at speed. A cert way of distinguishing from the occasional foolworthy Carrion Crow or Rook.

Cheers
 
Last edited:
After 2 possibles yesterday (too distant) 1 Swift battling into the rain and wind N over Gilcomston Church, Union Street, Aberdeen at 11:38. I'd expected them to delay arrival till the chilly winds had gone.

Cheers
 
There's a photo of an Osprey nest 'in Aberdeenshire' on this week's 'Your Photos of Scotland' on the BBC website. I didn't realise that any of the Aberdeenshire nests was that public. Perhaps the photographer was a Wildlife person?

Cheers
 
There's a photo of an Osprey nest 'in Aberdeenshire' on this week's 'Your Photos of Scotland' on the BBC website. I didn't realise that any of the Aberdeenshire nests was that public. Perhaps the photographer was a Wildlife person?

Cheers

The nest site at Lochter, Oldmeldrum is publicly known and occasionally mentioned in the press. Elsewhere there are a couple of sites that seem to be well known locally though not usually publicised.
 
Loch of Skene.

Wander round on Saturday morning, nothing to spectacular but good numbers of birds around, Mute Swan, Tufted Duck, Goldeneye, Coot, Mallard, (one pair with c8 ducklings), Oystercatcher, Common & Herring Gull, couple of Tern which I couldn't get an id on, Coal, Great, Blue Tit, Pied Wagtail, Chaffinch, Trecreeper, Willow, Sedge Warbler, Robin, Wren, Blackbird, Blackcap, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Rook, Jackdaw, 2 Jay, second time this week I've seen these down the North side, (first being last week), Swallow and Sand Martin. Possible 2 Spotted Flycatcher, photos didn't download so will try and put them up tomorrow for assistance, think the first two pictures are Sedge Warblers

Jim
 

Attachments

  • DSC_0261.jpg
    DSC_0261.jpg
    114.5 KB · Views: 53
  • DSC_0281.jpg
    DSC_0281.jpg
    163.3 KB · Views: 49
  • DSC_0263.jpg
    DSC_0263.jpg
    140.3 KB · Views: 46
  • DSC_0265.JPG
    DSC_0265.JPG
    535.4 KB · Views: 47
  • DSC_0272-crop.JPG
    DSC_0272-crop.JPG
    576.4 KB · Views: 52
Wander round on Saturday morning, nothing to spectacular but good numbers of birds around, Mute Swan, Tufted Duck, Goldeneye, Coot, Mallard, (one pair with c8 ducklings), Oystercatcher, Common & Herring Gull, couple of Tern which I couldn't get an id on, Coal, Great, Blue Tit, Pied Wagtail, Chaffinch, Trecreeper, Willow, Sedge Warbler, Robin, Wren, Blackbird, Blackcap, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Rook, Jackdaw, 2 Jay, second time this week I've seen these down the North side, (first being last week), Swallow and Sand Martin. Possible 2 Spotted Flycatcher, photos didn't download so will try and put them up tomorrow for assistance, think the first two pictures are Sedge Warblers

Jim

Nice Blackcap photo Jim. Your first 2 photos are of Sedgies, while your terns would almost certainly have been Commons - there were up to 4 last week.

There were stacks of hirundines & Swifts there late pm today - the biggest numbers are always during chilly, damp weather in the spring or autumn. Probably several 1000 each of Swallow & Sand Martin, with smaller numbers of House Martins & Swifts. Many were sitting around looking cold & hungry. If there was anything rare amongst them, I couldn't spot it!

Hugh
 

Attachments

  • L1050083b.jpg
    L1050083b.jpg
    397.3 KB · Views: 54
  • L1050103a.jpg
    L1050103a.jpg
    365.6 KB · Views: 57
Last edited:
Nice Blackcap photo Jim. Your first 2 photos are of Sedgies, while your terns would almost certainly have been Commons - there were up to 4 last week.

There were stacks of hirundines & Swifts there late pm today - the biggest numbers are always during chilly, damp weather in the spring or autumn. Probably several 1000 each of Swallow & Sand Martin, with smaller numbers of House Martins & Swifts. Many were sitting around looking cold & hungry. If there was anything rare amongst them, I couldn't spot it!

Hugh

Not too many hirundines about but got this wee fella, haven't seem many Swallows on trees myself....scrub the Flycatchers, it was female Siskin.

Jim.
 

Attachments

  • Loch of Skene.jpg
    Loch of Skene.jpg
    117.4 KB · Views: 32
Skene

All the usual stuff around the Loch this weekend, hundreds of Martins and Swallows and a big increase in Swift numbers, these 2 Common Sandpipers on the loch, a bit distant but just make them out (and the hiding Mallard) and a nice Dunnock in the woods west of there. 3 Buzzards out the south west side.

Jim
 

Attachments

  • DSC_0034.jpg
    DSC_0034.jpg
    102.5 KB · Views: 38
  • DSC_0049.jpg
    DSC_0049.jpg
    77.7 KB · Views: 43
Few pictures of the Black-winged Pratincole on Loch of Skene taken this evening, light not very good and a fast bird. (Also uploaded to the Rare bird forum)

Jim
 

Attachments

  • DSC_0019.JPG
    DSC_0019.JPG
    150.3 KB · Views: 52
  • DSC_0020.JPG
    DSC_0020.JPG
    123.1 KB · Views: 65
  • DSC_0024.JPG
    DSC_0024.JPG
    129.6 KB · Views: 41
Just as I was sitting in my kitchen in Union Grove, Aberdeen about 12:20 looking out for non-existent raptors, and pitying the Swifts which this year have been having a windy time of it, and how few I was seeing, and all low down, I got on to some common gulls whiffling and doing acrobatics under an approaching black cloud. I looked up and down and noticed some disturbed air above them with smaller white clouds forming and disappearing rapidly. I saw one Swift and decided to give him a look (I check every Swift if possible - it was Common ) and immediately got on to a large flock of Swifts much higher up than the local birds. There must have been 200 or so at least, perhaps more as they were moving east with the passing dark cloud. There followed a heavy downpour. I've seen this weather-frontal behaviour by Swifts before, but it was nice to see that here are still good numbers around. Swallows have been noticeable, if not common. this year, but the usual House Martins haven't appeared, at least where I am.
 
I stopped to have a look for the Blyth's Reed Warbler that had been reported at Port Elphinstone as I was passing through Inverurie this morning. After some initial confusion due to a faulty grid reference I found the spot by the Don, near the sewage works.

The bird was appearing regularly on the lower branches of some mature spruce trees on the opposite bank, giving good views. Having said that, I'm just going to have to trust those who identified it as I wouldn't be confident of my own ID skills in this situation. Certainly it had a prominent supercilium, flat crown and long bill, but it wasn't singing much and when it did appear to be it was difficult to hear over the sound of the river.
 
I saw what were presumably 15 Goosander on the river dee opposite Aberdeen Docks, as well as a single RB Merganser towards the rivermouth when berthing at Commercial Quay yhis evening.

I'm assuming both are regular on the river this time of year?

Sean
 
I saw what were presumably 15 Goosander on the river dee opposite Aberdeen Docks, as well as a single RB Merganser towards the rivermouth when berthing at Commercial Quay yhis evening.

I'm assuming both are regular on the river this time of year?

Sean

There are currently over 50 moulting Goosander in the outer part of the harbour and that's fairly typical for this time of the year. Red-breasted Merganser is a bit more uncommon around now but not too unlikely.
 
Thanks Andrew. I thought as much. Nice to see so many birds moulting. The merganser was a surprise.

A lot of waders along the harbour wall - Turnstone, Redshank, Oystercatcher and Curlew on the shoreline, as well as a Guillemot and a few eider just before the harbour entrance and then quite a few Kittiwake roosting on the breakwater, as well as Common and Arctic Tern fishing just offshore. Plenty of gulls, bit nothing unusual.

The city looked lovely in the evening light.

Good birding

Sean
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    129 KB · Views: 58

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top