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

Tayforth Birding (2 Viewers)

I went up to Backwater reservoir this morning after being informed yesterday that there were Black throated divers at the reservoir. I thought about going last night when it was nice and sunny but decided to wait til this morning. Pouring with rain...i soon wished i had gone up last night.

I went over the dam to the car park at the end of the road. Had a quick look from the car with binoculars before getting wet in the rain. I saw what i thought were the shapes of divers so quickly set up the scope. Lo and behold, by the time i'd set it up, those shapes had gone!!! I scoured the water for a good ten minutes with no reward but just as i was about to give up, i had another look and found three divers swimming along together.Although they were quite distant, you could still see the black and white stripes. I had been expecting to see two, so another one was a real bonus...first for the year!! Anyone wanting to see them...the co-ordinates for the reservoir are NO 252538. Good luck
 
Have you ever had one of those 'WOW' days on your local patch, when absolutely everything just seems to be there at the right time? I've just had one of those days at Cullaloe. I went along with my mother, who was determined she wanted to get some shots of some butterflies (particularly the dark green fritillaries found on the reserve) It was still a bit overcast after heavy rain overnight and this morning, so i was doubtful she'd have much luck
We got there to hear the sound of the little stream sounding like a torrent as it ran through the three pools and out the other side. A rather dull, plain day to start us off with only a couple of sedge warblers, a blackbird flying past, swallows overhead and a lone dunnock near the gorse.
We walked up the steps to the meadow bit at the top so that me mum could try for her butterflies. How wrong i was with those! Up on the initial piece of meadow there was meadow brown, ringlet, 6 spot burnet moth, 1 dark green fritillary and the first common blue butterfly we've seen on the reserve (and that includes the local member's group who were here on saturday specifically to track down butterflies!)
On the path to the willow screen we managed to see a male blackcap flitting in and out of one of the willows, whitethroat all over beside the path and in the trees, my first wood warblers on the reserve (No.1 new species for the visit) As we were getting closer to the little conifer plantation, the warblers were darting about all around us, they were everywhere! Even heard us a chiffchaff. As i entered the conifers, i was struck by the sheer volume of tits that could be seen. There was great tit, blue tit and coal tit in large numbers all over the place. Also saw a treecreeper a little more than half way up one of the pine trees (No.2 new species to the reserve seen this visit). We got to the screen to see the usual suspects on the loch. There was coot, moorhen, the swan family, a lone grey heron and a couple of mallards. There were also sand martins and swallows swooping about. My mum disappeared to go see if she could spot more butterflies while i stayed at the hide/screen
The feeders were crowded with blue tit, great tit, chaffinch and a juvenile great spotted woodpecker. I heard a big splash on the loch and saw a male dabchick had just arrived (No.3 new species for the reserve) It's just a shame i didn't see it flying. I've never seen a grebe in flight before!
As i turned back to the feeder, i noticed there was now a male siskin on the feeders (No.4 new species for the reserve) I didn't think they were big fans of peanut feeders, but i'm not complaining at the visit! Might have to consider a nyjer feeder for the finches, though.
I went to join my mum looking around another part of meadow to find yet more great tits on my large seed feeder. It's pretty unusual for me to see anything using this feeder. I normally just fill it up without knowing what is using it. There were also a couple of willow warbler flitting around the trees and singing away.
When i went back to the screen, the juvenile woodpecker had been replaced with an adult male and the siskin had gone (much to my disappointment - very colourful, pretty bird!)
I stayed there for a bit while my mother decided to go back to the original meadow in search of more photos.
When i decided to move along and catch up, again, wood warblers seen around the trees on the way back (How could i not see them for 2 months then see 4 or 5 in a single visit?!), a male reed bunting was sitting at the top of one of the bushes, singing his little heart out and 4 swifts were flying overhead.
Back at the car park, there were another couple of sedge warblers, a pair of goldfinch flew past and a good 4 or 5 linnet could be seen on the hill behind the reserve.
All in all, it was a spectacular visit - and to have 4 new species sightings for the reserve was great. Admittedly, i'd always thought most, if not all of the species would be about, but i hadn't actually seen them
 
had the whole day to myself today,so made the most of it, after reading delia,s report about the dippers i remembered i havent seen one this year, i also have yet to photograph one, so i headed for Quarrymill, first time ive been here and what a beutifull place it is, i heard more birds than i seen due to the foliage ,i spotted one dipper just short of scone, it fished in the shaddows so i had to drop the camera speed to 30 which meant a grainy pic,
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/IMG_5787.jpg
i also spotted a grey wagtail again a first this year
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/IMG_5796.jpg
this place is on my winter list, the dipper looks like a good bet,
i then took the backroads towards dundee passing many farms, the swallows were sitting on the telegraph wires and seemed to be deep in thought,(maybe they know something we dont know?)
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/IMG_5826bb.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/IMG_5820b.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/IMG_5822.jpg
i then took a two hour hike up the sidlaws, i saw young stonechat/whinchat/whitethroat/buzzard,i also came across this wren chick,
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/IMG_5868bb.jpg
on the east side of the hill i came across a young cuckoo being harrasssed by some meadow pipits,
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/IMG_5874b.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/IMG_5873bb.jpg
the cuckoo flew west showing its brown back which if i didnt know was a cuckoo id have sworn sparrowhawk,
shortly after this there was a sound of thunder from the clouds but no sign of lightning, the whole area went quiet apart from me jumping about getting my camera gear ready for a lighening strike, but it never happened, i did manage a couple of menacing pics

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/Picture080.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/Picture081.jpg

after running from the sidlaws i headed towards the river tay at invergowrie,
just after the reedbeds start i noticed ten herons sitting in a field
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/IMG_5893.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/IMG_5897.jpg

first time i have seen this amount of herons in one place,i also spotted a single jay,the clouds were still menacing at this time and when i looked at this pic i thought (somebodys nuked eden estuary)
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/Picture083.jpg
there was very few butterflies on the sidlaws and the high pond has only waterboatmen insects, i never seen any kestrel young which is unusual for this time of year, the buzzards are doing well with a single nest rearing four young , the foxes are also multiplying ,dont know what they are eating , there was a rabbit cull by the goverment a few years ago and now there are no rabbits on the sidlaws,i heard some reed buntings east of the car park but never seen them, i really enjoyed my day out today apart from the thunder
 
Yesterday morning the "Angus and Dundee Bird Club" had arranged an outing to Murton Wildlife Trust Reserve. Arriving at 10 o'clock, we had a guided walk from head of reserve, Al Borland. It has only been open for a couple of years and seems to have some really good potential. Give it a few more years and it will be a great place to go along to. At the moment they are concetrating on wetland birds, but i think in fifteen years or so, when all the trees planted have grown, it might be completely different. May be not so good for waders then.

Birds seen yesterday: Mute Swan, Redshank-lots of young too, Dunlin, Common Sandpiper, Little Grebe, Large colony of Sand Martins, Greylag Geese, Kingfisher, Reed Bunting, Sedge Warbler, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Coot, Mallard, Ringed Plover.

We had been hoping to see Little Ringed Plover but they were hiding from us.

The reserve is open to the public on most days, with a large car park. It is situated on the A932, a couple of miles east of Forfar on the road to Arbroath.
We finnished our tour at 12.30 and went across the road to the Kookaburra restaurant for lunch. Well recomended!!

I then decided to go back to Backwater reservoir, with camera this time, to see the Black Throated Divers. One minute i was driving in lovely sunshine and round the corner i bumped into a horrendous down pour. I eventually got to the reservoir but alas no divers. I did see redshank, ringed plover, oystercatcher, mistle thrushes, lapwing, meadow pipits, chaffinches, common gulls, great crested grebe plus youngster and quite a few common sandpiper.

Apart from the rain later on, and not seeing the divers, it had been a really good days birdwatching.
 
Glas Tulaichean - a day in the hills

I took the day off work today, so that my wife and I could go hillwalking (we've given up waiting for decent weekend weather). After a promising forecast a few days ago, the weather was now looking a bit dodgy in Aberdeenshire, so we headed over to a Perthshire hill that was a favourite of mine when I was hillwalking regularly - Glas Tulaichean in Glen Shee.

A Raven and a couple of Red Grouse were the highlights of the trip over the Cairnwell pass from Braemar. At Spital of Glenshee we drove up the private road to the Dalmunzie Hotel where there is parking for hillwalkers (£2). From the hotel, it was a pleasant walk up Glen Lochsie along the remains of a 1920s narrow gauge railway. A Kestrel was hunting the heather slopes above and a Buzzard flew high over the Glen. At Glen Lochsie Lodge (now a ruin) a Grey Wagtail flew up the burn and just beyond the lodge we flushed four Ring Ouzels off a patch of short grass - they flew across the glen and landed on boulders on the far side. There was also a family of Stonechats here and a few Wheatears.

From the lodge there is a landrover track that rises steadily to the top of the mountain by a long, broad ridge. About half way up there was a Raven feeding close to the track, and a little further on, we found a Golden Plover. At the summit (3 hours from Dalmunzie) we were right on the boundary between some ominous looking clouds to the north and much brighter weather to the south. The Cairngorms to the north were capped with cloud, while to the south we could see as far as the Pentland Hills, south of Edinburgh. We returned by a different ridge, with fantastic easy walking on a short, springy carpet of heather and crowberry. About 200m below the summit we found two of the tamest Mountain Hares I have ever seen. I think they were young ones and they approached closer than 10m. As we walked away from them, there was a loud croak and a flurry of white wings as we flushed a Ptarmigan. It settled a short distance away and we were able to get reasonably close, but it was much more wary than most Ptarmigans I've seen - perhaps it had young nearby.

The final descent back to the hotel was reasonably uneventful - I found the remains of a red grouse nest (with one unhatched egg) in the heather, and there were more Grey Wagtails, Stonechats and Wheatears in Glen Lochsie on the walk out.

I would never go hillwalking solely to birdwatch, but it's always a bonus when you see a few interesting things.
 

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What a super day you had - thanks for posting the report here.

Gosh though, I wish I was fitter - I've only been part way up that glen along the railway line. It's certainly a lovely area.

There seem to be more birds there than on my Patch at the moment LOL

D
 
i went on an eight hour trip today starting with the east hide at kinnordy then lintrathen/ backwater/ reekie linn ,finishing on a four hour hike on the sidlaws, kinnordy gave me my first water rail chick ,:t: i also saw a grey squirrel,:eek!: the marsh harrier flew past just as i was leaving ,on the way to kinnordy (sorry i got a bit carried away with the water rail chick) i noticed the osprey chicks still in the nest, i passed a family of yellowhammers dusting themselves on the road just before the pylon,
http://s33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/?action=view&current=IMG_5922.jpg
i also spotted a single jay in the same place ive spotted it at least five times,
i was looking for the divers at lintrathen but never seen them, i saw a great crested grebe plus a few swallows, at backwater i was hoping for an osprey but it was very quiet,there was a few common gull young and some mistle thrushes, goldfinches,plus a young lapwing with a damaged wing,
http://s33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/?action=view&current=IMG_6029b.jpg
at reekie lynn i was hoping to get a dipper but whe i arrived this is what was at the parking area
http://s33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/?action=view&current=IMG_6066.jpg

http://s33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/?action=view&current=IMG_6070.jpg

unbelievable:C
the rubbish bin was also full and beer cans were floating in the water,

just west of peel farm i thought i had spotted a rarity among some red legged partridges but it was not to be
http://s33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/?action=view&current=IMG_6055.jpg

the sidlaws produced a few different species
two kestrel adults one fighting with an adult buzzard, two adult buzzards one fighting with a kestrel, seven young buzzards from two nests, stonechats still acting aggressivly , one red grouse, one male reed bunting , two whitethroats, one robin, and a very distant short eared owl, i also saw my first ladybird plus damselfly of the year, cuckoos are very regular here and last week i got a pic of one on a tree with a meadow pipit
http://s33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/?action=view&current=IMG_5873bb.jpg
still no kestrel young though and no sparrowhawks this year, the fox dens still smell occupied and deer are still present
 
I had a Quail singing on a farm 5 miles SW of Brechin yesterday. I will try and get around the rest of the farm to get a count of birds soon. They have had upto double figures in the past.
 
never got out today so i decided to show my local patch, this is the sidlaw hills which i walk 52 years of the year rain or shine,i usually do a 2 hour walk but if i see something interesting it could stretch to 10 hours, just north of dundee the sidlaws used to be a part of a shooting estate which meant some grouse but not much else ,certainly no raptors, it is now a public walk area with picnic tables on the lower regions, this has actually worked as most of the picnickers/ dog walkers only walk from the car park to the first table then return, birdlife on the sidlaws has really boomed , i regulary see six different raptors
buzzard/kestrel/sparrowhawk/tawny owl/barn owl/short eared owl
jays and foxes can now be seen,

the patch

http://s33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/?action=view&current=IMG_6139.jpg
http://s33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/?action=view&current=IMG_6159.jpg

http://s33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/?action=view&current=IMG_6147.jpg

the high pond which has newts /frogs/insects

http://s33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/?action=view&current=IMG_6121.jpg

looking south towards fife tentsmuir is on the far left

http://s33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/?action=view&current=IMG_6133-2.jpg

this is where the stonechats/whinchats are roaming
http://s33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/?action=view&current=IMG_6098.jpg
 
Great to see where you go, Kawwauser. Is that Craigowl Hill? I can see that from the top of my Patch - I'll give you a wave next time I'm up there:-O

I think you've pinched my Whinchats :-C but nice to know there are some around at least

which i walk 52 years of the year
or does it just feel like that;)

D
 
it is craigowl delia, the views from the summit are great but for wildlife you are better walking around the west side, the whinchats are doing well i saw young from three nesting pairs in one small area

http://s33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/?action=view&current=Picture075.jpg

there is also one pair of wheaters which breed close by,
i saw my first young sparrowhawk of the year today, it was fighting with a adult female over food, there was a lot of screeching and both fell to the ground, ,one took off immediatly followed by the other a few seconds later

http://s33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/?action=view&current=sparrowhawk.jpg

the prey was left on the ground, looking at the beak i think it was a young pigeon

http://s33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/?action=view&current=deadpigeon.jpg

a few walkers are reporting sightings of an eagle but i think what is happening is that the buzzards are flying very low at the moment because their chicks are still not flying, close up the buzzards do look very big which is causing the confusion
 
Hi Delia and everyone here.

I loved reading this thread and hearing all the different stories of all the areas close to my heart. All the wildlife comes to life here too, and some of what has been seen - well I am amazed here. :-O
The feeling that it gave me was that I was walking around the areas and they where well described. I loved to know everything here, and how all the photography was achieved too. :-O

It brings it all back - lovely Edinburgh (hope it is not homesickness here) :-C

Saying that, I have moved to Bedford (5 months ago), England (no regrets there either), but will always enjoy hearing what is going on, on this thread about my homeland.:t:

In short I have lived in Edinburgh most of my life (except the last 5 years) moved to Fife for a while. Then moved to Falkirk, Stirling, Brechan and then Aberdeen. So I have been around the block a bit over the past 5 years or so.:t:
I also love Perth as it a beautiful place to visit and enjoy. I see that you come form Blairgowrie, and yes that is a beautiful place too. Visited there lots of times, and the reserves that you mentioned too!! :t:

Will look out for any new information here now, as it is interesting to read. Sadly cannot contribute, as I am on the other side of the border now! :-C

Thanks

Peewit.
 
Hi Peewit and thanks for your kind comments.

I'm so pleased you're enjoying reading of our doings up here.

Going about I'm really pleased to hear (and see) so many Yellowhammers around just now - they seem to be everywhere at the moment.

D
 
Hi Peewit and thanks for your kind comments.

I'm so pleased you're enjoying reading of our doings up here.

Going about I'm really pleased to hear (and see) so many Yellowhammers around just now - they seem to be everywhere at the moment.

D

hi Delia

The comments are well justified here. ;)

Like you, I love Yellowhammers, and they are great additions to observe at the birdtable too. Had a lot of them at Stirling, while living in our farmhouse. They love eating all types of food from the birdtable. They have a memorable song too!.

It is good to hear that they are in abundance at the moment now too.:t:

I miss the Red Kites we had while living in Stirling, and I have mentioned them in other threads. They where being looked after so records where kept of their whereabouts. I remember I had to keep the sightings secret too. I wonder how they are now?

Oh well we live in wonder o:)

Peewit
 
There are now upto 5 Quails singing on the farm that I had had the single bird on. Near House of Dun, I had a Merlin, a few Bullfinch and lots of hirundines on the move today.
 
Nice work Ade, 5 Quail is pretty sensational for anywhere in the UK...... I've had Quail twice in Fife but that's my lot for Scotland.
 
i did my weekly walk on the sidlaws this afternoon and it was very quiet, one buzzard, two wood pigeons, one crow,and a hedge sparrow, the clouds were threatening to burst all afternoon maybe this had something to do with it, on my way back i heard this birdsong , not sure of the id but i havent heard it here before, its in avi format, ignore the heavy breathing (two hour hike) and the video ,i first thought it was on the ground but it was in the trees,

http://s33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/?action=view&current=song433.flv
 

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