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

Birds fae Torry (7 Viewers)

Some good fun seawatching tonight. There were literally thousands of large gulls on the move northward, mainly herrings and commons, along with good numbers of kittiwakes, gannets and auks. Among the large gulls were 2 immature iceland gulls (pretty distant so i'm not going to have a stab at ageing either of them). Also, 2 great skuas went north, and for the second time in recent weeks, I had a rook coming in off. Also travelling north were 5 redthroats and a single common scoter.

The biggest surprise was a massive, fat greylag/swan goose hybrid that lumbered past the foghorn!
 
Fat Paul Scholes said:
Some good fun seawatching tonight. There were literally thousands of large gulls on the move northward, mainly herrings and commons, along with good numbers of kittiwakes, gannets and auks. Among the large gulls were 2 immature iceland gulls (pretty distant so i'm not going to have a stab at ageing either of them). Also, 2 great skuas went north, and for the second time in recent weeks, I had a rook coming in off. Also travelling north were 5 redthroats and a single common scoter.

The biggest surprise was a massive, fat greylag/swan goose hybrid that lumbered past the foghorn!
Click to expand...

It's OK Mark, Birdguides has managed to age your Icelands as juvs;)
 
A cock Wheatear in Walker Park this arvo was my first of the year.

Much movement offshore, nothing unusual tho. There were around 10 long-tailed ducks close to shore in Nigg Bay, with some display going on. Later on most of these birds flew past the foghorn at point blank distance which was a fantastic sight.
 
A real, both parents greylag greylag flew north offshore today. 2 male wheatears in the walled garden, 3 buzzards over Nigg bay. Still loads of gulls offshore and displaying longtailed ducks in Nigg bay.
 
It's a while since I trod the green sward of Torry, the fresh northerly gale gently bending me double, my eyes ever alert for shopping trolleys and discarded household appliances. But today I once again stepped forth into the welcoming Aberdonian elements, eager to reacquaint myself with the rich and ever-changing birdlife of Girdle Ness. The reward for my endeavours was scant, but included two Wheatears on the golf course a few Sandwich Terns offshore, and nine Long-tailed Ducks and eleven Red-throated Divers in Nigg Bay. That was about my lot. It's good to be back.
 
A single swallow at the allotments this evening. Also a female wheatear in the walled garden (the first female I've seen this year)(the first female wheatear, I mean).
 
A male black redstart in bushes at the eastern end of the allotments this evening. Also, quite a few robins about and a chiff at the battery.
 
Fat Paul Scholes said:
A male black redstart in bushes at the eastern end of the allotments this evening. Also, quite a few robins about and a chiff at the battery.
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Nice one with the Black Redstart Mark, seems like it could be getting into an easterly wind pattern for the next few days and the migs seem to be arriving here as of today... Perhaps a Rouzel at the Ness is on the cards?

Joseph
 
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A few more migrants in this morning. At least 3 chiffs, 3 wheatears, a willow warbler and still decent numbers of robins around. Could well be more stuff coming in through the day.
 
I had a quick nose round the allotments and battery this evening...a nice female brambling visiting feeders in the allotments was the best I could do. Also a number of robins, chiffs, a male blackcap and my belated first Swallow of the year on wires along St Fitticks Road.
 
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Very quiet migrant wise this morning...best of it were a pair of teal in the harbour, and my first common sandpiper of the year there as well.
 
Fat Paul Scholes said:
Very quiet migrant wise this morning...best of it were a pair of teal in the harbour, and my first common sandpiper of the year there as well.
Click to expand...

I found it similarly quiet up until 9:30 this morning. 2 Chiffchaffs in the allotments and a Willow Warbler in the battery, as well as a couple of Wheatears in Walker Park. A female Sparrowhawk was also flushed from the battery, and a gorgeous summer plumaged male Long-tailed Duck was in the harbour with the Eiders. That was that though.

Joseph
 
I guess I may have 'won' today then. Not that it's a competition or anything.

My secret to winning was being lazy and not setting out till mid-afternoon. A couple of Swallows flew along Victoria Road and a Willow Warbler was singing on Abbey Road. A drake Long-tailed Duck was on the harbour. I headed up to the Battery and soon saw an interesting looking greyish passerine flit into a small patch of brambles at the northeastern end of the 'moat'. I stood by for a few minutes but the bird didn't come out, so I went a little closer. A bird suddenly flew out, but not the bird I was waiting for - it was unexpectedly bigger. It flew round and came back towards me, bright orange eyes glowing rather fiercely - a Long-eared Owl! Didn't expect that at all. It flew round a couple more times before disappearing. I thought it must have come down nearby but I couldn't find it again. The funny grey bird turned out to be one of a few remarkably pale looking Robins that were about. A female Blackcap was also around the Battery.

Offshore there were plenty of commoner seabirds moving along with my first Bonxie of the year. Twelve Red-throated Divers were also counted. Seven Wheatears and a lot of Rock and Meadow Pipits were in Walker Park.
 
Funnily enough, my claire is adamant she saw an owl fly past the Campbell's last night. She's no birder but she knows an owl when she sees one. Here's hoping it stays around for a few days...
 
Popped in early this am...the sea was disappointing with perhaps 15 rt divers moving north, one c Scoter and a bonxie. Overhead corvid movement included two fine hooded crows.

Migrants were in short supply...a f wheatear on the golf course, a swallow and a f blackcap at the battery.

It will be interesting what the late shift gets today!
 

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