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Birds fae Torry (7 Viewers)
- Thread starter Andrew Whitehouse
- Start date
Good work there Ben. There seem to be a few making it through now. I seem to be missing all the good birds at the moment. I went round the Ness three days running between Friday and Sunday and really didn't see much at all. The best was a Black Guillemot on the harbour yesterday, which showed very nicely. Also a Red-breasted Merganser there and a couple of Red-throated Divers off the Coo on Saturday. A Fieldfare was hanging around the south side. That is, quite literally, it.
Helenelizabeth2
What?!?
StuartReeves
Local rarity
In my day I went running round the Ness quite regularly, but keeping at it for three days seems a bit excessive.
People seem to be reading some peculiar things into my post. Not that this is unusual of course.
Joseph N
Lothian Young Birder
Interesting record there Ben. Will be out birding tomorrow and could be worth it having a very brief check there for them on the way to Girdleness.
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Quiet round here i'nt it. I've actually been out a few times but have scarcely seen anything worth mentioning. Today it was grey with a biting northeaster blowing. Plenty of gulls were drifting around the harbour mouth, picking up whatever the river has brought down or the sea in. A Gannet went north and a few Fulmars were milling about offshore. At least one Bottlenose Dolphin was leaping about off Greg Ness. That's about it.
Last Sunday was similar. I seem to recall a Redwing and half a dozen Red-throated Divers. Spring will be here soon.
Last Sunday was similar. I seem to recall a Redwing and half a dozen Red-throated Divers. Spring will be here soon.
Dave Kennedy
Well-known member
Dave Kennedy
Well-known member
Enlarging on the seal theme.....here's three photos from my Archive. The first two show a Grey seal, and the third is a common seal. All were photographed at Machrihanish in Kintyre.
Note the straight muzzle of the grey seal. If you could see it face on, it would have parallel nostrils. The common seal has a dished face, with a distinct forehead and muzzle. Its nostrils form a V-shape.
Best wishes, Dave
Note the straight muzzle of the grey seal. If you could see it face on, it would have parallel nostrils. The common seal has a dished face, with a distinct forehead and muzzle. Its nostrils form a V-shape.
Best wishes, Dave
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TheSeagull
Well-known member
I'd think rocking horse excrement would be fairly rare, they're mostly wooden after all
Can't come soon enough. I had a quick check round The Ness today (well, somebody has to do it). One Great Crested Grebe in Nigg Bay was the best, otherwise 4 Red Throated Divers, the usual Eiders, a few Red-breasted Mergansers and waders. Nothing at all round The Battery. Which wil be first, Wheatear, Sand Martin or Sandwich Tern?
Mark Lew1s
My real name is Mark Lewis
Can't get past wheatear, but I reckon it'll be a bit later...24th.
Only saying the 16th,as I have the day off and shall be heading round The Ness..!
Joseph N
Lothian Young Birder
I reckon Wheatear too, and definitely in Walker Park. Question is the date... I'll go with 3 weeks time like Mark, maybe the 26th.... We'll see. Would be nice weekend when I get out birding, but doubt it somehow. Whoever does see the first Wheatear/Sand Martin/Sandwich Tern should make sure the other Ness birders are informed. The records will be interesting of when the first one of each of those 3 species arrives.
amilne
Well-known member
Well there were no Wheatears today, just a few Pipits, and I saw quite a few today. Very little of interest in the harbour or at the Coo. Main interest for me was at the start of my walk near Cove. About 100 mixed Guillemot and Razorbills in the water and maybe 12 on the cliffs. Spring must be Springing, but I didn't really feel it in the air once the clouds came over.
Alex
Alex
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daveofficer
Well-known member
hi, listen, i know this isn't quite girdleness but union terrace gardens are a fine spot for sitting and watching a few birds of a lunch hour. and the starlings put on a spectacular display there most winter evenings! please take the time to sign the petition to save them! http://gopetition.com/petitions/save-the-new-contemporary-art-centre-in-union-terrace-gardens.html
if you want any more information you can check out my blog: http://davidofficerphotography.co.uk/?p=349
thanks!
i've not made it to girdleness all winter but hopefully will get down soon. spring is just around the corner, i cna feel it!
if you want any more information you can check out my blog: http://davidofficerphotography.co.uk/?p=349
thanks!
i've not made it to girdleness all winter but hopefully will get down soon. spring is just around the corner, i cna feel it!
Good call with saving the gardens Dave :t:
All a bit milder now and there was lots of song in the air this morning with Skylarks, Greenfinches and Rock Pipits to the fore. There were also a few birds moving north: a flock of Pink-feet and then a group of four Whooper Swans a little way out to sea.
Now here in northeast Scotland we're noted 'borealis Eider sceptics'. I count myself as being 'agnostic', but erring on the side of caution. Must admit though, there was quite a good one here today, close in off the Coo. It had frankly the biggest sails I've ever seen on Eider - a bit more wind and it would have been lifted up and cast to the very corners of the Earth. Huge triangular things. The bill was also at the orangey end of the spectrum, although probably not outwith the variations of 'normal' Eiders. I suppose if it had found its way to less sceptical waters then you'd be hearing something about 'Northern Eider' on our nation's great bird information services. As it was, I just looked at it and thought 'hmm, that looks a bit like borealis is supposed to look' and then started trying to see if there were any Razorbills on the sea (which there were). Anyway, if you have a keen interest in be-sailed Somateria than you should maybe head to Girdle Ness in the near future.
Also about was a drake Common Scoter in Nigg Bay, at least two Bottlenose Dolphins and a couple of Kittiwakes. The only seal I saw today, for those with an interest in such things, was a Grey Seal in, rather appropriately, Greyhope Bay.
Anyone know what's going on up the hill above the water works?
Now here in northeast Scotland we're noted 'borealis Eider sceptics'. I count myself as being 'agnostic', but erring on the side of caution. Must admit though, there was quite a good one here today, close in off the Coo. It had frankly the biggest sails I've ever seen on Eider - a bit more wind and it would have been lifted up and cast to the very corners of the Earth. Huge triangular things. The bill was also at the orangey end of the spectrum, although probably not outwith the variations of 'normal' Eiders. I suppose if it had found its way to less sceptical waters then you'd be hearing something about 'Northern Eider' on our nation's great bird information services. As it was, I just looked at it and thought 'hmm, that looks a bit like borealis is supposed to look' and then started trying to see if there were any Razorbills on the sea (which there were). Anyway, if you have a keen interest in be-sailed Somateria than you should maybe head to Girdle Ness in the near future.
Also about was a drake Common Scoter in Nigg Bay, at least two Bottlenose Dolphins and a couple of Kittiwakes. The only seal I saw today, for those with an interest in such things, was a Grey Seal in, rather appropriately, Greyhope Bay.
Anyone know what's going on up the hill above the water works?
