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

Birds fae Torry (13 Viewers)

Keep on looking, coughed2bits......could well be some interesting stuff around the ness over the next three or 4 days. The easterlies have brought Bluethroat and Greenish warbler to spurn already today so things might be on their way. Unfortunately, I'm on my way too, to Islay until friday evening. I think Thursday might be the day for the ness.
 
Thanks for the tip FPS, I shall keep a look out over the course of the week.

Here's hoping you have a cool time in Islay and don't miss too many opportunities!

Kev
 
I had a spin round the Ness this evening. It was a lovely evening. And, errm, I didn't see a lot. For the completists amongst you:

Wheatear 2
Red-throated Diver 2
Purple Sandpiper 7
Turnstone 8
Sedge Warbler 1

*goes to bed early*
 
Helenelizabeth2 said:
At least you didn't go all the way from Peterborough to Lewis and spend a day seawatching in force 10 gales in order to dip them. Some of us know how to dip in style. :)
Click to expand...

Thing is though, I reckon the easy dips are the worst. For the third time in less than two years I could probably have seen one from my bedroom. It could be on my 'dressing gown and slippers list'. Except I haven't actually got any slippers.
 
Andrew Whitehouse said:
Thing is though, I reckon the easy dips are the worst. For the third time in less than two years I could probably have seen one from my bedroom. It could be on my 'dressing gown and slippers list'. Except I haven't actually got any slippers.
Click to expand...

As if to further demonstrate the point, Hugh had an adult Pomarine Skua this evening. He saw this while I was cooking my tea. Still, my glances seawards this evening have not been totally wasted. I managed to pick out several Kittiwakes and Gannets.
 
I'd have WW Black tern on my "dressing gown and slippers list" - except I own neither item of apparel! Instead it is is one of a very very limited "completely in the buff" list
 
Jane Turner said:
I'd have WW Black tern on my "dressing gown and slippers list" - except I own neither item of apparel! Instead it is is one of a very very limited "completely in the buff" list
Click to expand...

Now an "In The Buff" thread would make Interesting reading.Have to admit,I seen my first Crested Tit,while in the "buff" from a Caravan at the edge of Anagach Woods,near Grantown on Spey,years ago_On seeing the bird from the Caravan window,first thing in the morning,I then went out with nowt on,with my Bins for a better look,in a "spur of the moment"situation.As far as I know,nobody seen me.
 
What are the rules for ticking then?

Can you tick if you could have been in the buff? or must you actually be in yer starkers to be able claim?

I think i'll start my skin-list at the weekend!

kev
 
...Just imagine submitting a report to the rarities committee!

I can just imagine the photographer preparing to take the shot and stating:

"watch the birdie!".

That would just be so wrong and put some listers off for life.

kev
 
I also have Iceland Gull on my skin list, Pallas's Warbler, Yellow-browed Warbler Wood Warbler and Grasshopper Warbler, though the last three were heard only and I was clothed by the time I saw them.
 
Skin exploits so far this weekend have resulted in pretty poor numbers:

Herring Gull
Greater Black Backed Gull
House Sparrow
Eider
Starling
Swallow
Curlew
Heron
Gannet
Guilliemot
Razorbill
Fulmar

and Best buff bird of the weekend for me: Whimbrel (yesterday morning).

Have to say that my best efforts have been hampered by pesky clad activities such as shopping and getting ready for holidays, so have hardly been out looking for any migrants.

Jane, it would appear that you are getting some crackers. You either have a great location or are a shameless exhibitionist! :eek:) (Just jealous!)

Happy birding,

Kev T
 
I have a garden list of 191.....which helps, though the Pallas' was in a previous garden.

I do have a few good birds on my "whilst answering the call of nature in absence of formal facilities" list
the undoubted highlight being a Yorkshire Golden Eagle followed by a mixed flock of Snow and Lap bunts. The former nearly led to a disastrous misdirection.
 
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Stuff

Well it's been an interesting, if ultimately frustrating weekend here in Torry. Yesterday the weather was fairly grim first thing in the morning. I had a quick look round but gave up as the rain began to strengthen. Perhaps I should have tried my hand at skin listing - at least then my clothes wouldn't have got so wet. And there was nobody around. But then again... Later in the day was a bit perkier and there some actual migrants. A Chiffchaff tripped delicately through the wanton leafy limbs of the tree. I had brief views of a female Common Redstart flying up the north bank. At the Battery were a Lesser Whitethroat, another Chiffchaff and a Willow Warbler. I finally caught up with the not-in-the-least-bit-dodgy Greylag Goose, which was enjoying the pasture of the golf course. I didn't see any golfers out yesterday, conclusive proof I think that golfers aren't as hard as birders. Other bits yesterday were a House Martin and 8 Turnstone.

Today was much brighter and the birding was easier. But not necessarily better. A Chiffchaff was singing along Abbey Road. Lesser Whitethroats always seem drawn to the succulent fruits of the tree, and one was duly indulging. Two more were at the Battery and another was singing by the Water Treatment Works. A male Common Redstart was seen well on the north bank. Off the Coo a dark phase Arctic Skua went north and there were also 5 Red-throated Divers, 2 Common Scoters and an Arctic Tern. The Freak was on Nigg Bay. At the mound in Torry a Garden Warbler and a Chiffchaff were both singing.

And that's your lot. Better than nowt but kind of underwhelming given what's been north and south of us.
 
My sightings from the weekend:

Sat - over two visits, 2 male redstart on North bank, lesser whitey at battery, c.20 willow warbler scattered around, swifts, the lingering greylag, and a canada goose north.

Sun - lesser whitethroats at sycamore and battery, garden warbler at battery, spotted fly at sewage works, (house martin here too), bar tailed godwit in greyhope bay, lapwing south, and perhaps strangest of all, 50ish barnacle geese north.

As Andrew said, interesting, but ultimately frustrating.......

But all is not lost! It's only mid may after all, and there may be some interesting weather at the end of the month

http://www.ecmwf.int/products/forec...Europe!pop!od!oper!public_plots!2009051800!!/
 
Yellowhammer singing in the vicinity of the sewage works this morning.....and aaahhhhh, two fox cubs at the south bank.
 
Like many on this site, I've made a decision to get away from thinking of birding in terms of local patches, county lists and national lists. I'm now orienting all my birding thoughts within the solid and durable framework of Watsonian Vice Counties. So now whenever I go around Girdle Ness I see it as contributing to my vice-county list and not my local patch list.

Only trouble is... it seems that Girdle Ness bewilderingly straddles the boundary of VC91 Kincardineshire and VC92 South Aberdeenshire. How do I know which one I'm in and which one the birds are in! Damn you Mr Hewitt Cottrell Watson and your infernal counties of vice!!

But anyway, this morning's amble around the Ness was refreshingly free of such dilemmas because there were, essentially, no birds around. At least none worth mentioning. There was a Fox again on the wasteground on Abbey Road but that's not a bird, it's a mammal. Okay, there were four Turnstones on Greyhope Bay. I'm reduced to mentioning Turnstones. And then there were several Bottlenose Dolphins at the harbour mouth this evening. Back with the mammals again - sea mammals this time. Cetaceans to be more precise.

My VC91/92 list fails before it even begins.
 

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