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

Birds fae Torry (3 Viewers)

Has anyone actually checked the sycamore today...?

I did today!!! And guess what.... 2 Dunnocks, a Robin and 2 Goldcrests. Well, it's the first Goldcrests I've seen at the Ness this autumn, so I got slightly excited. A lot of the leaves are off the tree which helps a bit.

Also had 3 ringed Shags and a Knot in front of The Coo, and a Red-throated Diver a bit further out. Lots of Gannets fishing way out. It was quite pleasant in the watery sunshine, so now that I am a septuagenarian, I opted for the comfort of the bench rather than standing by the Coo.

Along at Nigg Bay, I witnessed a murder taking place whilst having lunch. Not pretty. Two crows were attacking an obviously sick or injured Black-headed Gull on the beach. It took about 20 minutes for them to peck it to death.

A walk round the Battery produced nothing better than a few Robins and Blackbirds, but they could be migrants too. My attempts at pishing succeeded OK in bringing the birds out of the bushes, only for them to fly straight off with their tails on fire. :eek!:
 
Out of all my hours of looking around the Schoolhill area and Triple Kirks I've only ever had one possible sighting that looked suspiciously like a pigeon.
 
Keep trying seagull! I can recommend the beer garden above Ma Camerons as an excellent place to see the pegs. And if you don't, theres plenty to cheer you up downstairs!
 
Meanwhile, back at Girdle Ness...

Had my first look round the Ness for a while this morning. I suspect it might have been half decent at times over the past week but I've either been too busy or not here. Or too lazy.

Anyway, a Peregrine was on Triple Kirks this morning and quite large numbers of Pink-footed Geese were going north. And then I went for a walk. Quite a few Blackbirds, Robins and Dunnocks seemed to be around along Abbey Road. What we must nowadays call a Redpoll sp. was heard flying over. More surprising, and a Girdle Ness tick, were a flock of ten Tree Sparrows apparently coming up off the allotments and then heading purposefully north. Quite weird, although they have been on the move lately by all accounts.

On Greyhope Bay there were a few waders including the Freak, 6 Knot, 8 Ringed Plovers and an update to the Purple Sandpiper Totaliser:

48

Keep it coming people.

It was fairly calm but there was a little bit of movement happening out to sea. That 'little bit' was as follows: Manx Shearwater 1N, Red-throated Diver 7N, 2S, Red-breasted Merganser 1N. Otherwise, several Red Admirals and a Painted Lady, a Buzzard, a Goldcrest and 4 Grey Wagtails.

Not great but the long range forecast actually looks quite promising for a change. It looks like we might actually get some proper easterlies, and at just the right time of the year.
 
More surprising, and a Girdle Ness tick, were a flock of ten Tree Sparrows apparently coming up off the allotments and then heading purposefully north. Quite weird, although they have been on the move lately by all accounts.

Hi Andrew

This bit caught my eye because as you might have gathered I'm quite keen on Tree Sparrows :-O.

I had been down to just a couple of Tree Sparrows in the garden (since the breeding season) until yesterday when I had 6 on the feeder at the same time and they're still around today and there could be more than 6.

My question really is, where have you heard that they are on the move lately? Is it just word of mouth or is there somewhere that I can get this information?

TS
 
It's been reported on the local grapevine messages that there have been groups moving through the east coast of Scotland. Looking at migration counts on Trektellen, there seem to have been regular small counts from other east coast sites. Maybe the ones in your garden have come in from elsewhere recently.
 
It's been reported on the local grapevine messages that there have been groups moving through the east coast of Scotland. Looking at migration counts on Trektellen, there seem to have been regular small counts from other east coast sites. Maybe the ones in your garden have come in from elsewhere recently.

Thanks Andrew. That's really interesting to know. The Trektellen site is something I didn't know existed. I had just thought that the sudden extra numbers of Tree Sparrows were perhaps the offspring returning and hadn't considered that they could be coming from elsewhere.

So much for me still to learn.

TS
 
Thanks Andrew. That's really interesting to know. The Trektellen site is something I didn't know existed. I had just thought that the sudden extra numbers of Tree Sparrows were perhaps the offspring returning and hadn't considered that they could be coming from elsewhere.

So much for me still to learn.

TS

It'd certainly be interesting to know where the Tree Sparrows are coming from and going to. I'm not sure if anyone else knows, but they're certainly on the move at the moment.
 
LOL Andrew - a cracking shot.

ummmm dare I say..... mmmm..... welll.... he could give you a few lessons in snapping;)

D
 
LOL Andrew - a cracking shot.

ummmm dare I say..... mmmm..... welll.... he could give you a few lessons in snapping;)

D

Well, when you put it like that... Despite being atmospheric and thought-provoking the picture provides no assistance in the more important matter of identifying the trolley to supermarket. Some people seem to have their priorities all wrong.
 
I had some Tree Sparrows in the Spring if that counts for anything. Patiently waiting for incoming Waxwings. Any signs?

I'm always interested in hearing about Tree Sparrow sightings Calvin. I'm also eagerly awaiting Waxwing. I'm just hoping that the massive rowan crop we seem to have this year will last until they arrive. My trees in the garden have been stripped by "the locals" already but there are still plenty down the track although the Redwing & Thrushes have been having a go at those although no Fieldfare yet.

TS
 
I'm always interested in hearing about Tree Sparrow sightings Calvin. I'm also eagerly awaiting Waxwing. I'm just hoping that the massive rowan crop we seem to have this year will last until they arrive. My trees in the garden have been stripped by "the locals" already but there are still plenty down the track although the Redwing & Thrushes have been having a go at those although no Fieldfare yet.

TS

Which reminds me that yesterday afternoon I saw three Fieldfares and three Redwings going over the golf course. Also a Goosander and a Red-breasted Merganser on the harbour. Not much else though.
 

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