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Wild in Aberdeen - City and Shire (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Ken Hall
- Start date
pandachris
Well-known member
Superb. We tried really hard in Iceland to see one and must have looked at 10,000 Common Eiders, so I'm hoping we get lucky this time.
daveofficer
Well-known member
4 swallows today beside tesco in Banchory. another later on above the Woodend Barn. Seem to be arriving in force now.
pandachris
Well-known member
No luck with the King Eider yesterday, though we searched for a couple of hours. Several Long-tailed Ducks from Inches Point likely to be of more interest to visitors from the south than locals and One Arctic Tern near the river mouth.
15 Barnacle Geese from the Waulkmills Hide. Numerous Swallows in several locations including a flock of 50+ at about 19:50 on the road between Banchory and Kirkton of Durris. 9 Black Grouse in Glen Muick early.
At Collieston a few divers. The ones we identified were Red-throated. More interesting Julie put me on to a Skua heading north and quite close in. My first thought was 'Black Tern' because it was such a dark bird but it was clearly a skua on more prolonged assessment. I couldn't see any plumage features at all and we only saw it after it had passed us. It had a very buoyant rhythmic flight with deep downward sweeps of the wings. I would rule out Pomarine and it wasn't a Bonxie.
An assumed Woodcock on the drive to Kirkton of Durris too - I was driving and it was flying away but don't think it can have been anything else. I imagine they're reasonably widespread in the area.
15 Barnacle Geese from the Waulkmills Hide. Numerous Swallows in several locations including a flock of 50+ at about 19:50 on the road between Banchory and Kirkton of Durris. 9 Black Grouse in Glen Muick early.
At Collieston a few divers. The ones we identified were Red-throated. More interesting Julie put me on to a Skua heading north and quite close in. My first thought was 'Black Tern' because it was such a dark bird but it was clearly a skua on more prolonged assessment. I couldn't see any plumage features at all and we only saw it after it had passed us. It had a very buoyant rhythmic flight with deep downward sweeps of the wings. I would rule out Pomarine and it wasn't a Bonxie.
An assumed Woodcock on the drive to Kirkton of Durris too - I was driving and it was flying away but don't think it can have been anything else. I imagine they're reasonably widespread in the area.
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Joseph N
Lothian Young Birder
If its of any interest, I had a dark phase Arctic Skua going east at Portsoy yesterday early afternoon; there's a few skuas on the move at the moment. No sign of the White-billed Diver there yesterday, but a Black-throated Diver in summer plumage flew rapidly east and many Long-tailed Ducks were around. The Greater Yellowlegs was still creeping about in the juncus at Strathbeg, whilst the Short-eared Owl here was extremely obliging.
Joseph
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Capercaillie71
Well-known member
Yes, woodcock are pretty common throughout Deeside.
I've had a few early mornings in the past week or so, doing lek counting for Black Grouse and Caper. Black Grouse are doing exceptionally well: the area that I have surveyed for the past 10 year or so (which measures about 3km x 3km) held 55 males at five separate lek sites. Last year there were 41 and before that there were never more than 20-25.
It's more difficult to tell what is going on with the caper - there was very little activity at the usual lek - I heard a couple of birds on the ground but they were not giving the full display song and I couldn't see them. I also saw one or possibly two birds in trees away from the main lek area. I'm not sure if the weather has affected their activity or if the lek centre has shifted. I have been using a camera trap (under licence) at the lek but so far without any success. Still, at least they are hanging on in Deeside.
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pandachris
Well-known member
Hi Joseph, I think we met briefly at Collieston on a grim Sunday last August. Dark phase Arctic Skua seems most likely. We got a couple of unconvincing photos. I'll stick them on here to see if asnyone can make more of them than us in a couple of days.
Glaucous Gull, at a guess 2CY, seen from a moving car on the A90 somewhere near Bridge of Don, north Aberdeen, carrying what appeared to be a rat. We saw the Yellowlegs at Strathbeg.
Glaucous Gull, at a guess 2CY, seen from a moving car on the A90 somewhere near Bridge of Don, north Aberdeen, carrying what appeared to be a rat. We saw the Yellowlegs at Strathbeg.
pandachris
Well-known member
Good to hear about the Woodcock, Capercaille. We have them three miles from my house but it needs a special effort to see them and they're far from widespread.
Joseph N
Lothian Young Birder
Hi Chris, we did indeed meet, I'm glad your enjoying your birding here. Dark phase Arctic would be most likely, Arctics and Bonxies start to come through here around now. Nice one with the Glauc, there was a 2cy in Torry last month but yours could well be a different bird.
Joseph
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Teamscotch
Well-known member
There was a very skulking Ring Ouzel on the gramps today (tullos hill, or whatever it's properly called). Quite a few Willow Warblers there and what may have been a Cuckoo which I saw very poorly.
If you haven't been up there in recent years it's all gone a bit strange...with a spiked double metal fence along the ridge which would put the US-Mexico border to shame. They are also planting trees, which I think is a bit of a shame...
If you haven't been up there in recent years it's all gone a bit strange...with a spiked double metal fence along the ridge which would put the US-Mexico border to shame. They are also planting trees, which I think is a bit of a shame...
pandachris
Well-known member
We've got our eye in with Glaucs, Joseph, having just got back from Iceland where they are one of the commonest birds. I wish I'd been more diligent in making a note of where it was, but it was just before the A90 leaves the built-up area of the city, with docks etc. to the right and lots of modern commercial buildings. Not exactly scenic. There's a roundabout where the road makes a sharp ?left? turn almost immediately next to where we saw the bird, followed by a very straight stretch of dual carriageway. I'd know it if I saw it but probably won't be back until next year. Gulls were numerous around the area.
Teamscotch
Well-known member
Female Ring Ouzel on the gramps today...presumed same as yesterday and still very hard to see!
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Teamscotch
Well-known member
I popped up to Scotstown Moor this evening to look for the reported Great Grey Shrike.
A massive hail shower initially hampered efforts and I was just about giving up when a newly arrived birder found the shrike on the east side of the moor in the trees backing on gardens. We then had some great views of the bird as it worked its way around the various trees and bushes on that side of the moor. It was still showing at about 8 pm when I left.
Other birds included a Canada Goose which went honking over to the north in the company of what appeared to be a Canada x Greylag hybrid.
A massive hail shower initially hampered efforts and I was just about giving up when a newly arrived birder found the shrike on the east side of the moor in the trees backing on gardens. We then had some great views of the bird as it worked its way around the various trees and bushes on that side of the moor. It was still showing at about 8 pm when I left.
Other birds included a Canada Goose which went honking over to the north in the company of what appeared to be a Canada x Greylag hybrid.
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pandachris
Well-known member
Skua pic
This is the best of a bad bunch, heavily cropped of course.Taken just after 14:00. I said in my original post that we only saw it flying away but clearly Julie saw it coming towards us too. I think this rules out Bonxie and Pomarine Skua so dark phase Arctic is most likely. Can't recall seeing a dark phase bird before.
This is the best of a bad bunch, heavily cropped of course.Taken just after 14:00. I said in my original post that we only saw it flying away but clearly Julie saw it coming towards us too. I think this rules out Bonxie and Pomarine Skua so dark phase Arctic is most likely. Can't recall seeing a dark phase bird before.
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Teamscotch
Well-known member
Booted a Short-eared Owl on the gramps this arvo...it went up for a while and then seemed to come down nearby, so I left it in peace.
laurie langan
Well-known member
Great Grey Shrike still at Crimond Airfield this morning.
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Teamscotch
Well-known member
Visiting birder Gert Corfield saw a yellow wagtail by the dee at Maryculter early this morning. I had a look for it at late am with no luck. Looks like a great area for one with damp meadows horse paddocks etc. I did see a smart White Wagtail and my first Common Sandpipers of the year.
danny_heptinstall
Active member
Rigifa Pools
popped by Rigifa Pools this morning - nothing too special but nice to see 14 lapwings, 2 ringed plovers, 2 oystercatchers, a whooper swan and half a dozen linnets on such a small area.
does anyone know if its are protected at all? there's a lot of development round there and it seems a shame that such a nice little place could be lost
popped by Rigifa Pools this morning - nothing too special but nice to see 14 lapwings, 2 ringed plovers, 2 oystercatchers, a whooper swan and half a dozen linnets on such a small area.
does anyone know if its are protected at all? there's a lot of development round there and it seems a shame that such a nice little place could be lost
danny_heptinstall
Active member
saw the yellow-billed diver at Portsoy yesterday around 2pm. It's looking fantastic in its summer plumage at the moment - couldn't reccomend people enough to make the journey over there.
To see it I stood on the rocks at the end of the harbour wall on the W side of the harbour - the side of the the harbour near the pirate themed cafe and marble shop - and then after a fair bit of scanning located it to the E of the harbour entrance not too far offshore.
To see it I stood on the rocks at the end of the harbour wall on the W side of the harbour - the side of the the harbour near the pirate themed cafe and marble shop - and then after a fair bit of scanning located it to the E of the harbour entrance not too far offshore.
Looks as though Danny is having a good weekend because he just texted me to say he's found three Glossy Ibis at Donmouth (on the island between the bridges). One is colour ringed. Well done Danny!
