[choughed2bits]

Hi there,

Spent a couple of hours lazing around in the sun watching the terns feeding on Friday last week and noted both Sandwich and Common (with young) perched on the rocks at Greyhope Bay. Some arctics did pass overhead later (heading north) but not sure if they had been among the others sitting on the rocks.

Plenty of Kittiwakes and Herrings (lots of young) about, with one or two common gulls. The gulls got a bit frantic at one point when an arctic skua went over (headed south).

On closer examination spotted quite a number of ringed plovers, some young amongst them, turnstone - looking great in their full colours, purple sandpipers and some dunlin in summer plumage.

On the way back to the car came across a female wheatear (my first for the year!) and young.

Other than that, plenty of the usual suspects including buckets of eider. I wonder are the common scoter still around? I didn't fancy picking my way through all the ducks without my scope. Anyway, a lovely day out in the sun and look forward to my next one there.

regards,

kev

[daveofficer]

I went back today for test of my shiny new camera and got some interesting birds. I'll need to double check the identity so feel free to correct me if anything sounds odd.

Swallows were taunting me at the battery again but I managed a few passable shots of them. My best luck was a wee Kestral which rose out of the long grass just in front of me and flew off towards the cliffs nice and slowly.

Plenty of Common and Sandwich Tern as well as the usual Herring Gulls and Eider. Some good Dolphin action as well this afternoon. There were a couple of Curlew(or the same one following me along the coastal path when I wasn't looking) and a ton of Oystercatchers making a racket in the rock pools.

I also had a wee Meadow Pipit showing off for me for quite a while. Cute wee bird.

Now, the ones I'm not sure about. I believe I saw a group of Red Breasted Merganser in the first bay alongside Greyhope Road. I also saw some Finchs with bright red breasts which i'm unsure about. Any help identifying them is appreciated as I'm crap at this. I'll upload the pics once i've edited them.

Edit: Okay, the Red Breasted Merganser can be seen here

and the Finch here

[rokermartin]

Hi Daveofficer The finches are Linnets and to me your RB Mergansers look more like Goosanders.The one which is'nt a sleep has a thick looking long bill ,RBM have quite a thin looking long bill

[daveofficer]

thanks very much rokermartin! still got a load of pictures to go through so may need more ID help yet but won't have time to do that till another day.

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Like the Linnet picture, Dave. I agree that the ducks are Goosanders. During the summer there is often a flock of moulting Goosanders in the area you mention. At other times of the year, Red-breasted Merganser tends to be more numerous at Girdle Ness.

[daveofficer]

thanks andrew, it's good to know it wasn't a completely ridiculous ID on my part :)

[Ben Nevis]

Originally Posted by daveofficer

thanks andrew, it's good to know it wasn't a completely ridiculous ID on my part :)

Not a ridiculous Identification at all.Females of both species have a lot of similarities.There should be some good birds coming to "The Ness" over the next few months,so keep on looking Dave ?

[daveofficer]

I have bought another book to aide my ID skills. It's already helped me identify another couple that had me stumped from my trip the other day. I am not fairly certain I can add Rock Pipit and Redshank to my list. :)

[Fat Paul Scholes]

Managed my first trip to the ness yesterday after what seemed like a lifetime at sea. It was pretty productive...good evidence of wader passage, with 30 sanderling and 8 dunlin in nigg bay, and 20ish knot, 4 dunlin and 6 purple sands in greyhope bay, along with the usual redshanks, oycs, etc. Autumn has officially arrived in the form of 4 juv Whinchats in the cover behind the sewerage works, but no other passerine migs. Bird of the day went to a cracking spoony tailed pomarine skua harassing the gulls in greyhope bay, giving great close up views.

Looking forward to the autumn everyone??? And welcome to the highs and lows of birding at girdle ness, daveofficer!

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Originally Posted by Fat Paul Scholes

Managed my first trip to the ness yesterday after what seemed like a lifetime at sea. It was pretty productive...good evidence of wader passage, with 30 sanderling and 8 dunlin in nigg bay, and 20ish knot, 4 dunlin and 6 purple sands in greyhope bay, along with the usual redshanks, oycs, etc. Autumn has officially arrived in the form of 4 juv Whinchats in the cover behind the sewerage works, but no other passerine migs. Bird of the day went to a cracking spoony tailed pomarine skua harassing the gulls in greyhope bay, giving great close up views.

Looking forward to the autumn everyone??? And welcome to the highs and lows of birding at girdle ness, daveofficer!

You know I'm almost getting envious there, particularly of the Pom Skua. I shall probably have to make do with a few Frigatebirds today.

[Fat Paul Scholes]

Still a few waders around today, with a bar tailed godwit being the highlight. Arctic and great skuas offshore. Nothing to make anyone jealous though!

[Ben Nevis]

Went round "The Ness" in a car tonight and there were lots of Gannets moving south.Also,at least 10 Dolphins performing off the North Pier.Sadly I didnt get time to stop.

[Fat Paul Scholes]

Barred warbler reported from the battery this lunchtime, among commoner migrants.
Will report later if it's still around.

[Fat Paul Scholes]

Oh well, didn't catch up with the barred warbler, but I did catch up with Ken Hall, and a good assortment of commoner migrants such as chiffchaff, willow warbler, lesser whitethroat, garden warbler, whinchat and pied flycatcher.

[Ken Hall]

Enthusiasm rekindled by meeting Mark the other day, I went back yesterday with the intention of giving The Ness a good going over. Sadly, all I managed was 3 Common Whitethroats and a Chiffchaff. However, there is more to report. Murder and misplacing of trousers to be precise. (Andrew started this theme with his finding of rubberised garments, so I'm just keeping it going) Someone has massacred the rabbits in and around The Battery. I counted 8 of them, lying on the grass, with no visible signs of having been attacked. Speculation among the birders present (there were five of us at one point) was that they had been poisoned. But why, and by whom? If it was poison it was a pretty stupid thing to do, with lots of dogs and children on the loose, thanks to the country being on a one day strike. The other strange find was a pair of very wet and grassy trousers on the path behind the sewage works. Those who know the place will immediately realise that this is not an ideal place for nocturnal nookie. Observant readers, on seeing the attached photo of said garment, may notice that they are of the female fastening type. How did she get home I wonder? Ah well, when the birding in Torry is quiet, you can always rely on something else interesting turning up.

[Ben Nevis]

Originally Posted by Ken Hall

Those who know the place will immediately realise that this is not an ideal place for nocturnal nookie. Observant readers, on seeing the attached photo of said garment, may notice that they are of the female fastening type. How did she get home I wonder? Ah well, when the birding in Torry is quiet, you can always rely on something else interesting turning up.

There ASDA be some kind of explanation for the said garment..!

[Ben Nevis]

[quote=Ken Hall;1270365] Someone has massacred the rabbits in and around The Battery. I counted 8 of them, lying on the grass, with no visible signs of having been attacked. Speculation among the birders present (there were five of us at one point) was that they had been poisoned. But why, and by whom? If it was poison it was a pretty stupid thing to do, with lots of dogs and children on the loose, thanks to the country being on a one day strike. QUOTE]

I have it on very good authority,that the Rabbits were not poisoned but shot.They are regarded as vermin/pests on the Golf Course,as they dig holes etc,which the Greenkeepers have to continually repair.However,they should have been picked up and put out of sight.Seemingly,the local Foxes normally take care of that department.

[MKinHK]

courtesy of a typhoon yesterday I have just finished reading the entire Torry blog - and thoroughly enjoyed it - megas, local goodies and lots of banter - and all in a "real" patch - not an entire county, or half a continent or an hour's drive away, but one that can be see out the window - great stuff !

Cheers
Mike

[Ken Hall]

[quote=Ben Nevis;1271293]

Originally Posted by Ken Hall

Someone has massacred the rabbits in and around The Battery. I counted 8 of them, lying on the grass, with no visible signs of having been attacked. Speculation among the birders present (there were five of us at one point) was that they had been poisoned. But why, and by whom? If it was poison it was a pretty stupid thing to do, with lots of dogs and children on the loose, thanks to the country being on a one day strike. QUOTE]

I have it on very good authority,that the Rabbits were not poisoned but shot.They are regarded as vermin/pests on the Golf Course,as they dig holes etc,which the Greenkeepers have to continually repair.However,they should have been picked up and put out of sight.Seemingly,the local Foxes normally take care of that department.

Ah, so that explains why there were no birds around the battery. Must have been scared off by the shooting. We all had a good idea who was responsible but I wasn't going to say so on a public forum. And yet, there wasn't a mark on any of the corpses, and the bloated bellies did lead us to consider poisoning. I guess we'll never know for sure. Still no birds around yesterday, apart from the odd wheatear and mipit.

[Ben Nevis]

Originally Posted by MKinHK

courtesy of a typhoon yesterday I have just finished reading the entire Torry blog - and thoroughly enjoyed it - megas, local goodies and lots of banter - and all in a "real" patch - not an entire county, or half a continent or an hour's drive away, but one that can be see out the window - great stuff !

Cheers
Mike

Hi Mike

Glad to read you enjoy our little bit of banter and some of the more serious stuff,in our little corner of north east Scotland.

[Fat Paul Scholes]

Own up Mike......it was the discarded trousers that really grabbed you're attention!

[Andrew Whitehouse]

I too like to think the discarded trouser theme is one of the strongest elements of this thread, although I'm glad you enjoy the other aspects Mike.

So why did no one find a Greenish Warbler this week? Folk are supposed to be gripping me off while I'm busy seeing nothing in Brazil!

[MKinHK]

Its difficult to choose when a thread has so many highlights - , but yes, I have to secretly admit to having a thing about discarded clothing . . .

In 1898 I was birding in Indonesia with my mate Norman. He pulled a Danish girl and they went skinny dipping on Kuta bech in the wee small hours. While he was enjoying his moonlit dip his jeans (and wallet) were stolen and he had an interesting trip back to the guesthouse. Funny enough in itself, but when he went to report it to the police they chucked him out of the police station for disrespectfully showing up in shorts instead of trousers!

So no, it not the birds or the banter or the lessons in spelling vernacular Aberdonian - its the thought that Norm's trousers (or should that be troosas, or breeks) might one day reappear . . . drifting slowly south off Girdle ness!

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Originally Posted by MKinHK

Its difficult to choose when a thread has so many highlights - , but yes, I have to secretly admit to having a thing about discarded clothing . . .

In 1898 I was birding in Indonesia with my mate Norman. He pulled a Danish girl and they went skinny dipping on Kuta bech in the wee small hours. While he was enjoying his moonlit dip his jeans (and wallet) were stolen and he had an interesting trip back to the guesthouse. Funny enough in itself, but when he went to report it to the police they chucked him out of the police station for disrespectfully showing up in shorts instead of trousers!

So no, it not the birds or the banter or the lessons in spelling vernacular Aberdonian - its the thought that Norm's trousers (or should that be troosas, or breeks) might one day reappear . . . drifting slowly south off Girdle ness!

I shall be looking out for them when I return Mike. Any chance of a more detailed description though? Name tag? Unusual stains or tears?

... although there can't be much left of them after 110 years .

[Fat Paul Scholes]

it's been quiet of late.....a group of 17 bar tailed godwits went south the other day, and decent numbers of willows and chiff around. Black guillemot went north this morning. Weather looks more interesting for next week...........