[Andrew Whitehouse]

Another interesting day in the cold here. A Mistle Thrush was again on the rooftops below my flat and there were plenty of other thrushes on the golf course - maybe 30+ Fieldfares, 2 Song Thrushes, 3 or 4 Mistle Thrushes, a couple of Blackbirds and just one Redwing. There were also several Skylarks and Meadow Pipits and at least forty Linnets again around the allotments. A couple of Bottlenose Dolphins were sauntering about the harbour mouth.

Perhaps the most entertaining sighting was along one of the small seeps on the north bank. I stomped about briefly to see if anything was hiding but nothing seemed to be. Then I heard a bit of rustling just a few feet away and noticed a Woodcock furtively scuttling about the undergrowth. It soon flew up of course but for a few seconds I had a nice view of it on the deck.

Walker Park held plenty of feeding birds. Most incongruous were a group of four Snipe, which probed away enthusiastically in the middle of the field. Several Lapwings were also there. A Goldeneye flew into the harbour (a species I don't think I saw here last year) and a first winter drake Common Scoter was in with the Eiders off the Coo. There was also a Red-throated Diver on the sea. Along the south bank, just adjacent to Walker Park, I had quick views of a couple of Twite in amongst the grass. A couple more Lapwings flew along Victoria Road.

[Ken Hall]

I'm a day late with this but I've been busy all day today. So, yesterday at The Ness. It was bitterly cold, with a biting west wind (the opposite of what the forecast said) but there were indeed birds about, though maybe not as many as Andrew saw today. Or more likely he's just a better birder than I am.
There were about 20 Purple Sandpipers along the base of the North Pier, it being low tide when I was there. Some kind allotment holder is feeding the birds, and there were lots of Linnets taking advantage. Along the outside of the Walker Park wall, a Mistle Thrush and a Fieldfare were busily feeding, but maybe best of all was a very smart male Reed Bunting. I took a short trip along to Cove but couldn't see much for the low sun and the other traffic. But I did see a Magpie flying over carrying a very impressive branch. The saddest sight of the day was a dead swan on the beach at Nigg Bay, but at least it was providing food for the gulls and the crows.

[amilne]

After a Mistle Thrush and I think a Woodcock arrived in my garden in Cove today, I was thinking that the coastal path walk to Victoria Bridge might be spectacular. The strong Easterly wind with the high seas sending spume to the tops of the cliffs meant that I did not see as many birds as expected on the way in. There were a few thrush flocks (up to 30) mainly Fieldfare, and the busy friendly fellow attached who kept flying towards me then hopping away preventing an in focus shot. I think it may be a Corn Bunting, but I had my eye too long to the camera while staggering backwards trying to get focus.
At the sea fishing spot I was approached by 2 presumably Polish chaps looking for a friend whom they had not seen since 6am, whose car was there but no sign of him. Police arrived as I passed. Tried to look at as much of the coast as I could on the way North but the predominant current here is South. The sport continues it's dangerous reputation. Helicopter arrived as I was crossing the golf course, but nearing dark by that time.
Walker Park was polluted by dogs but I found large thrush flocks in a sheltered spot in the middle of the golf course. Still to identify a bird with dark legs, shortish dark bill, mottled front which didn't fly off quickly. Books out tonight. Don't suppose I'll identify it.

[Fat Paul Scholes]

Well, as has been said already, still quite a few thrushes around at the ness, and plenty of other things forced coastward...Up to 70 linnets in the allotments, although I saw (or heard) no sign of any twite unfortunately, unlike others. Best passerine was a snow bunting that went over the allotments.

Seawatching was quiet, but the common scoter was still with the eiders, and a gannet went north. As an aside, I noticed that you can now get into the foghorn 'enclosure' and stand up by the horn itself, which makes an excellent sheltered seawatching viewpoint. Some thoughtful vandalism there....

A peregrine was also hunting over the golfcourse, and a knot was in greyhope bay.

Lets hope there's a happy ending to the polish fishermans story.

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Originally Posted by amilne

After a Mistle Thrush and I think a Woodcock arrived in my garden in Cove today, I was thinking that the coastal path walk to Victoria Bridge might be spectacular. The strong Easterly wind with the high seas sending spume to the tops of the cliffs meant that I did not see as many birds as expected on the way in. There were a few thrush flocks (up to 30) mainly Fieldfare, and the busy friendly fellow attached who kept flying towards me then hopping away preventing an in focus shot. I think it may be a Corn Bunting, but I had my eye too long to the camera while staggering backwards trying to get focus.
At the sea fishing spot I was approached by 2 presumably Polish chaps looking for a friend whom they had not seen since 6am, whose car was there but no sign of him. Police arrived as I passed. Tried to look at as much of the coast as I could on the way North but the predominant current here is South. The sport continues it's dangerous reputation. Helicopter arrived as I was crossing the golf course, but nearing dark by that time.
Walker Park was polluted by dogs but I found large thrush flocks in a sheltered spot in the middle of the golf course. Still to identify a bird with dark legs, shortish dark bill, mottled front which didn't fly off quickly. Books out tonight. Don't suppose I'll identify it.

Bad news about the fisherman. Your bird isn't a Corn Bunting, but it is a Twite - nice one!

[Joseph N]

Originally Posted by Andrew Whitehouse

Bad news about the fisherman. Your bird isn't a Corn Bunting, but it is a Twite - nice one!

That is indeed a Twite, well done! Due to the hard weather there are quite a few of these birds scattered up and down the coast, with over 20 up at Strathbeg today. Snow Buntings have been around in good numbers too, which I read you saw earlier this week, well done.

I was down at the Ness today, and as people have said there would good amounts of thrushes (Fieldfare, Redwing, Mistle Thrush) on the golf course, and a good number of commoner waders down by the shore. Had a possible Great Northern Diver past at sea but it was a very long way out and the light might have given me a false impression as to the birds features.

[Fat Paul Scholes]

Still a whole bunch of thrushes around (one flock of 58 fieldfares and two mistle thrushes), and a reed bunting over the golf course. Drake goldeneye in between the beakwaters, and a female sparrowhawk buzzing the allotments. Best of it was out to sea, with good numbers of fulmars and kittis about, a few RBmergs and common scoter north, and a cracking great northern diver went north just beyond the breakers.

Yesterday, good numbers of snipe around, 4 lapwing, and a single dunlin in the walled garden.

[Fat Paul Scholes]

2 Genuine patch megas today, in the same binocular view! Moorhen and Coot both on the stream that runs behind the waterworks. Not a lot of other new stuff going around, but a Lesser black backed gull going north past the foghorn was very early, and there were knot and dunlin on the golf course.

Some pretty spectacular waves breaking over the breakwater too!

[StuartReeves]

Originally Posted by Fat Paul Scholes

2 Genuine patch megas today, in the same binocular view! Moorhen and Coot both on the stream that runs behind the waterworks.

Excellent! There can't be many mainland patches where those two count as megas.

PS, of course, I have both on my 'ness list!

[RecoveringScot]

May be of a slight interest:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/recover...84977/sizes/o/

(The harbour entrance in 1961. Some recognisable features.)

Cheers

[edenwatcher]

Originally Posted by StuartReeves

Excellent! There can't be many mainland patches where those two count as megas.

PS, of course, I have both on my 'ness list!

Both megas for me too!

Rob

[nicklittlewood]

Originally Posted by StuartReeves

Excellent! There can't be many mainland patches where those two count as megas.

PS, of course, I have both on my 'ness list!

And indeed Coot would be an exciting patch tick for me up to coast at Blackdog (Moorhen is an occasional breeder).

Nick

[Helenelizabeth2]

Birding is so bad up North, isn't it?

[Fat Paul Scholes]

two great crested grebes were in the harbour this morning, opposite the new SEPA building. Not a lot else around though, still a few mistle thrushes and fieldfares on the golfcourse, and a female sparrowhawk in the battery willows.

[Andrew Whitehouse]

I've certainly been missing some serious megas this week. I would have a look for those grebes from my flat, but viewing conditions are less than ideal at the moment.

[Andrew Whitehouse]

You know what? It's lovely here in Torry today. Sunny. Mild. Not much wind. No birds. I hate nice weather. But I did still have a look round the Ness this morning.

As others have been noting, Sparrowhawks are much in evidence at the moment. I probably saw two different birds around the allotments and the north bank, including a small male, which flew across the harbour. There were some other raptors too, with a Kestrel on the south bank and a Buzzard, rather unusually, hunting over the golf course. I also managed to pick out a distant Peregrine on Triple Kirks, so it was all go on the raptor front.

Maybe they scared off the other birds. Most of the thrushes have gone, although I did see one Mistle Thrush, and only three Linnets still seemed to be about. Two Red-throated Divers were off the Coo, which now seems thoroughly padlocked again, after apparently being available as a seawatching hide during the week.

Of course, I needed to have a look around St Fittick's to see if any mega rallid action was still happening. I had quite a good look round, clocking a large flock of 19 Curlew as I did so, but it wasn't till I was returning that I managed to find the Moorhen skulking along the edge of the ditch. So, I twitched a Moorhen. That's a bit weird, and possibly slightly wrong, but hey it was a patch tick. A pair of Siskins were in trees along Victoria Road as I walked back home.

Sadly, none of the other megas that were seen during the week seemed to be around. No Coot, no Great-crested Grebes, no fridge.

[amilne]

I spotted several flocks of about 20 Curlew on my walk from Cove to Torry, These have been missing from the usual spots near me recently, so I expect I'll start to see them again away from the coast. There were about 10 small flocks of anglers between Cove and Nigg Bay, certainly a record for me. The access I have used to the Coo for the past few years has been via a gap in the bars to the South East, but this may only be accessible to slim birders. I photographed the Purple Sandpipers in Greyhope Bay, but I'm glad I didn't count them as the number was well below the Totaliser. A male Goldeneye was downstream of Victoria Bridge. A pleasant day, but I can see that I need to carry my telescope or clean my binoculars, as I did not spot any Red Throated Divers, despite looking beyond the Eider, which were still missing South of Nigg Bay.

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Originally Posted by amilne

The access I have used to the Coo for the past few years has been via a gap in the bars to the South East, but this may only be accessible to slim birders.

I think that probably rules out at least two of us Girdle Ness regulars then!

[Ben Nevis]

Originally Posted by Andrew Whitehouse

I think that probably rules out at least two of us Girdle Ness regulars then!

Make that three..!

[amilne]

I went up to the Coo today. I think that more bars have been removed since I was last up there as I could easily get in with a backpack and camera. It was even more comfortable than I remembered. My camera was able to rest on the toothed ring, and a telescope could be attached to the ring with a clamp, which might be steadier than a tripod in strong wind. I spotted about 4 Guillemots and 4 Red Throated Divers in the mist. Not much else of interest in the walk. A male Eider seemed to be in trouble in Greyhope Bay, which will add to the several dead birds I have seen on my walks this week. Times must still be tough for the birds around here.

[Andrew Whitehouse]

It's been a particularly grey and drizzly weekend here in Torry. In fact the weather has been just what's required for good birding, but sadly, just what's required in spring or autumn. In January it just means it's cold, damp and hard work. I did manage a look around today, but it wasn't too exciting.

Whilst walking along Abbey Road, I heard an unusual jinking call that seemed to be coming from a patch of brambles. It sounded a bit like a Yellowhammer, quite an unusual bird in Torry. After a few minutes searching, I realised that it was in fact a loose bit of corrugated iron roofing flapping in the wind. An easy mistake to make. On the allotments were four Fieldfares and a Redwing and a couple of Bottlenose Dolphins were well up the harbour. Around Greyhope Bay it was rather too windy to see very much. The Coo was better, particularly now that I've discovered the secret way of entering inside its bowels. It was quite cosy seawatching from right underneath the horn and there were even a few seabirds passing. It was all common stuff: several Gannets and Fulmars, four Kittiwakes, a Common Scoter and three Red-throated Divers. A few new things for the year though. A Harbour Porpoise surfaced a few times.

[Jane Turner]

Originally Posted by Andrew Whitehouse

Whilst walking along Abbey Road, I heard an unusual jinking call that seemed to be coming from a patch of brambles. It sounded a bit like a Yellowhammer, quite an unusual bird in Torry. After a few minutes searching, I realised that it was in fact a loose bit of corrugated iron roofing flapping in the wind. An easy mistake to make.

I've once spent a long time trying to pin down a very long steel cable hanging down from a pylon that had the pitch and timing of a Quail. It was in the middle of a large cornfield too.

[Fat Paul Scholes]

3 great crested grebes in the harbour this morning, next to the outer breakwater. Not a lot else though...

[Fat Paul Scholes]

Another very quiet day down at the ness. If anyone is heading down that way I scattered a big bag of bird seed in the car park at greyhope bay....might be worth a look over the next few days...if the crows have left any of it!

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Originally Posted by Fat Paul Scholes

Another very quiet day down at the ness. If anyone is heading down that way I scattered a big bag of bird seed in the car park at greyhope bay....might be worth a look over the next few days...if the crows have left any of it!

Sadly Mark I think your bird seed is now under a few inches of snow. As indeed is the rest of the Ness. I had a trudge through the white stuff today, under brilliant blue skies. Very picturesque. There didn't seem to be too much 'cold weather' type action going on, but there were a few thrushes: 2 Fieldfares, a Redwing, a Song Thrush and several Blackbirds. 8 Linnets were at the feeders on the allotments and another dozen were on the golf course. I was hoping for a few things on the sea. Well, a Red-breasted Merganser was on the harbour and another went north off the Coo. Three Red-throated Divers and lots of Guillemots were gathered there too, and I managed my first Razorbill of the year. A couple of Harbour Porpoises surfaced a few times. Not too much else was 'doing'. The top birds were on Nigg Bay, when I finally managed to locate two Great-crested Grebes - a Girdle Ness tick. Mysteriously, they disappeared as I approached a bit closer. Shpooky.

Some snowy pictures and some wader pictures, featuring non-totaliser threatening numbers of Purple Sandpipers.