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Birding at Loch of Kinnordy (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter kinnordyvolunteer
- Start date
kawwauser
Well-known member
re great crested grebes at kinnordy I haven,t seen or heard of them for 17 years,in 1996 when the black necked grebes were breeding at kinnordy I remember seeing a great crested grebe sitting on a nest right in front of the gullery hide,the angus bird report for 1996 reports 8 pairs of great crested grebes with 4 pairs breeding fledging just 4 youngsters,the black necked grebes were also failing to raise youngsters at this time,a pair of garganey bred raising just one chick,there was a lot of predation from pike on these species but the ospreys have since thinned out the pike numbers and with some luck great crested grebes might return and they might even attract back the black necked grebes
Capercaillie71
Well-known member
Two female marsh harriers at Kinnordy this lunchtime. One was flying back and forward over the whole reserve, but each time she flew over what I presume might be the nest site in the reedbeds, a second (?incubating) female would fly up and interact with the first one, dropping back into the reeds when the first one moved away. The second female which kept flying up from the reeds looked quite distinctive as it was growing new tail feathers, which were still quite short.
kinnordyvolunteer
Darell Berthon
There is another nest site not too far away as a harrier flies and we are wondering if the male is serving both nests. She is obviously not incubating anything if she has time to fly to this site time and time again.
kinnordyvolunteer
Darell Berthon
I spent a few hours at the reserve today but also had a walk round on friday evening. On friday it was lovely and sunny where as today it was overcast and not quite as warm.
On friday evening i walked down to where the beavers had built a dam, next to the second bridge. The water in the channel had definitely risen by a few inches.
We went along to have another look today, to find someone had taken the dam away and the water was running quite freely again. The last time, about ten days ago, when someone took the dam away, the beavers had rebuilt it in a couple of days!!! When the person took the dam away last time, he got a ticking off!!!! As I've already said, the water had risen quite a lot since the rebuild, and thankfully there hasn't been any rain. The whole beaver thing seems to be really controversial, but if the water in the loch rises too much then the marsh harriers nest would be put at risk and i know which speices i would rather see.
The marsh harriers were visible for a lot of the day but the ospreys were not. I only had a fleeting glimpse of one during the 6 or so hours i was there and i kept telling visitors that they would be along SOON!!
Mallard, tufties, shoveler, coot, moorhen, redshank, curlew, lapwing,mute swans, reed bunting, sedge warbler, willow warbler, blackcap, yellowhammer, blackbird, sparrowhawk, buzzard, shelduck, heron, black headed gulls, common gull, lesser black back, dunnocks, great spotted woodpeckers, crows, jackdaw, rook, woodpigeon, pheasant, chaffinch, song thrush, swallow, swift, house martin, sand martin, robin and starling.
Darell
On friday evening i walked down to where the beavers had built a dam, next to the second bridge. The water in the channel had definitely risen by a few inches.
We went along to have another look today, to find someone had taken the dam away and the water was running quite freely again. The last time, about ten days ago, when someone took the dam away, the beavers had rebuilt it in a couple of days!!! When the person took the dam away last time, he got a ticking off!!!! As I've already said, the water had risen quite a lot since the rebuild, and thankfully there hasn't been any rain. The whole beaver thing seems to be really controversial, but if the water in the loch rises too much then the marsh harriers nest would be put at risk and i know which speices i would rather see.
The marsh harriers were visible for a lot of the day but the ospreys were not. I only had a fleeting glimpse of one during the 6 or so hours i was there and i kept telling visitors that they would be along SOON!!
Mallard, tufties, shoveler, coot, moorhen, redshank, curlew, lapwing,mute swans, reed bunting, sedge warbler, willow warbler, blackcap, yellowhammer, blackbird, sparrowhawk, buzzard, shelduck, heron, black headed gulls, common gull, lesser black back, dunnocks, great spotted woodpeckers, crows, jackdaw, rook, woodpigeon, pheasant, chaffinch, song thrush, swallow, swift, house martin, sand martin, robin and starling.
Darell
kinnordyvolunteer
Darell Berthon
I was on the reserve for a few hours yesterday and although the weather wasn't great, there were still lots of birds around. Lots of mallards, starting to go into eclipse, seemed to gather over at the east end of the loch along with gadwall, wigeon and coot. In front of the gallery hide were more mallards, a sinle female tufted duck and shoveler. To the right of the hide was a female shoveler with a family of 7 newbies. Hope they survive better than the families of mallards have done.
I also saw 2 families of mute swans with cygnets. One family has 8 and the other 2. Lots of blue tits just outside the gallery hide where the parents were busy feeding youngsters that looked like they had just fledged from a nest.
The black headed gulls were still around, though there didn't seem to be as many sitting on nests. I see Gus watched an otter go through the nests this evening, so those that were left yesterday are probably no longer sitting on anything.
One surprise i did get yesterday was 10 male teal flying past the hide before settling near the reeds, but they didn't hang around long before flying round to the back of the loch and out of sight. I also got sightings of waterrail flying from either side of the gallery hide.
Other birds seen were crow, rook, pheasant, treecreeper, chaffinch, great tit, goldcrest, blackbird, wren, robin, blackcap, sedge warbler, willow warbler, reed bunting, great spotted woodpecker, goldfinch, wood pigeon, moorhen, curlew, lapwing, oystercatcher, redshank.
Darell
I also saw 2 families of mute swans with cygnets. One family has 8 and the other 2. Lots of blue tits just outside the gallery hide where the parents were busy feeding youngsters that looked like they had just fledged from a nest.
The black headed gulls were still around, though there didn't seem to be as many sitting on nests. I see Gus watched an otter go through the nests this evening, so those that were left yesterday are probably no longer sitting on anything.
One surprise i did get yesterday was 10 male teal flying past the hide before settling near the reeds, but they didn't hang around long before flying round to the back of the loch and out of sight. I also got sightings of waterrail flying from either side of the gallery hide.
Other birds seen were crow, rook, pheasant, treecreeper, chaffinch, great tit, goldcrest, blackbird, wren, robin, blackcap, sedge warbler, willow warbler, reed bunting, great spotted woodpecker, goldfinch, wood pigeon, moorhen, curlew, lapwing, oystercatcher, redshank.
Darell
kinnordyvolunteer
Darell Berthon
The Spotted Crakes have been heard on the reserve at long last!!!
Darell
Darell
kinnordyvolunteer
Darell Berthon
The Spotted Crakes have been heard on the reserve at long last!!!
Darell
Darell
Oh brilliant... thanks Darrel.
kinnordyvolunteer
Darell Berthon
I was up at kinnordy on friday evening and it took me a few mins to realise why it was so peaceful...NO black headed gulls!! The otter certainly decimated the nests big style.
Birds seen were
lapwing, oystercatcher, redshank, curlew, mallard 250+, wigeon, shoveler, gadwall, coot, moorhen, water rail, heron, reed bunting, sedge warbler, willow warbler, blackcap, robin, wren, blackbird, treecreeper, starling, snipe, osprey, buzzard, pheasant, wood pigeon, crow, rook, pied wagtail.
Mute swans still with 8 cygnets so thats good.
Darell
Birds seen were
lapwing, oystercatcher, redshank, curlew, mallard 250+, wigeon, shoveler, gadwall, coot, moorhen, water rail, heron, reed bunting, sedge warbler, willow warbler, blackcap, robin, wren, blackbird, treecreeper, starling, snipe, osprey, buzzard, pheasant, wood pigeon, crow, rook, pied wagtail.
Mute swans still with 8 cygnets so thats good.
Darell
That Is disappointing Darell. :C
To many,Otters and Pine Maten are "ahh,ooooh" cute little creatures but personally,they are just oversized Rats but they have their right to live,as we all do.
kawwauser
Well-known member
it is a shame about the gulls,at this time of year it would have been youngsters that were predated rather than eggs,some of the groundnesters have evaded the otters,2 lapwings were calling on chicks on the islands,3 broods of greylags were swimming on the water and the mutes still have 8 cygnets,there was a jay in the trees at the gullery hide,it was reported in the same spot 2 hoiurs before I saw it,it was to quick to see if it was a juv,there was a lot of blue tit juvs in the trees but only 1 coal tit juv ,1 pair of shellducks and 1 pair of teals on the water,3 gs woodpeckers seen
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Know it's a bit late but your Greylag picture reminded me of my visit there last month (16th). Watched the same 3 broods as they left the cover on the far side of the loch from the swamp hide and came ashore right in front of the hide and fed up to about 30 feet, nice reserve and will cetainly visit again, also the fledgling Wren with 2 siblings being waited on by adults to the right of the east hide. I was told it was quite a quiet day, still managed Marsh Harrier, Osprey though and a few others.
Jim.
Jim.
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richardblackburn
Active member
Spent the evening at the Loch tonight (7:30 till 10pm).
Heard at least 3 water rails, saw a buzzard being chased off by a single swallow. Also seen were:-
Lapwings and a single chick, mute swan pair with 7 cygnets, mallard with 3 ducklings, a swift, a female scaup, shoveller, gadwall, teal, wigeon, coots, moorhen, oystercatcher, reed buntings, sedge warbler(s) heard, osprey, woodpigeon, ~100 starlings, grey heron.
Non-birds:- red squirrel, 2 deer and a beaver swimming across the loch.
Heard at least 3 water rails, saw a buzzard being chased off by a single swallow. Also seen were:-
Lapwings and a single chick, mute swan pair with 7 cygnets, mallard with 3 ducklings, a swift, a female scaup, shoveller, gadwall, teal, wigeon, coots, moorhen, oystercatcher, reed buntings, sedge warbler(s) heard, osprey, woodpigeon, ~100 starlings, grey heron.
Non-birds:- red squirrel, 2 deer and a beaver swimming across the loch.
kinnordyvolunteer
Darell Berthon
I spent a few hours on the reserve today and it was really quiet. Lots of mallards with some tufted ducks, wigeon and a few teal. When i sat down in the gallery hide, the first bird i saw was a female shoveler with 3 youngsters. She did have 8 a few weeks ago, but lets hope the rest survive.
The mute swans are doing really well this year. There is a family of 7 cygnets who are growing very quickly and there is another pair with 2 cygnets which are slightly younger than the 7, and then i saw a new family of 5 today along at the east end.
Other birds seen today were lapwing with a single youngster, moorhens with young, 2 grey herons, oystercatchers, snipe, swallows, swifts, house martins, sand martins, coots, water rail, sedge warbler, willow warbler, blackcap, reed bunting, goldfinch, chaffinch, treecreeper, wren, blackbird, rook, crow, wood pigeon, osprey x 3
Darell
The mute swans are doing really well this year. There is a family of 7 cygnets who are growing very quickly and there is another pair with 2 cygnets which are slightly younger than the 7, and then i saw a new family of 5 today along at the east end.
Other birds seen today were lapwing with a single youngster, moorhens with young, 2 grey herons, oystercatchers, snipe, swallows, swifts, house martins, sand martins, coots, water rail, sedge warbler, willow warbler, blackcap, reed bunting, goldfinch, chaffinch, treecreeper, wren, blackbird, rook, crow, wood pigeon, osprey x 3
Darell
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kinnordyvolunteer
Darell Berthon
I had a really good few hours at kinnordy today. It was quite overcast to begin with, but while out for my walk around to the lilly pond, the sun came out and it was a beautiful sunny day and really quite warm.
8 Snipe flying around, sedge warbler just below the gallery hide window and swallows flying in and out from beneath the hide were the first birds seen this morning. The water rail were also very active first thing, flying between the patches of bogbean. I then had two chasing each other, one flying over the top of the reed bed and then one flying across the front of the hide. All, just after i had put my camera down!! When i returned from my walk, we watched one directly opposite the hide, preening its self behind some grasses and very difficult to spot at first. It stayed there for a while before heading into the bogbean, but returning to the sunny spot every now and again.
On the water there were lots of mallards along at the east end with a few tufted duck, wigeon, teal and coots. On wednesday there was a single male pochard, but not today.
The mute swans continue to do well with the families of 7, 2 and 5 newbies. A male sparrow hawk flew from the left of gallery before perching on a stick under the single pine tree.
I headed off for my walk and soon saw blackcap, blackbird, chaffinch, robin, blue tit, great tit and goldfinch before arriving at the feeding station. Here there was a large family of long tailed tits above me while young great tits were calling for food from their parents. Lots of young willow warblers were also in abundance here and also at different parts of my walk. At the plug area there were sedge warblers, willow warblers and a garden warbler. Further along there were more sedge warblers which was great to see. They had been absent from that area, where people had been fishing, for a few years but it was great to see them back. Along at the first bridge a mute swan was out of the water and standing next to the bench. Just before the second bridge i came upon more young willow warblers and another large family of long tailed tits. Over the bridge and round the back were whitethroat and yellowhammers. A pheasant made me jump when it suddenly flew up from the reeds while reed buntings were in the bushes along side more willow warblers. It was quiet at the lilly pond apart from more willow warblers and a whitethroat, while swallows skimmed the water for insects. As i returned there was a meadow pipit on the fence and a chiffchaff in the bushes. A bird flew onto the wires and i saw it was a spotted flycatcher. I watched as it flew into the bushes, to be joined by a couple of youngsters, great to see so many young birds around. Treecreeper, wren, buzzards, skylark, pied wagtail, swifts, house martins, sand martins, song thrush, dunnock, great spotted woodpecker, rook, crow and wood pigeon were also seen during my walk.
Back at the hide there were lapwing, oystercatchers and redshank on the bogbean area, while a couple of curlews flew past. Greylag geese, grey heron, moorhen and osprey were also seen.
Darell
8 Snipe flying around, sedge warbler just below the gallery hide window and swallows flying in and out from beneath the hide were the first birds seen this morning. The water rail were also very active first thing, flying between the patches of bogbean. I then had two chasing each other, one flying over the top of the reed bed and then one flying across the front of the hide. All, just after i had put my camera down!! When i returned from my walk, we watched one directly opposite the hide, preening its self behind some grasses and very difficult to spot at first. It stayed there for a while before heading into the bogbean, but returning to the sunny spot every now and again.
On the water there were lots of mallards along at the east end with a few tufted duck, wigeon, teal and coots. On wednesday there was a single male pochard, but not today.
The mute swans continue to do well with the families of 7, 2 and 5 newbies. A male sparrow hawk flew from the left of gallery before perching on a stick under the single pine tree.
I headed off for my walk and soon saw blackcap, blackbird, chaffinch, robin, blue tit, great tit and goldfinch before arriving at the feeding station. Here there was a large family of long tailed tits above me while young great tits were calling for food from their parents. Lots of young willow warblers were also in abundance here and also at different parts of my walk. At the plug area there were sedge warblers, willow warblers and a garden warbler. Further along there were more sedge warblers which was great to see. They had been absent from that area, where people had been fishing, for a few years but it was great to see them back. Along at the first bridge a mute swan was out of the water and standing next to the bench. Just before the second bridge i came upon more young willow warblers and another large family of long tailed tits. Over the bridge and round the back were whitethroat and yellowhammers. A pheasant made me jump when it suddenly flew up from the reeds while reed buntings were in the bushes along side more willow warblers. It was quiet at the lilly pond apart from more willow warblers and a whitethroat, while swallows skimmed the water for insects. As i returned there was a meadow pipit on the fence and a chiffchaff in the bushes. A bird flew onto the wires and i saw it was a spotted flycatcher. I watched as it flew into the bushes, to be joined by a couple of youngsters, great to see so many young birds around. Treecreeper, wren, buzzards, skylark, pied wagtail, swifts, house martins, sand martins, song thrush, dunnock, great spotted woodpecker, rook, crow and wood pigeon were also seen during my walk.
Back at the hide there were lapwing, oystercatchers and redshank on the bogbean area, while a couple of curlews flew past. Greylag geese, grey heron, moorhen and osprey were also seen.
Darell
kawwauser
Well-known member
a kinnordy regular Kathryn whyte has posted some amazing pics of the roosting barn owl on her flickr site,taken on the 17/07/13,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/80190531@N06/9324810486/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/80190531@N06/9324811514/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/80190531@N06/9324812864/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/80190531@N06/9324814584/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/80190531@N06/9322024473/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/80190531@N06/9324813754/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/80190531@N06/9324810486/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/80190531@N06/9324811514/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/80190531@N06/9324812864/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/80190531@N06/9324814584/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/80190531@N06/9322024473/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/80190531@N06/9324813754/in/photostream/
kinnordyvolunteer
Darell Berthon
I was at kinnordy for a couple of hours this morning before and during some heavy showers. It was sunny when i left Dundee but i noticed it had been raining when i arrived at Glamis. I just made it into the gallery hide before another heavy shower started. The water levels have certainly risen since last week, what with the rain and the also the beaver dam.
Mallard, teal, tufted duck, wigeon, heron, snipe, lapwing, redshank, buzzard, osprey, sedge warbler, reed bunting, meadow pipit, blue tit, chaffinch, great spotted woodpecker, water rail, coot, moorhen, common gulls, mute swans, greylags, curlew.
Darell
Mallard, teal, tufted duck, wigeon, heron, snipe, lapwing, redshank, buzzard, osprey, sedge warbler, reed bunting, meadow pipit, blue tit, chaffinch, great spotted woodpecker, water rail, coot, moorhen, common gulls, mute swans, greylags, curlew.
Darell
kinnordyvolunteer
Darell Berthon
BIOBLITZ
This Friday and Saturday at the reserve. Come along and join in. 9pm - 10pm on friday night for Bats and Amphibians. 10.30 on saturday morning for moths, birds, plants, insects etc.
We are trying to find 500 species during the 24hrs
Bring along a torch on friday night!!!
Darell
This Friday and Saturday at the reserve. Come along and join in. 9pm - 10pm on friday night for Bats and Amphibians. 10.30 on saturday morning for moths, birds, plants, insects etc.
We are trying to find 500 species during the 24hrs
Bring along a torch on friday night!!!
Darell
