Birds fae Torry (6 Viewers)

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Have been around the headland the past couple of evenings. Yesterday (16th), things were fairly quiet. 30 Purple Sandpipers were in Greyhope Bay and offshore there was an Arctic Skua and a couple of Puffins. Others saw more however.

This evening featured 27 Purple Sandpipers, with offshore passage including an Arctic Skua, a Bonxie, a Manx Shearwater, eight Common Scoters, four Puffins and at least 85 Common Gulls (all 2nd calendar years).

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

A mostly overcast, slightly misty day, which was warm earlier but a cool NE wind arrived later. I had a good look around but things were fairly low-key. At St Fittick's, there were reasonable numbers of warblers singing, with a couple of Whitethroats probably new arrivals. Black Guillemot was again in Nigg Bay. A Dunlin and 29 Purple Sandpipers were in Greyhope Bay. There seems to be a new Sand Martin colony at the landslip between there and the foghorn.

In the evening, I went for a seawatch. A reasonable amount was moving, including 30 Puffins, three Arctic Skuas, five Common Scoters, and two Manx Shearwaters. The best bird was a Bar-tailed Godwit going north.

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Calm and cloudy today and it turned out quite interesting. The interest began when I received a text from Raymond Duncan saying he'd just seen a female Bluethroat near the Battery. I headed over that way and was soon looking around in the area Raymond had last seen it. Sadly, there was no sign, although I suspected it was still in the area. A few of us were looking a bit half heartedly along the gorse line west of the Battery when Raymond came up the hill saying something interesting had dropped into the long grass near us. It soon flew up again and proved to be the Bluethroat, although it went straight into a small hawthorn bush where it was barely visible at all. After several minutes, however, it popped out on the other side and proceeded to potter about along the edge of the golf course. Excellent views ensued and it even shot right past me, almost within touching distance, to continue feeding further along. I think my fourth ever here, and the first female.

Other birds around included a Whimbrel, which showed well along the north shore and in Greyhope Bay, and 30 Purple Sandpipers. Offshore there were three Arctic Skuas, four Red-breasted Mergansers, 26 Common Scoters, two Arctic Terns, two Dunlin, a Harbour Porpoise, and 12 Puffins. The biggest surprise were two very tardy Barnacle Geese heading north. They still have a long way to go to Svalbard. Two Black Guillemots were inevitably in Nigg Bay.

 

[tjbw]

I had a quick look at Greyhope Bay early this afternoon.

It was quiet, with 7 Sandwich Tern, 6 Common Tern, 3 Common Ringed Plover, 15 Ruddy Turnstone. Also Barn Swallow, Sand Martin, Common Eider, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Meadow Pipit, Common Linnet.

As I was leaving a Whimbrel flew past and over the Breakwater. I walked towards the allotments to see if it landed. I didn't find it again but I did get more good views of Meadow Pipit, Common Linnet and European Goldfinch by the lower path and three male Goosander in the harbour.

I didn't see any Purple Sandpiper, or Bluethroat today.

Coincidentally the previous Bluethroat sighting at Girdleness, was on Sunday 19 May 2019, according to ebird.

Barry

 

[Ian Bell]

No Bluethroat for me,as I do most of my birding Inland at this time of year and I was on Deeside,when the Bluethroat was within walking distance of my house !!! One thing that I have noticed this Spring on my early morning starts Is,there seems to be an Increase In Collared Doves In Torry.Particularly In the Abbey Place,Abbey Road and Victoria Road area.
I have also seen and heard a few beside the new Greyhope School also.

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

No Bluethroat for me,as I do most of my birding Inland at this time of year and I was on Deeside,when the Bluethroat was within walking distance of my house !!! One thing that I have noticed this Spring on my early morning starts Is,there seems to be an Increase In Collared Doves In Torry.Particularly In the Abbey Place,Abbey Road and Victoria Road area.
I have also seen and heard a few beside the new Greyhope School also.

Yes, I've seen and heard Collared Doves more regularly this year. They're often visible from home and have even been in the back garden.

 

[Cucurrucucu]

Yes, I've seen and heard Collared Doves more regularly this year. They're often visible from home and have even been in the back garden.

Question of the Day: Do collared doves know the tides? Can they smell brackish water? Or is it just suck-it-and-see?
View attachment Town 24,5,18 collared doves drinking from river below Victoria Bridge 67.mov
Very jealous of the bluethroat. What do I look for to spot it from a distance?
Three whimbrels on the rocks yesterday even though there were people clambering about nearby. Only saw one today.

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Question of the Day: Do collared doves know the tides? Can they smell brackish water? Or is it just suck-it-and-see?
View attachment 1580929
Very jealous of the bluethroat. What do I look for to spot it from a distance?
Three whimbrels on the rocks yesterday even though there were people clambering about nearby. Only saw one today.

Maybe they like a bit of salt (as some birds do)? I expect they know the tides if they live in the area.

With the Bluethroat, I guess it depends what kind of distance you're talking about. On my brief first view, the red on the tail base was noticeable in flight. Females and young birds are a bit subtler than males, but it's still a fairly distinctive head and breast pattern. Nothing else in Europe looks very similar really.

I had a pleasant wander round the headland this evening. A Whimbrel was in Greyhope Bay, along with two Curlews. Offshore there was an Arctic Skua, a Puffin and two Manx Shearwaters. A male Wheatear was again near the foghorn. Not sure if it was the one that was singing a week or two back, although it was in the same area.

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Of course I was away for a few days when lots of stuff was turning up on the east coast. After returning last night, I got out round the headland early afternoon today, hoping to find the female Red-backed Shrike that has been hanging around. After walking around between the Battery and allotments for a while without success, I headed back along the road towards the Battery and scanned along the north bank near the big willow patch. I immediately saw a male Red-backed Shrike perching up nicely in the brambles at the bottom of the patch. I managed to get a bit closer for some reasonable views before it disappeared off up the bank. Presumably this is the same bird that was seen yesterday. Not too much else was about but there was a male Long-tailed Duck in the harbour.

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

There was quite a strong northerly wind here today and I didn't get out until the evening. Three Dunlin were huddled on the shingle in Greyhope Bay but not too much else was around the headland. Offshire, plenty of birds were moving including three Arctic Skuas, one Bonxie, a Manx Shearwater and, somewhat unexpectedly, a Lapwing. A Black Guillemot was in Nigg Bay.

 

[Cucurrucucu]

Garden full of fledged starlings today.
We also had a rook (first ever) competing with three jackdaws for the suet squares.
Apart from that, the only exciting thing of the last few days were the two fingernail clams I found in our pond. How/when did they get there?

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Had a quick look around the headland this evening. Most of the action was offshore, with two Arctic Skuas, a Puffin and a Manx Shearwater. 20 Swifts over Torry was my best count of the year so far.