Tayforth Birding (5 Viewers)

[MacGee]

Dundee

I'm thinking of visiting Dundee tomorrow and I have some questions. Is the 'Riverside' that's been mentioned the bit of Riverside Drive that's right on the Tay? Any advice about how to go about seeing the Ring-billed Gull? Are there any good places for general birding in the city? (I'll be travelling on the free bus and be without independent transport). What's the best cafe?

Michael

 

[kawwauser]

macgee riverside runs along the river tay from just west of dundee city along past the two bridges,the ringed bill is showing just past the rail bridge,there is a small cafe here,if its low tide you might see seals on the bank beside the rail bridge,you should slao be able to see cormorant/shellduck/teals

 

[MacGee]

macgee riverside runs along the river tay from just west of dundee city along past the two bridges,the ringed bill is showing just past the rail bridge,there is a small cafe here,if its low tide you might see seals on the bank beside the rail bridge,you should slao be able to see cormorant/shellduck/teals

Thanks for the information. In fact I wasn't able to go after all, but it will be useful next time. Tomorrow I'm going to Scone Palace to look for the Hawfinches.

Michael

 

[kawwauser]

macgee
when you decide to come through pm me a couple of days before ,ill check its still there, its been there a while plus the other gulls are disspersing to their breeding patches which may make it leave,good luck on the hawfinches would be a lifer for me

 

[MacGee]

macgee
when you decide to come through pm me a couple of days before ,ill check its still there, its been there a while plus the other gulls are disspersing to their breeding patches which may make it leave,good luck on the hawfinches would be a lifer for me

Thanks, that's very kind of you. I'll certainly do that.

I did see the Hawfinches—a lifer for me too. Only glimpses, though; I'll have to go back again to see if I can get a better look.

Michael

 

[Steve G]

Brent Geese

Brent Geese are uncommon birds in Scotland but there is a small flock of Pale-bellied Brents which return to winter on the outer Eden estuary each year (at least for the last few years). Since the New Year there has also been a lone Dark-bellied Brent Goose which seems not to mix with the Pale-bellies.

These wee geese are best located by parking at the very top (north) end of West Sands road (accessed from St Andrews) & exploring Outhead/the outer Eden estuary on a falling tide. The area is also good for Waders including Grey Plover, Knot, Barwits & Sanderling whilst Long-tailed Duck, Rb Merganser, RT Diver & Slavonian Grebe are usually also around.

Brent Geese make a refreshing change to the typical East Coast Grey Goose days. Go on give them a go!!

 

[edenwatcher]

Cracking long-tailed duck, Steve. The dark-bellied brent has taken to feeding on the grass at the end of the road, which means you can drive up to it for photos! Did you find any snow bunts?

Rob

 

[gus guthrie]

Had a real red letter day at Montreathmont Wood today, 8 G.S woodpeckers & a pair of Green woodpeckers all in view at the same time, really amazing to watch !
Also watched a courting pair of great crested grebes, pochard, shovellers,gadwall,teal,goldeneye,tufties when I went round some of our local lochs. Had 53 species today, not bad for one man and his hyper-active spaniel.

 

[kawwauser]

i had my first visit to morton lochs today,i tried to find this place last winter but got distracted and ended up on tentsmuir beach,this is another beutifull and productive site right on my doorstep,today i had kingfisher/greylag/canada goose/mute swan/teal/moorhen/coot/tufted duck/mallard/5 herons all on the north loch,there was 3 pairs of little grebes and all 3 pairs were calling loudly claiming their territorys in front of the berry hide,first time ive heard these calls,the surrounding area produced robin/buzzard/curlew/lapwing/wren/coal tit/woodpigeon/dunnock/great spotted woodpecker/chaffinch,looking through the visitors book kingfishers/otters are regulary seen here,there is also a mention of water rail,the may/june entrys mention little grebes swimming with young in front of the berry hide,the lochs themselves are quite small and i would imagine the views must be really close,i also had 1 red admiral ,1 bee, hundreds of toads in the ditch to the left of the car park,2 frogs,2 clusters of spawn,i was only there for an hour as i left to try and get jet pics at leuchars,(didnt get any but saw many skylarks)ill be at kinnordy next week and the week after that im intending spending a day at morton

pics
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/morton15.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/morton1.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/morton2.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/morton3.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/morton12.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/morton10.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/heron88.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/geese4-2.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/littlegrebe5.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/spawn1.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/toad1.jpg

 

[delia todd]

It's good there, isn't it, kawwauser? I've rarely been disappointed and you got some cracking pictures too. Love the one you put in the gallery of the cloud - how weird!

I was in Perth today and in the hospital car park was a Dunnock singing his head off on top of one of the posts - quite oblivious to everyone walking past. That was the highlight of my day!

D

 

[kawwauser]

you are right delia this is a very nice area,the lochs were a lot smaller than i anticipated, but going by what i saw and what i read in the report books there is a lot of wildlife concentrated in this area,i was particullary impressed by the little grebe calls,there was no wind so the calls were cystal clear,i listened to them again on the rspb website tonight ,i once saw a little grebe sitting on a nest many years ago but haven,t seen a chick,they must be very small

 

[delia todd]

Actually my very first visit to Morton Lochs was nearly the last... you couldn't see anything at all. There was an old hide on the road looking up the North Loch, but it was just reeds and you couldn't see a thing! A lot of work has been done to open up the water.

The next visit produced a Kingfisher from the hide at the South Loch. Since then, highlights have been a flock of Waxwings, two red squirrels chasing each other round and round a tree and my first sighting of a Chiffchaff in Scotland.

As for baby Dabchicks... keep an eye on my Patch through the summer then - I've got pictures of them on my thread.

D

 

[Capercaillie71]

I had a superb view of a male hen harrier at Moulin Moor near Pitlochry yesterday morning - it flew across the road right in front of my car. I wish I could still see things like that on Deeside!

 

[delia todd]

I had a superb view of a male hen harrier at Moulin Moor near Pitlochry yesterday morning - it flew across the road right in front of my car. I wish I could still see things like that on Deeside!

I don't get up there often, but have had a few sightings of them - was that near the memorial stone?

When he lived in Pitlochry, Chris Baker used to go up there looking for Short-eared Owls as well

D

 

[Capercaillie71]

I don't get up there often, but have had a few sightings of them - was that near the memorial stone?

No, it was further west, between the forestry plantation to the north of the road and where you start dropping down towards Pitlochry.

 

[dunedin]

Hi,
Speaking of Morton's Loch, my son and I go down their regular, just one complaint, they spend £90,000 on nice signs etc between Tentsmuir and Mortons sites and spend virtually zero on the road, it is an absolute disgrace, I feel sorry for the people that live down that road.
In saying that, it is nice and tranquil once you get their,as was mentioned previously, there are hundreds of frogs trying to get to the lochs, unfortunately someone in there wisdom has cleaned out the ditch to the Railway Hide and the frogs are piling in their unable to get out to as the side is so steep, so I hate to think how many will be in there when I look in tomorrow, I contacted Scottish National Heritage so awaiting any action, I might be wrong and the frogs are very athletic and somehow manage to leap out but I doubt it, can also imagine hedgehogs getting in their. Ok got that off my chest, so welcome back.

 

[kawwauser]

dunedin when i was approaching the south hide i noticed chicken wire which looked like it was dissloged from the pipe running through the walkway,i was wondering what the purpose of this was,any frogs/toads wouldn,t stand a chance if it covered the entrance to the pipe,it would only take 5/6 flat pieces of wood to give the critters an escape route hopefully action will be taken quickly ill be there in two weeks and report anything i come across

 

[999Ric]

This mornings quick sortie produced amongst the other suspects a Greenland White front , Green winged teal , shoveller , ringed pover and sand martin at Letham Pools
Two pair of pintail at Rossie Bog from gamekeepers cottage.
Gadwall , bullfinch and goldfinches at Birnie Loch
Canada geese and partridge at Mortons
Our between 8 and 11 and got 54 species.

Richard

 

[MacGee]

Long-tailed Ducks at Loch of the Lowes

There was a pair of Long-tailed Duck at Loch of the Lowes this afternoon. I went hoping to see the recently returned female Osprey, but apparently I just missed her. I see from the webcam that she's in the nest as I write this. Maybe next time.

Michael

 

[delia todd]

Gosh wasn't that a cold wind today!

I think the winter visitors are preparing to depart.

On the way to my Patch this afternoon I came across a large flock of Fieldfare in a field at Middle Drimmie, there were a few Redwing in amongst.

When I returned, they'd moved up to the little copse at Drimmie and with them were loads of Chaffinch, quite a few Brambling, Yellowhammer and Starlings and I could hear a Greenfinch in the trees there too.

D