Marcus Conway - ebirder
Well-known member
Spent an enjoyable weekend over on the East Coast. After much mulling we decided to start on Saturday morning by visiting Collieston having had an exploratory but urewarding trip there last year we liked the look of the habitat.
The day started well with a Barred Warbler calling in the long hedge by the Forvie Car Park. We spent an hour or so trying to see it without joy.
We then headed down towards the church and watched a Blackcap and Willow Warbler before getting onto a Yellow Browed Warbler. Pleased with the start we checked in the garden over the hill and there was a Lesser Whitethroat. Chatting to a couple of local birders we decided to check the dunes and circle back along the coast checking the rose bushes. We moved on to the (Mains Slains?) plantations and found a Yellow Browed Warbler and a Whinchat.
Not much in the dunes. To be expected I suppose barring a couple of Stonechats, regular ones unfrotunately. Heading back along the coast we stopped for a scan over the sea quickly found a few Arctic Skuas heading through and a close in juv dark phase Pomarine was fantastic
We found another Yellow Browed Warbler in the Rose Bushes and then another by the 'Old Hotel'. We then headed back towards the church yard just in time to help the finders of the Brown Shrike pin the bird down before putting the news out.
We decided to recheck the garden, but there was nothing new so we went and got seconds of the Brown Shrike before heading up the coast to Whinnyfold Gulley. Nothing there so we headed on to Cruden. Great habitat, but too hard to work and not much obvious around. We headed back to Collieston and saw the Brown Shrike again. This was at about 5pm in the churchyard. We were a bit confused as the crowd was a few hundred metres away and wondered if we had found another one. I think it must have doubled back.
Next day we had a fifth Yellow Browed Warbler in the garden of the Station Hotel, Ellen! We decied to try Collieston again in the morning. There were far fewer birds around and the wind was right up. We checkedd the garden again but nothing to see. We watched the Shrike (again!) before heading to Whinnyfold Gulley again. This time a Yellow Browed Warbler showed really close next to the road. The best so far. On to Cruden and there were more migrants than the previous day; Brambling, Lesser Redpoll and you guessed it - another Yellow Browed Warbler.
We decided to give the Barred Warbler at Colliseton one last chance before calling to a day and heading home.
Looking forward to coming back over when there are less leaves! All in all a great weekend and a lifer for my friend and a couple of Scottish Ticks for me.
The day started well with a Barred Warbler calling in the long hedge by the Forvie Car Park. We spent an hour or so trying to see it without joy.
We then headed down towards the church and watched a Blackcap and Willow Warbler before getting onto a Yellow Browed Warbler. Pleased with the start we checked in the garden over the hill and there was a Lesser Whitethroat. Chatting to a couple of local birders we decided to check the dunes and circle back along the coast checking the rose bushes. We moved on to the (Mains Slains?) plantations and found a Yellow Browed Warbler and a Whinchat.
Not much in the dunes. To be expected I suppose barring a couple of Stonechats, regular ones unfrotunately. Heading back along the coast we stopped for a scan over the sea quickly found a few Arctic Skuas heading through and a close in juv dark phase Pomarine was fantastic
We found another Yellow Browed Warbler in the Rose Bushes and then another by the 'Old Hotel'. We then headed back towards the church yard just in time to help the finders of the Brown Shrike pin the bird down before putting the news out.
We decided to recheck the garden, but there was nothing new so we went and got seconds of the Brown Shrike before heading up the coast to Whinnyfold Gulley. Nothing there so we headed on to Cruden. Great habitat, but too hard to work and not much obvious around. We headed back to Collieston and saw the Brown Shrike again. This was at about 5pm in the churchyard. We were a bit confused as the crowd was a few hundred metres away and wondered if we had found another one. I think it must have doubled back.
Next day we had a fifth Yellow Browed Warbler in the garden of the Station Hotel, Ellen! We decied to try Collieston again in the morning. There were far fewer birds around and the wind was right up. We checkedd the garden again but nothing to see. We watched the Shrike (again!) before heading to Whinnyfold Gulley again. This time a Yellow Browed Warbler showed really close next to the road. The best so far. On to Cruden and there were more migrants than the previous day; Brambling, Lesser Redpoll and you guessed it - another Yellow Browed Warbler.
We decided to give the Barred Warbler at Colliseton one last chance before calling to a day and heading home.
Looking forward to coming back over when there are less leaves! All in all a great weekend and a lifer for my friend and a couple of Scottish Ticks for me.
