Birds fae Torry (11 Viewers)

Cucurrucucu · Jun 21, 2022

Had a nice chat with a couple of the Travellers who have set up next to the ruin. Warned them about the toxic water that their dogs were so enthusiastic about. Not sure if their pony will be poisoned by what is pumping through the long grass it was happily chomping through.
They have left piles of branches, sawn trunks and logs (prunus, birch etc). Do you think they could be piled up somewhere to add to the habitat diversity?

Cucurrucucu · Jun 21, 2022

Do carrion crows like kipping on their fronts?

I thought it was dead but, when it became aware of me, it was quick to fly off. Is it sick?

Gander · Jun 21, 2022

I found a dead crow at Kinghorn loch yesterday. With so many dead seabird victims of Avian Flu around, it makes sense that carrion eaters such as corvids and gulls will be next in line.

Andy Strachan · Jun 22, 2022

Cucurrucucu said:
Do carrion crows like kipping on their fronts? Cohkd be I thought it was dead but, when it became aware of me, it was quick to fly off. Is it sick?

Could be a juvenile that doesn't really know what to do with itself? Lots of young crows going about at the moment. They're just not aware of the dangers around them, and you can often get really close. I got arms length from one recently that was sitting on a fallen tree that was lying across the walk path. It just wasn't bothered. I had to try and climb past it without disturbing it and it just sat put. I know it was ok, because it had flown higher up nearer its parents when I walked back.

Cucurrucucu · Jun 23, 2022

Andy Strachan said:
Could be a juvenile that doesn't really know what to do with itself?

Maybe Darwin weeds out the really foolhardy one.

Cucurrucucu · Jun 23, 2022

But bird flu is here. Shouldn't be a gannet on GreyHope beach.

WALK 22,6,23 sick gannet, GreyHope ><Harbour 49.JPG

It was hardly able to fly. Wasn't sure who to phone about ti. DEFRA don't want to know till it is 3 dead birds not one sick one. Heartbreaking.

Cucurrucucu · Jun 23, 2022

Looking at my pictures from this morning, the gannet was in the Bay of Nigg at 10am.

Gander · Jun 24, 2022

Cucurrucucu said:
But bird flu is here. Shouldn't be a gannet on GreyHope beach. View attachment 1453703 It was hardly able to fly. Wasn't sure who to phone about ti. DEFRA don't want to know till it is 3 dead birds not one sick one. Heartbreaking.

The advice I have read is that RSPCA are dealing with sick birds.

Cucurrucucu · Jun 25, 2022

Was this a dabchick/little grebe today?

Can't remember the last time I saw one.
It was being picked on by the eiders.

Andrew Whitehouse · Jun 26, 2022

Cucurrucucu said:
Was this a dabchick/little grebe today? View attachment 1454067 Can't remember the last time I saw one.
It was being picked on by the eiders. View attachment 1454068

Yes it is. An unusual summer record. Whereabouts was it (although I'm away at the moment so won't be able to twitch it!)?

Ian Bell · Jun 27, 2022

I had a walk to the Battery and back on Saturday and It was good to see so many Swallows around.I don't know If they would be breeding locally or failed breeders.All the usual suspects were on show,with many Meadow Pipits and Skylarks carrying food to nests.Also Goldfinch,Sedge Warbler,Reed Bunting,Whitethroat,Wren and a female Goosander with two ducklings at the river mouth.

tjbw · Jun 27, 2022

On Saturday I went to RSPB Fowlsheugh, what a treat that was!

Then on Sunday it was St Fittick's, where there were quite a few House Martins. Also some Willow Warbler, Wren, Reed Bunting, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Swallow, and Oystercatcher. Just one Common Tern over and two more at the new harbour. Some Herring Gull chicks at the sewage works, and Skylark singing over the Other side of railway track. Just saw 4 Mallard chicks, whilst on 14th June there were 12.

Barry Wilson

Cucurrucucu · Jun 27, 2022

Andrew Whitehouse said:
An unusual summer record. Whereabouts was it (although I'm away at the moment so won't be able to twitch it!)?

You care about grebes when you are surrounded by gorillas?! You poor, sad little addict!
It was in below the allotments. Looks young and fluffy.
It wasn't there again today, so I guess, it's gone away.

Cucurrucucu · Jun 27, 2022

Ben Nevis said:
so many Swallows around.I don't know If they would be breeding locally or failed breeders.

The swallows are still going in and out of the sheds on the breakwater so, I assume, they are still nesting.
But what of the sand martins? Thought they had moved to the landslip east of the old breakwater (There is something little and fast in a hole there but couldn't make out what.) but I've seen no movement there or in their old site.

aberdeenshirebirdtours · Jun 27, 2022

tjbw said:
On Saturday I went to RSPB Fowlsheugh, what a treat that was!

Then on Sunday it was St Fittick's, where there were quite a few House Martins. Also some Willow Warbler, Wren, Reed Bunting, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Swallow, and Oystercatcher. Just one Common Tern over and two more at the new harbour. Some Herring Gull chicks at the sewage works, and Skylark singing over the Other side of railway track. Just saw 4 Mallard chicks, whilst on 14th June there were 12.

Barry Wilson

I had a walk around St Fitticks on Sunday morning and there were 9 chicks with the female mallard when we walked past on the way back, having seen none on the way past earlier.

tjbw · Jun 27, 2022

Yes, I was at St Fittick's earlier, saw 15 Mallard, the female with 9 Juveniles, plus the other female with 4 chicks.

Other Sightings included Song Thrush, Greenfinch, Blackcap, and Common Whitethroat.

At new harbour there were 2 Common Tern and a Grey Heron.

Barry Wilson

Cucurrucucu · Jun 30, 2022

ID Please. Pipit or skylark. (Or is it just a drowned rat?!)

Loos as though it has a crest. And it's pale around the eyes. But its beak looks too long and sharp for a skylark. Are the dots and dashes just because it's a baby?

Stonefaction · Jun 30, 2022

I suspect it is a rather wet Meadow Pipit, though the hind claw which should look quite long might be partially hidden by the rock, (making it looks relatively short and un-Mipit-like).

Cucurrucucu · Jun 30, 2022

Never occurs to me to look at their feet.

Don't skylarks have long hind claws as well?

Stonefaction · Jul 1, 2022

Looks like it (though much straighter than Mipit at least on this bird in pic 1), but I don't recall having seen it listed as something to look out for when trying to ID them and as Skylarks are usually dots in the sky or wandering around in the grass, I'm not surprised I don't remember having seen it mentioned as an ID feature. With Meadow Pipits it is often something that can be seen from a distance (when they perch on wires, in particular, as in pic 2) so can be quite a handy feature to check for.

Birds fae Torry (11 Viewers)

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