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Wild in Aberdeen - City and Shire (5 Viewers)

Not really to do with birds, but I'd encourage anyone with an interest in Aberdeen to watch Jonathan Meades' Off Kilter programme about the city on the iplayer:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00ml5wx/Jonathan_Meades_Off_Kilter_Episode_1/

Probably the best TV I've seen in the past year. It's mostly about architecture but also discusses a notable local conservation issue involving a wealthy American guy. Some nice shots of Girdle Ness too.

You probably need to be in the UK to watch on the iplayer and I think it'll only be up for a week.
 
Andrew Whitehouse said:
Not really to do with birds, but I'd encourage anyone with an interest in Aberdeen to watch Jonathan Meades' Off Kilter programme about the city on the iplayer:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00ml5wx/Jonathan_Meades_Off_Kilter_Episode_1/

Probably the best TV I've seen in the past year. It's mostly about architecture but also discusses a notable local conservation issue involving a wealthy American guy. Some nice shots of Girdle Ness too.

You probably need to be in the UK to watch on the iplayer and I think it'll only be up for a week.
Click to expand...

I saw that with my parents last night; very good, I'd say Mead's is very positive about Aberdeen and admires it a lot. A very good and informative programme, even though it was more to do with Aberdeen's architecture. Lovely to see some views of and taken from Girdlness.
 
Was just at Scotstown Moor, no owls but met a local who said last year there were two and it was great to see them swooping over the moor, he also said where about in the reserve you see foxes, he said he seen 6 cubs playing once! But what I did see were BATS! I'll go and upload my picture of a blurry smudge in the sky...
 
As everyone familiar to this thread will know, it is the Scottish Bash weekend, and today was the first day. Highlights included Red Kite, Brent Goose, 2 Arctic Skua, Osprey and Peregrine. For more information please read the Scottish Birdforum Bash thread in the Community Notice Board forum. It was great to meet everyone by the way, and I look forward to meeting newcomers to the Bash tommorow.

Cheers,

Joseph
 
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The Scottish Bash weekend has now ended; today there was some good sea-watching with a good number of Bonxies and Manxies, and the White-tailed Eagle and Little Egret from Starnafin. Also 3 Peregrines in the air at once at the Ythan bugging the waders. Overall a lovely weekend's birding, and one I shall be blogging too.

Joseph
 
Wouldn't go to Scotstown Moor right now, there's more civil unrest than there is in Somalia, almost got mowed down by a motorbike, talked to a local who said his dog was almost killed, was in too much shock to get any footage...
 
Went to Gight Woods today, dangerous walk, managed it in 4 hours! Got lost! No wildlife except for butterflies, otter tracks but no otters, heard a Grasshopper Warbler but never seen. Seen a Grey Partridge on the B9005 though, almost ran it over but thankfully it escaped unscathed!
 
Here is my prediction for the next two weeks: there will be a massive fall of migrants, from both Europe and North America, due to an unusual combination of weather systems. This will occur throughout Aberdeenshire, even the City itself, and especially that part so eloquently described by The Seagull as the lighthouse sticky-outy-bit. At the end of this period, an area of abnormally high pressure will see to it that all the birds move off in a southerly direction - probably to Norfolk.

How do I know this? Because I am about to depart to Norfolk for a semi-birding holiday. I hope you all have good birding while I'm away, and that my prediction comes true. Honestly. ;)
 
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I think Kens probably right to a certain extent. However I think the falls he mentions wont happen till October the 2nd, and will last about a week. There will then be a mass clearout until the 17th, when there will be another weeks worth of suberb fall conditions. It always happens.
 
Best of luck on your trip to Norfolk Ken, have a good time. Hopefully you'll see some good birds, and we'll see some good birds now you have given us your prediction!
 
Surely it's time for an Aberdeen mega now, I've been looking north at Orkney enviously, although if I made an effort I could go. Why can't there be something worthwhile here? Like a Belted Kingfisher or an Albatross :-C
 
I feel kind of the same as Calvin, it would be really good if something rare was seen in the county that wasn't actually that regular like Snow Geese, Pectoral Sandpipers and Surf Scoters. I'm not necessarily talking about megas, just something like a Wryneck or a R-B Flycatcher. I believe that this year has been very poor all round in the county for passerine migrants, one of the poorest years in a while. I guess the hope is that things improve this coming month; and a Fall would be very nice indeed (at the Ness preferrably!) ;)

By the way Calvin, there was a Belted Kingfisher in Aberdeenshire in 2004, one of very few to have been seen in the UK. It hung around for a couple of weeks just outside Banchory on the Dee. Loads of people saw it, but my Dad and I happened to be in England and missed it. :-C A Belted Kingfisher hasn't been seen in the UK since.

I was out in a forest just outside Banchory (forgotten the name of the forest) today on a day out with family. My Dad and I took the bins, and actually happened to see quite a bit. The forest we stopped at was positively thriving with finches, with Chaffinch (the most predominat of all), Siskin, Goldfinch and Common Crossbill all seen and heard calling. There were also loads of Goldcrest, Great Tit and Coal Tit present, and a Jay was heard. Not exactly exciting, but I've never seen a forest thriving with so many birds.
 
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Patience guys! There are still 6 weeks of Autumn to go......so we're only about half way through. There are still migrants getting through despite the westerly airflow, so it's definately worth getting out and having a look.......you never know whats going to happen...!
 
To be fair, Strathbeg has still had a very good run of birds recently with pretty much weekly rarities. Not all of them have hung around mind you.

PS: The BK was in Peterculter not Banchory and it was only around for five days. And very good it was too ;)!
 
Andrew Whitehouse said:
PS: The BK was in Peterculter not Banchory and it was only around for five days. And very good it was too ;)!
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Tell me about it..! I was down in Manchester for a few days to see City v Liverpool and rushed back to Culter to see if it was still there after the game but alas,it had moved on. :-C
 

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