Birds fae Torry (3 Viewers)

Mark Lew1s · Jul 11, 2014

Quite a bit of interest lately...

The budgie remains, I've seen it twice this week near the battery, and once on Abbey rd.

A bit of seabird and wader passage as well - last night in about an hour and a half I had 23 manxies, 8 bonxies, 6 bar-tailed godwits, 3 whimbrel, 17 curlew, common sand, and a single red-throated diver. This morning I had a flock of 17 arctic terns heading south. Goosander flock has peaked as 54 birds so far.

Most interesting, and an addition to the patch fauna, as far as I know, is dark green fritillary. I had a fritillary spp on tuesday lunchtime but it vanished in the wind before I could do anything with it - but I considered it very likely to be a dark green frit. I friend has been out today and had a confirmed dark green fritillary this lunchtime. Both sightings were along the north bank, between the two outer breakwaters. There's a good variety of other butterflies on the wing at the mo too, plenty of meadow browns, common blues, and the odd ringlet.

Andrew Whitehouse · Jul 12, 2014

I was hoping to spend a bit of time staring forlornly out to sea today to look for the rare seabirds and cetaceans that must surely be passing by. My plans were thwarted when a thick haar enveloped the Ness. A couple of Arctic Skuas came into Nigg Bay where they proceeded to get thoroughly in the faces of the local terns. A Common Sandpiper was on the north shore and I was mildly surprised to hear a Coal Tit along the railway embankment.

Andrew Whitehouse · Jul 13, 2014

A calm and muggy afternoon was at least slightly 'interesting'. A Whimbrel was heard in Nigg Bay. I was surprised to see a Puffin just offshore in amongst the Eiders off the Coo. Two more went north, along with a Manx Shearwater and a Harbour Porpoise. A Dunlin and a Turnstone was on Greyhope Bay, along with a good selection of terns. Most surprising of all were two Long-tailed Ducks in amongst the Eiders that were loafing upstream from the Breakwater Pier. Both were rather tatty looking drakes, I suspect one an immature and one an adult. Very odd for this time of year. 47 Goosander were also around the harbour mouth.

1. Puffin with Eiders
2. The two Long-tailed Ducks
3. A harbourside Common Tern

Mark Lew1s · Jul 14, 2014

One or two bits and bobs today, including another glimpse of a (the) dark green fritillary. Also a juv arctic tern on the rocks in greyhope bay, a velvet scoter went south, and a few waders including some whimbrel, and two dunlin. Highlight of the day was a dunlin pottering around the edge of one of the new pools in Nigg bay. Bring on the passage waders....

Andrew Whitehouse · Jul 17, 2014

Had a bit of a look around this evening. Good numbers of terns were in Greyhope Bay, now including juveniles of three species. There was a scattering of waders there including a Common Sandpiper and a Dunlin. A Puffin was bobbing about in Nigg Bay - maybe the same bird from Sunday. Otherwise rather quiet, with very little moving out to sea.

Mark Lew1s · Jul 17, 2014

I had 4 scaup going south today, as well as a couple of whimbrel, common sands, and single large flocks of both redshank and curlew. In about three hours of seawatching I managed 2 each of manxie and bonxie...

Andrew Whitehouse · Jul 19, 2014

A break in the downpours enticed me out this afternoon and a walk round the Ness proved reasonably productive. 52 Goosander were in the harbour and a single Red-breasted Merganser was with the Eiders. A good scattering of waders included a Common Sandpiper on the north shore and a Knot at the breakwater. Most significantly, the Purple Sandpiper Totaliser got off to a rollicking start:

4

All were still in summer plumage. A few seabirds were moving offshore including four Manx Shearwaters, two Puffins and a Bonxie. I've been looking through the numerous Eiders hoping for something good. There was no King today but there was some patch gold in the shape of an eclipse drake Pochard just off the Coo. Never an easy bird to get here.

I had my first 'proper' wader on the St Fittick's pools with a Common Sandpiper that soon flew off. There was also a family of Grey Wagtails in that area.

Andrew Whitehouse · Jul 20, 2014

A misty and rainy morning became a muggy and eventually bright and warm afternoon. Things weren't too spectacular around the Ness, but I managed to see 60 species in a few hours, which is not too bad for an afternoon in late July. 50 Goosanders were in the harbour, a Whimbrel flew over and four Purple Sandpipers were again in Greyhope Bay. Tern numbers there were again good, with 16 Arctic, 41 Common and 90 Sandwich. Lots of these were juveniles. A few juvenile Guillemots are beginning to appear on the sea.

An hour or so seawatching produced 12 Puffins (which seem more common than usual at the moment) 11 Manx Shearwaters, two Bonxies, a Dunlin and 15 Common Scoters. To follow up Mark's recent sighting, I saw a presumed Dark Green Fritillary around the Coo while I was seawatching. A Red Admiral was also about.

In the light winds the weedy, grassy areas were busy with birds, particularly families of Whitethroats. These sorts of areas - particularly with hogweed - are often very good for warblers in late summer when the weather is calm. A Common Sandpiper was again on the pools at St Fitticks, though it soon flew off. We may have to get good at IDing waders in flight in this area.

Mark Lew1s · Jul 21, 2014

Two white beaked dolphin north past the foghorn this evening. Also a decent day for waders, with barwit, whimbrel, turnstone, purple sand, common sand and a cracking knot all noted.

Mark Lew1s · Jul 23, 2014

Greyhope bay has been the place to be over the last few days. Yesterday there was a smart adult little gull, 5 whimbrel, and ones and twos of knot, dunlin, purple sand, common sand, and a few more turnstone and redshank. Today the wader selection was very similar, minus the whimbrel, but the little gull was replaced by a little tern.

Mark Lew1s · Jul 26, 2014

Big surprise today in the form of three tree sparrows flying around in Nigg bay. Apart from another quick glimpse of a (the?) dark green fritillary, it was very quiet.

Mark Lew1s · Aug 2, 2014

Fantastic day on patch today! Out early and one of the first birds seen was a juv moorhen on the new pools, only my second record at girdle ness! Shortly after a stock dove took off from the football pitch, which is the 5th or 6th record - which was more than enough to make me a little giddy. I went up to the Ythan but was back on the new pools by about 6 pm. No sign of the moorhen but ample compensation in the form of a flyby spotted redshank - a full on patch tick!!!

The pools are possibly a little too disturbed to hold waders for too long , but I'm pretty sure the spotshank was checking them out, the way it flew low over the pools. I was very lucky to be in the right place at the right time.

Mark Lew1s · Aug 5, 2014

There was a tystie off the foghorn last night, according to Roddy Mavor.

Mark Lew1s · Aug 8, 2014

A greenshank yesterday paddling around in puddles in greyhope bay car park. Keeping up the theme of wader passage, there has been the odd whimbrel passing and a single ruff went past the foghorn this lunchtime. Also 2 velvet scoter went south today as well. There are about 80 goosander in the harbour.

Teamscotch · Aug 9, 2014

I had a yomp around Tullos Hill & Doonies this morning. Undoubted highlight was a very obliging juv Cuckoo on the coast path at Long Slough.

Mark Lew1s · Aug 10, 2014

Ooohh! That's a bit good!

Mark Lew1s · Aug 11, 2014

Some good waders on the move today, a ruff first thing and then flocks of redshank, sanderling and knot at lunchtime, along with a few dunlin, common sandpipers, turnstones etc. the new marsh was quite spectacularly flooded and held 17 mallard and 14 teal.

Mark Lew1s · Aug 15, 2014

Quiet over the last few days - still a few waders around and the odd manxy, great and arctic skua offshore. 7 wheatears last night were a promising sign though!

Ian Bell · Aug 28, 2014

Just a "heads up" to anyone visiting "The Ness" over the next week or so.There Is a large number of Travellers parked up In Walkers Park,by the Lighthouse.

Perhaps It may be best avoiding the Park Itself and If In the area,keeping optical equipment hidden,If In cars.

Mark Lew1s · Aug 30, 2014

Not posted here for what seems like an age, so here's a wee summary of the second half of August, which has been quite productive:

16th - a garden warbler was in the battery willows.

18th - a bit of wader passage inc knot and golden plover, and a darviced black-headed gull that was ringed on Helgoland

19th - amazing Pom skua close ups in the harbour

20th - well over 500 manxies today, along with a different Pom, 16 Arctic Skua and 39 greats. Also, a sooty shearwater (but not seen by me).

27th - a pale bellied Brent in the morning.

28th - some good wader passage with greenshank, barwit and whimbrel. Oh, and a CITRINE WAGTAIL!!!

29th - a green sandpiper at the new marsh

30th - tree sparrows! A 4, then a single, then 6, and then 13, all heading south. Three ruff and a swift.

Birds fae Torry (3 Viewers)

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