Teamscotch
Well-known member
I could only scrape up a couple of Wheatears and 15 Golden Plovers over to the SE on Tullos Hill this morning. Normal devoidness resumes on t'gramps after the recent scarcefest...!
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Birds fae Torry (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter Andrew Whitehouse
- Start date
Mark Lew1s
My real name is Mark Lewis
Barred warbler in the allotments this morning and two black-tailed godwits at Nigg 'marsh'.
Mark Lew1s
My real name is Mark Lewis
Barred still present around 5 pm.
It's back to 'normal' birding at Girdle Ness now, with not much in the way of migrants to distract us from looking through flocks of Eiders and gulls. There was some interest today but in a strictly local, non-rare-bird-news-service-bothering way. The most notable sighting was of two Light-bellied Brent Geese. These flew south off the foghorn before circling round and flying into the harbour, where I guess they landed out of sight. Later I had presumably the same birds flying north. I expect they might be on the Ythan at the moment.
Large numbers of Alba wagtails were around - at least 38. This included a flock of ten on the golf course above Greyhope Bay that all looked like White Wagtails. Twelve Dunlin were in Greyhope Bay and a flock of around fifteen flew south. Two Teal and two Red-throated Divers were also offshore, where at least four Arctic Skuas were lingering. Two Harbour Porpoises were the only cetaceans. Other stuff included 23 Goosanders and three Wheatears.
Large numbers of Alba wagtails were around - at least 38. This included a flock of ten on the golf course above Greyhope Bay that all looked like White Wagtails. Twelve Dunlin were in Greyhope Bay and a flock of around fifteen flew south. Two Teal and two Red-throated Divers were also offshore, where at least four Arctic Skuas were lingering. Two Harbour Porpoises were the only cetaceans. Other stuff included 23 Goosanders and three Wheatears.
Mark Lew1s
My real name is Mark Lewis
Some bits and pieces from through the week.
Very autumnal feeling at the moment, with good numbers of hirundines, alba wagtails (a lot of whites around) and plenty of waders.
3 greenshank went south on Monday,
Just outside the region tonight (but heading towards it) a 1st w little gull heading with kittiwakes into the 1000s strong roost in the harbour, seen from the beach while looking for an ice cream shop that hasn't closed!
Very autumnal feeling at the moment, with good numbers of hirundines, alba wagtails (a lot of whites around) and plenty of waders.
3 greenshank went south on Monday,
Just outside the region tonight (but heading towards it) a 1st w little gull heading with kittiwakes into the 1000s strong roost in the harbour, seen from the beach while looking for an ice cream shop that hasn't closed!
I had a look round this evening. Lots of birds about but nothing too unusual. At least four White Wagtails were around. Offshore were a Bonxie, two Arctic Skuas and two Red-throated Divers.
The weather looks reasonably interesting over the next few days, although I'm not exactly sure in what way. We shall see.
The weather looks reasonably interesting over the next few days, although I'm not exactly sure in what way. We shall see.
Mark Lew1s
My real name is Mark Lewis
Hot news from this morning - 13 canada geese inland over the golf course,
2600 (ish) kittiwakes coming out of the roost.
Not sure how much attention anyone pays to the kittiwake roost - but it's got to be good for a Sabs gull when they come into the north sea...
2600 (ish) kittiwakes coming out of the roost.
Not sure how much attention anyone pays to the kittiwake roost - but it's got to be good for a Sabs gull when they come into the north sea...
Jane Turner
Well-known member
I don't think I've ever seen Sabines Gulls associating with Kitts, bu perhaps I've been unlucky
Teamscotch
Well-known member
Me neither - and indeed the only one I've seen at Girdleness was loosely attached to a passing flock of Sandwich Terns rather then Kitts!
Mark Lew1s
My real name is Mark Lewis
I've never seen one from the ness but the ones I've seen offshore have generally been with kitts - I guess there arent many other options out there though.
Hugh Addlesee
Well-known member
The one I saw off Girdle Ness (3/9/07) was in a mixed flock of Commic Terns and Kitts, though mainly the former.
Another 'interesting' day at Girdle Ness. Migrants didn't really feature (not for me anyway!) but seawatching was a bit better. Most obvious was a substantial movement of Manx Shearwaters with 272 north in not much over an hour. Eight Sooty Shearwaters were also passing but, as with the Manxies, they were fairly distant. Also passing were two Arctic Skuas and three Bonxies. A female Tufted Duck was the best of the duck passage. Other stuff included ten Common Scoter, six Dunlin, ten Sanderling, a Knot, seven Goosander, five Red-throated Divers, five Wheatears, two White Wagtails, two Whitethroats, a Wigeon and a Whimbrel.
Hugh Addlesee
Well-known member
Indeed, not a bad day for seawatching. The best I had in 3 hours from 8-11 this morning were 23 Sooties and a Great Northern Diver north and a Pom south, plus a lovely white Fulmar (presumed leucistic). Interestingly, the Manxies only started appearing about 9.15, when there was a fairly rapid switch in the wind to more southerly.
There was a mobile juv Red-backed Shrike on the south bank - most likely Mark's bird at the Battery yesterday. Otherwise not a lot else apparent, though Mark had a Whinchat too.
There was a mobile juv Red-backed Shrike on the south bank - most likely Mark's bird at the Battery yesterday. Otherwise not a lot else apparent, though Mark had a Whinchat too.
Mark Lew1s
My real name is Mark Lewis
Can't add anything to the above apart from a greenshank that went south through nigg bay
I finally managed to catch up with the juvenile Red-backed Shrike on the south bank today, zipping about the gorse bushes rather rapidly. Otherwise things were rather quiet, with the sea much more placid than yesterday. A Velvet Scoter and an Arctic Skua went south. A few Harbour Porpoises surfaced. Otherwise there were ten Dunlin, seven Red-throated Divers, a Sedge Warbler, two Whitethroats, six Wheatears and four White Wagtails.
Mark Lew1s
My real name is Mark Lewis
Great-spotted woodpecker in the sycamore this lunchtime. Genuine patch gold!
StuartReeves
Local rarity
Absolutely!
Had a bit of a seawatch late afternoon, together with Mark. A Sooty Shearwater gave some hope but very little else was moing, just one Manx Shearwater, three Bonxies and an Arctic Tern. Not too much else except for a Wigeon and a Common Sandpiper.
One or two bits and pieces about today. The best was probably a Yellow Wagtail (or at least a flava wagtail) on the golf course by the allotments. It chuntered about for a few minutes before disappearing off over Torry. I think that might be the third here this autumn so far, which seems like a good total. I submitted the report to Birdguides, who didn't deem it to be significant enough to publish, despite it being a bit of a scarce species around here.
Lots of birds were feeding offshore, and birds moving included three Arctic Skuas, a Bonxie, three Common Terns and a Teal. A Grey Heron flying north some distance out was a bit incongruous. The best were four Pintail, also going north - a good patch bird. I also saw what appeared to be a decidedly small skua well over a mile out. I'd like it to have been a little closer. Both Harbour Porpoise and Bottlenose Dolphins were around.
Other stuff: Common Sandpiper, Knot, Whitethroat, two Goosander and five Wheatears.
Here're some Yellow Wag shots:
Lots of birds were feeding offshore, and birds moving included three Arctic Skuas, a Bonxie, three Common Terns and a Teal. A Grey Heron flying north some distance out was a bit incongruous. The best were four Pintail, also going north - a good patch bird. I also saw what appeared to be a decidedly small skua well over a mile out. I'd like it to have been a little closer. Both Harbour Porpoise and Bottlenose Dolphins were around.
Other stuff: Common Sandpiper, Knot, Whitethroat, two Goosander and five Wheatears.
Here're some Yellow Wag shots:
Attachments
Jane Turner
Well-known member
well it doesn't look like a flavissima
