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Birds fae Torry (11 Viewers)
- Thread starter Andrew Whitehouse
- Start date
That's a Wheatear Jim - notice the white rump that's shown really well in your pictures. Yellow Wagtail doesn't show that, and also has a longer tail.
I think it's most likely a young bird, so maybe hard to sex (at least for me anyway). Wheatears definitely run about on rocks a lot and bob their tail, so the description is good for one too.
I hate to say that it was predictably duff today, but it was predictably duff. Sunny, southwesterly winds, not much doing. Most of the hirundines, bar one House Martin, have gone. A Whitethroat was on Abbey Road. There were still a dozen Common Terns out to sea. A Reed Bunting was along the north bank. Eight Wigeon and two Teal were on the sea. Maybe the best bird was a White Wagtail in Greyhope Bay. Duffness.
Some interest today, in fresh, autumnal conditions. The best bird was early on: a Reed Warbler in the willows along Abbey Road. A Blackcap was enticed by the charms of 'the Tree' and four Goldcrests were dotted about. A female Stonechat was along the north side of the golf course and five Yellowhammers were notable - two by the allotments and three by Nigg Bay. Offshore were two Arctic Skuas. Other stuff include two Dunlin, a Wheatear, six Teal and ten Wigeon.
Mark Lew1s
My real name is Mark Lewis
Well, the conditions looked good and they certainly delivered plenty of birds.
Over the last few days at Girdle ness I've had single yellow-browed warbler and a stonking siberian chiffchaff, jack snipe, water rail, SEO and common redstart, and a scaup on the marsh.
2 ring ouzels, 3 reed warblers, 2 woodcock, 2 pintail, and 4 garden warbler, in among the plentiful thrushes, blackcaps, robins, and goldcrests.
Great fun! Lets hope the migrants linger a few more days as I'm sure theres still things to be found out there...
Over the last few days at Girdle ness I've had single yellow-browed warbler and a stonking siberian chiffchaff, jack snipe, water rail, SEO and common redstart, and a scaup on the marsh.
2 ring ouzels, 3 reed warblers, 2 woodcock, 2 pintail, and 4 garden warbler, in among the plentiful thrushes, blackcaps, robins, and goldcrests.
Great fun! Lets hope the migrants linger a few more days as I'm sure theres still things to be found out there...
I'm certainly hoping they linger a few more days! Suspect I'll struggle to get out tomorrow - maybe Friday's more likely.
Teamscotch
Well-known member
I did a traverse of the hill in the rain this afternoon. 2 Yellow-browed Warblers were the highlight. Also Stonechat, Whinchat.
Mark Lew1s
My real name is Mark Lewis
It was very quiet migrant wise today - but a 1st w Mediterranean gull (only my second on patch) was ample compensation.
Mark Lew1s
My real name is Mark Lewis
Med gull still present this morning, and a few groups of tree sparrow going over too.
As many of know, I'm a hard-working man with, I like to think, a great sense of duty to my job. This all meant that I wasn't able to get out for the migrant bonanza in the middle of the week, so anything I've been able to do since then has seemed a bit 'after the Lord Mayor's show'. The migrants certainly seemed to have disappeared fairly swiftly. In an hour or so yesterday morning my best birds were two Rooks going over!
Today I had the chance for a proper look around and, in many ways, it was actually quite good, aside from the almost total absence of migrants. All I could muster on that front were two Blackcaps, a Chiffchaff, four Goldcrests, two Redwings, two Song Thrushes and two Wheatears. One species that does seem to be 'going through' is Tree Sparrow. I had two groups going through the allotments that totalled at least 34 birds!
One bird from earlier in the week I did manage to locate was the 1st winter Mediterranean Gull, which was pottering about, rather distantly, in the harbour. Attempts to get it on the house list have so far been unsuccessful. Another pleasing sight was a juvenile Black Guillemot off the Coo - a species that's become much harder to see here in recent years. A female Stonechat was on the south side.
The St Fittick's area was quite interesting. One other bird lingering from earlier in the week was the female Scaup on the pools. Also in the vicinity were three Wigeon and a rather moribund Pink-footed Goose. A Mistle Thrush was in the scrub.
Here's the interesting Scaup being interesting.
Today I had the chance for a proper look around and, in many ways, it was actually quite good, aside from the almost total absence of migrants. All I could muster on that front were two Blackcaps, a Chiffchaff, four Goldcrests, two Redwings, two Song Thrushes and two Wheatears. One species that does seem to be 'going through' is Tree Sparrow. I had two groups going through the allotments that totalled at least 34 birds!
One bird from earlier in the week I did manage to locate was the 1st winter Mediterranean Gull, which was pottering about, rather distantly, in the harbour. Attempts to get it on the house list have so far been unsuccessful. Another pleasing sight was a juvenile Black Guillemot off the Coo - a species that's become much harder to see here in recent years. A female Stonechat was on the south side.
The St Fittick's area was quite interesting. One other bird lingering from earlier in the week was the female Scaup on the pools. Also in the vicinity were three Wigeon and a rather moribund Pink-footed Goose. A Mistle Thrush was in the scrub.
Here's the interesting Scaup being interesting.
Attachments
So this was quite an interesting day, with one of the freakier sightings I've ever had at Girdle Ness. Migrants weren't too obvious apart from thrushes, which seemed to be continually coming through in small numbers. Final counts were of 64 Redwings, 15 Song Thrushes and a Fieldfare but those are probably underestimates. What I'm calling the Girdle Ness Tree Sparrow Happening is still going on. It's hard to say how many were around the allotments but 16 is probably a minimum.
The weirdness happened when I was along the north bank late in the morning. I was peering into the dense bushes that are just below the Battery when I had a peculiar realisation that I could hear a sound that I instantly recognised but couldn't quite believe I was hearing in this context: a resounding 'pching'. I looked up to see three small, apricot coloured birds zipping low overhead, their long tails following them as they headed inland. Three Bearded Tits. That was definitely not on the radar. Obviously a patch tick for me, but I wonder if anyone's ever seen them here before.
A slightly forlorn looking Barnacle Goose was sitting about on the Skate's Nose. Eventually it got chased around by a Herring Gull and disappeared off. Amongst the throng of Common Gulls in Greyhope Bay was a first winter Mediterranean Gull. I guess this is probably the one that's been around (I didn't see it well enough last week to be sure), although given the numbers of small gulls that seem to be about at the moment I wouldn't be surprised if it's a different bird.
Otherwise, an Arctic Skua headed south and there were two Chiffchaffs, two Wheatears, four Goldcrests and a House Martin. I had a fairly typical Redpoll record: one heard calling high overhead but not seen. The pools at St Fittick's still had four Wigeon and a Pink-footed Goose.
1. The Girdle Ness Tree Sparrow Happening as it happens.
2. Forlorn Barnie
3. Med Gull, in the middle.
The weirdness happened when I was along the north bank late in the morning. I was peering into the dense bushes that are just below the Battery when I had a peculiar realisation that I could hear a sound that I instantly recognised but couldn't quite believe I was hearing in this context: a resounding 'pching'. I looked up to see three small, apricot coloured birds zipping low overhead, their long tails following them as they headed inland. Three Bearded Tits. That was definitely not on the radar. Obviously a patch tick for me, but I wonder if anyone's ever seen them here before.
A slightly forlorn looking Barnacle Goose was sitting about on the Skate's Nose. Eventually it got chased around by a Herring Gull and disappeared off. Amongst the throng of Common Gulls in Greyhope Bay was a first winter Mediterranean Gull. I guess this is probably the one that's been around (I didn't see it well enough last week to be sure), although given the numbers of small gulls that seem to be about at the moment I wouldn't be surprised if it's a different bird.
Otherwise, an Arctic Skua headed south and there were two Chiffchaffs, two Wheatears, four Goldcrests and a House Martin. I had a fairly typical Redpoll record: one heard calling high overhead but not seen. The pools at St Fittick's still had four Wigeon and a Pink-footed Goose.
1. The Girdle Ness Tree Sparrow Happening as it happens.
2. Forlorn Barnie
3. Med Gull, in the middle.
Attachments
StuartReeves
Local rarity
Bearded Tit was a North-East Scotland mega in my day with just a few records from Strathbeg. I guess they may be a bit more regular these days but that's still an astonishing record.
They do seem to be getting commoner in the region - there have been quite a lot at Strathbeg this year. I've just heard that seven were seen coming in off the sea at the Ythan last week and were then relocated further upstream. Apparently one of these was trapped and had been ringed in the Tay.
Jane Turner
Well-known member
Amazing record nonetheless. Well jealous.
StuartReeves
Local rarity
I was surprised to read in the recent BB rare breeding bird report that the Tay reedbeds is now probably the biggest Beardy colony in the UK. I would guess it's probably the source of all of the North-East Scotland birds.
Much the same round "The Ness" this morning,minus the Beardies obviously.
The Pink feet and Wigeon are still on Tullos Ponds,Med Gull roosting with other Gulls In Greyhope Bay and the Barnacle Goose was on the Skates Nose.
It was quite blustery when I was round,so small birds were few and far between but the Tree Sparrows,were easily seen at the Plotties.
The Pink feet and Wigeon are still on Tullos Ponds,Med Gull roosting with other Gulls In Greyhope Bay and the Barnacle Goose was on the Skates Nose.
It was quite blustery when I was round,so small birds were few and far between but the Tree Sparrows,were easily seen at the Plotties.
