Hi From Angus, Scotland! (1 Viewer)

Hi all, New to this forum but looks cracking.
I moved to the wee village of Auchmithie in Angus 7 years ago, originally from Hull, E.Yorkshire, wanting to get away from the big city. I am 29 and am enjoying birding up here in Scotland. I am quite active in the Angus & Dundee Bird Club and have set up a website for the club and the area.
Love chasing rarities and trying to increase my 'life list', though my new found love of digiscoping has meant that I appreciate commoner birds alot more as I TRY and photograph them.
Hope to post shots on the picture sections.
Check out my website at http://angusbirding.homestead.com/
and please sign the guestbook!
Hi to all and Happy Birding, Mark

Well fancy that Mark - we moved from Hull to rural Nth Yorks almost exactly a year ago (26th Nov 2001). Lived just of Willlerby Road. We love it here and are chuffed to bits that we took the risks and made the move. I couldn't go back, could you??

El Annie:t:

no I couldnt go back either! I lived down Brindley Street off Holderness Road (know it?). Love the country up here though it did take a while to get used to it and no doubt people to get used to me, the incomer, also!
Like the wellies by the way....
Happy birding, Mark

Welcome to Birdforum Mark :t:
I'm glad that you managed to find your way to the site and that you like the look of it. Hopefully you will find out that everyone is pretty friendly on here. Quite a few members share your interest in digiscoping and are at varying stages of accomplishment. AndyBright is hopefully running a one day teach in in the next coulpe of months, though it's likely to be held somewhere centrally such as Rutland Water - have a look at this thread for further details http://www.birdforum.net/forums/showthread.php?threadid=941
I hope to see you around on the forums :bounce:

BTW Great website - really envious of the Kingfisher and Crested Tit shots !

Hi mark

Glad you dropped in to say hello. Welcome to this friendly bunch of people.

How does the area you are now in compare to the hot spots you left behind such as Spurn, Flamborough and Bempton. I have been to Montrose Basin a few times. Big isn't it. I try to get there whenever I go to Scotland as anything can turn up there.

If you can, try and get to know anyone connected to the Invermark Grousebeaters lodge. It is roughly about 10 miles north west of Brechin. It is a stunning place. I was invited to stay there for a couple of days by a mate that was doing a 3 month Ring Ouzel breeding study there. It really is a beautiful place and whilst we were there we were taken to a Golden Eagle eyrie. What a sight that was as we arrived. Two Golden Eagles being harrassed by a Kestrel as they all flew around a valley below us. the Kestrel was dwarfed but it didn't stop it from carrying on its attacks for quite a while.

Below is what we saw whilst there.

Chaffinch
Common Buzzard
Common Gull
Common Kestrel
Common Sandpiper
Curlew
Goldcrest
Golden Eagle
Goldfinch
Grey Heron
Grey Wagtail
House Martin
Lesser Redpoll
Mallard
Meadow Pipit
Mistle Thrush
Northern Wheatear
Osprey
Oystercatcher
Peregrine Falcon
Red Grouse
Rook
Sand Martin
Song Thrush
Sparrowhawk
Spotted Flycatcher
Swallow
Tufted Duck

As you can see, it is a place well worth a visit and the scenery is breathtaking.

Welcome Mark.
Looking forward to seeing more of your digiscoped images. I just began digiscoping in July with the new Nikon CP 4500 & a Swar. AT80HD. Now that the cooler weather has arrived in Texas, I hope to be able to get some more images taken & put on my websites, as time allows (also Homestead, by the way - see below in my signature). My last digiscoped pic on BirdForum is Lady Rufous Hummingbird in Quick Pix Gallery.
Also have a Hull connection of sorts (I am an exiled Brit!!) - my in-law's family lost their home in the Paragon Buildings in the centre of Hull during the bombings in WWII. Later they lived in Scarborough and Grimbsy before moving back to Hull.

Welcome Mark, I'm envious of your location ! Liked your website, I'll be sure to check out your noticeboard before heading north.

Dylan.

God you make me sick! Homesick, that is!

Although I grew up on the west coast, there's no place like Scotland for the birds!

As a newcomer to the forum, myself, welcome. Keep me posted on what I'm missing!

Al