if the coat was really dark and not reddish brown, it was probably a mink. Which is not good news. :-C
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Birds fae Torry (5 Viewers)
- Thread starter Andrew Whitehouse
- Start date
if the coat was really dark and not reddish brown, it was probably a mink. Which is not good news. :-C
TheSeagull
Well-known member
What's the chances of water vole there? I don't want it to be mink :-C
interesting thought. I hadn't considered that possibility. Water Voles are kind of round and chubby of course, and Mink are long and skinny. You could try contacting the Aberdeen Council Ranger Service who manage the DOM. They should know what they have. I was there today, but you'll have to wait until tomorrow to read about it. Off to me scratcher now. :cat::cat:
Helenelizabeth2
What?!?
Are you quite sure it wasn't a Stoat?
TheSeagull
Well-known member
Just e-mailed them to see if they had a species list, be interesting to hear your report, I only went to the wetland, I couldn't make it to the woodland as there was no portaloo in sight and I'd heard what sounded like a rattle snake earlier and didn't really want to be exposing myself to that:-O Of course it couldn't be a rattle snake but I don't know the sound of an adder 
I couldn't get to the woodland but I don't envy you today, what with the hailstones and thunder. The sound was deafening on the windows.
I couldn't get to the woodland but I don't envy you today, what with the hailstones and thunder. The sound was deafening on the windows.
Dave Kennedy
Well-known member
Here's a picture of a mink I took in April this year at Kennacraig in Kintyre. It had just come out of the sea, where it had been foraging among the rocks. Perhaps this is what you saw?
Best wishes,
Dave
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Meanwhile, back in Torry
Had a bit of a scoot round the Ness yesterday evening. 27 Goosanders were inshore of the Breakwater Pier and a very smart group of 7 mostly summer-plumaged Knot were on Greyhope Bay.
The absence of seabirds continues. Aside from a fairly large but not exceptional group of Kittiwakes in the harbour, most of the other common seabirds have been almost entirely absent over the past week: very few Gannets, Fulmars or Auks. The dolphins don't really seem to have been around either, which perhaps explains this morning's interesting sighting of at least four Harbour Porpoises feeding around the river mouth. This is normally dolphin territory and I guess the porpoises stay well out of the way, but this morning they were feeding quite happily there. Previously I've only ever seen them off the Coo and never anywhere near the harbour.
A Mallard was on St Fittick's Marsh yesterday evening. Today a Mallard, tomorrow a Garganey, the day after a Blue-winged Teal. That's the way I look at it.
Had a bit of a scoot round the Ness yesterday evening. 27 Goosanders were inshore of the Breakwater Pier and a very smart group of 7 mostly summer-plumaged Knot were on Greyhope Bay.
The absence of seabirds continues. Aside from a fairly large but not exceptional group of Kittiwakes in the harbour, most of the other common seabirds have been almost entirely absent over the past week: very few Gannets, Fulmars or Auks. The dolphins don't really seem to have been around either, which perhaps explains this morning's interesting sighting of at least four Harbour Porpoises feeding around the river mouth. This is normally dolphin territory and I guess the porpoises stay well out of the way, but this morning they were feeding quite happily there. Previously I've only ever seen them off the Coo and never anywhere near the harbour.
A Mallard was on St Fittick's Marsh yesterday evening. Today a Mallard, tomorrow a Garganey, the day after a Blue-winged Teal. That's the way I look at it.
I too was at The Ness yesterday. Unfortunately there is not a lot of interest I can add to Andrew's report. I parked myself at The Coo for half an hour. It was low tide and the old sewage outfall was uncovered. On it were 11 Dunlin, some in natty summer plumage, 2 Turnstone and 2 Ringed Plovers. An occasional auk zipped past well offshore, but no Gannets. Lots of Kittiwakes and terns going past. I saw the 27 Goosanders in The Channel, as I was watching a German yacht coming into the harbour under sail, with the pilot boat alongside yelling at the crew.
RecoveringScot
Well-known member
Look out for a Red Kite today. Last seen heading towards Aberdeen town centre at 08:23 this morning and may be visible at some stage from Torry!
Cheers
Cheers
Bits
As this is the first day of "birders' autumn" I was hoping there might be a few bits and bobs around the Ness this evening. And there were indeed the first stirrings of autumnal birding. 13 Goosanders were still around the harbour mouth and a Knot, Dunlin and 12 Turnstones were on Greyhope Bay. There was also some cause to revisit the Purple Sandpiper Totaliser:
3
From small acorns do great oaks grow. An Arctic Tern was amongst the numerous Sandwich and Common Terns gathered on the rocks. More surprising was a juvenile Whinchat that was cavorting along the bank of Greyhope Bay and sometimes darting down to the shore. A bird I usually only see once or twice a year here and the first migrant of the autumn for me. There were a few more seabirds off the Coo, the best of which was the first bird I saw from there: an adult summer Little Gull going south. There were more Gannets and Fulmars than there have been and quite large numbers of 'commic' terns going south. Three large waders that were also going south looked a bit like Barwits, but I didn't really see them well enough to be certain.
One curious development is the appearance of a large hole in the ground with fencing around it just near to the Coo. All quite mysterious but if they keep digging then perhaps eventually I'll be able to scope a few Australian birds and get them on my Ness list.
Picture: They're digging it here, they're digging it there. They're digging it round when it ought to be square. Except they actually are digging it square.
As this is the first day of "birders' autumn" I was hoping there might be a few bits and bobs around the Ness this evening. And there were indeed the first stirrings of autumnal birding. 13 Goosanders were still around the harbour mouth and a Knot, Dunlin and 12 Turnstones were on Greyhope Bay. There was also some cause to revisit the Purple Sandpiper Totaliser:
3
From small acorns do great oaks grow. An Arctic Tern was amongst the numerous Sandwich and Common Terns gathered on the rocks. More surprising was a juvenile Whinchat that was cavorting along the bank of Greyhope Bay and sometimes darting down to the shore. A bird I usually only see once or twice a year here and the first migrant of the autumn for me. There were a few more seabirds off the Coo, the best of which was the first bird I saw from there: an adult summer Little Gull going south. There were more Gannets and Fulmars than there have been and quite large numbers of 'commic' terns going south. Three large waders that were also going south looked a bit like Barwits, but I didn't really see them well enough to be certain.
One curious development is the appearance of a large hole in the ground with fencing around it just near to the Coo. All quite mysterious but if they keep digging then perhaps eventually I'll be able to scope a few Australian birds and get them on my Ness list.
Picture: They're digging it here, they're digging it there. They're digging it round when it ought to be square. Except they actually are digging it square.
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Joseph N
Lothian Young Birder
I was at the Ness as well yesterday; just after the rain had come over. It was pretty quiet on the headland; however off shore there around 300 gannets past, mostly going South, and a Bonxie at long distance. Good signs; I can see the Ness getting much more lively in the coming weeks.
I managed half an hour at The Coo and the Bay of Nigg this afternoon. Only one Gannet, going north, but lots of Kittis terns and gulls. Best bit was the waders, with 2 Turnstones and 3 Knot all in brilliant summer plumage. One Whimbrel flew north as well. That's quite a hole being dug near The Coo. Maybe someone should be looking into it.
Had a quick perusal of the Ness early evening today. I think this visit could be neatly summed up by the word 'dead'. An impressive 35 Goosanders by the Skate's Nose was perhaps the highlight, with 10 Turnstone and a Ringed Plover on Greyhope Bay. And now I'm struggling. St Fittick's Marsh has been mown and the pool looks to be fairly dry now. Looks like we need a bit more rain if we're to get some waders on it.
A couple of days ago I noticed a rather moribund Pink-footed Goose hanging around with the domestic goose crew by the Victoria Bridge. There was also a drake Goosander down there.
Here are some pictures of the females on the harbour.
A couple of days ago I noticed a rather moribund Pink-footed Goose hanging around with the domestic goose crew by the Victoria Bridge. There was also a drake Goosander down there.
Here are some pictures of the females on the harbour.
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Hello, and welcome to Holewatch. Last week when we saw the hole for the first time there wasn't much to see but now an amazing transformation has taken place. If we're quiet hopefully we'll see this strange building emerging. Look! There he goes!
And now back to Chris and Kate in the studio.
And now back to Chris and Kate in the studio.
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Joseph N
Lothian Young Birder
Those Goosanders seem to make regular visits to the harbour, I think we are quite lucky to have them there, but I wonder where they are coming from...
It's a regular moulting flock of females and, possibly, young birds that's there at this time of the year. I guess they would just be local breeding birds. They breed quite commonly along the Dee and Don, even well within the city.
TheSeagull
Well-known member
Anybody phoned up the building company or council and asking nicely what it is/is going to be? :t:
As mentioned above I saw a moulting (and rather tatty) adult male Goosander upstream of the Victoria Bridge the other day. The sexes seem to keep very separate with sawbills at this time of the year.
I've not phoned up the council about the building. Maybe Ben knows the word on the street about this?
I've not phoned up the council about the building. Maybe Ben knows the word on the street about this?
