Birding at Loch of Kinnordy (1 Viewer)

[kinnordyvolunteer]

Not sure when the feeders are going up...will find out cos i'l be up there this weekend. Maybe put them up then.

Got a message from Hannah, yesterday, to say that she saw the first whooper in the morning. It flew off heading in the forfar direction.

Darell:t:

 

[kawwauser]

thats an early whooper,my first last year at kinnordy was 17th oct

 

[kinnordyvolunteer]

Saturday 27th sept

I hadn't been up to kinnordy for a couple of weeks and it was strange, arriving to see all the changes that were happening. Alot of the trees are turning and many starting to lose their leaves.

The first birds to greet me were a treecreeper, chaffinch, bluetit and coal tit shortly followed by goldcrests.

I went into the gulleryhide and out front were mallard and teal, with a couple of mute swans. The swan numbers are starting to rise already...15 adults yesterday and 7 cygnets, which is better than last year.

I went along to the swamp hide and it was very quiet. Mallard, a few wigeon, 4 lapwing and more swans. On my way back, a flock of 70+ lapwings flew over head and i saw a few siskins flying around too. After seeing so many siskins up at glenesk last weekend, i thought i would see lots on the reserve yesterday...not to be. Maybe next week.

More goldcrest, wren, robin and great spotted woodpecker were around the gullery area along with a female blackcap and song thrush.

From the east hide it was gadwall, wigeon, tufties and teal along with more mutes.

I decided to go for a walk round to the lilly pond. One of the fields to the right was having all its potatoes extracted so there were lots of gulls around. I scoured them for anything unusual, but it was mainly common, black headed and a few herring gulls that were present. The trees, along side the fields are definately starting to change colour. Give it another couple of weeks and it will look spectacular, like last year.

More goldcrests, wrens, robins, chaffinches and a few more siskins on the way round along with a mistle thrush sitting on the wires above the field with cattle. A couple of buzzards could be seen circling above the big house and woodpigeons a plenty in the trees and bushes. The pond was very quiet while 30+ pheasants scattered for cover when they saw me. I went inside the wooded area and heard a couple of jays having a huge argument over something. Lots of goldcrests, coal tits and blue tits were there.

On my way back i noticed quite a few flocks of long tailed tits accompanied by blue and coal tits. I also saw my first pinkies for this autumn, flying over the reserve. Two or three small skienes varying in numbers from 12 to 29. There was also a loner who flew west and then returned east, still looking for relatives!!

Back in the gullery hide i noticed a large number of ducks arriving...wigeon, gadwall and teal. I counted the gadwall and we suddenly went from 10 birds in the morning to 52 in the afternoon. The numbers of wigeon also doubled.

It was a windy day, overcast with the occassional sunny spell, but quite alot of birds around. The duck numbers will increase over the next few weeks and hopefully we will see more geese and whooper swans.

I did notice yesterday that the large field opposite the gullery hide, was being ploughed ready for a winer crop of something. The whoopers will love it by the time they arrive!! Hannah has warned the gamekeeper who is going to have a word with the farmer, but they seem to think he will be ok with it.....time will tell. Wait til he sees all the swans and hundereds of geese, might change his mind. Watch this space!!

Darell:t:

 

[kawwauser]

i was at kinnordy 9.00am today for two hours,i came in from the meigle road and as i was driving past the west end noticed a buzzard being mobbed by gulls and crows,the buzzard was about five feet from the water surface right in front of the swamp hide, i thought to myself somebody in the hide has just had a great view of this but it turned out i was the only person on the reserve,as soon as i left my car i could hear bullfinch/ robin/blue tit,i headed straight for the swamp hide but it was all over, the water in front of the swamp hide had a mixed flock of 30+ ducks mallards/gadwall ,40+common gulls were also present, carrion crows were sitting perched calling and a single mute swan was swimming about,the trees outside the hide had bullfinches mainly female, 2 males ,1 goldcrest, dunnock, coal/great/blue tits,chaffinch,beside the boardwalk a wren was jumping about near the tree stump and a treecreeper was also feeding,the trees beside the gullery hide had robins,coal/blue tits 1goldcrest1 treecreeper,2 very wary song thrushes were eating the berries and a buzzard glided above the tree tops giving a quick but good view of its underbelly,the water in front of the gullery hide had over sixty ducks mainly mallards and lesser numbers of gadwall,a single little grebe was swimming beside them,the trees between the gullery hide and east hide produced more coal/great blue tits robins blackbirds woodpigeon 1 treecreeper 1goldcrest 1 dunnock,there was 15 mutes on the water in front of the east hide 1 heron and a group of 7 widgeon flew in and landed to the right ,good numbers of mallards/gadwall were also present,its coming up to my favourite time of year here loads of birds on the water plus the autumn colours plus the increased tree activity well worth a days visit,
pics
goldcrest (boy is this a hard bird to photograph, i ended up pointing my camera in the area of the bird focused on a branch and hoped it would land on it)

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/goldcrest.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/goldcrest2.jpg
both swamp hide trees

little grebe gullery hide
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/littlegrebeb.jpg

 

[kinnordyvolunteer]

Well done with the goldcrest. I tried last weekend, but it was a bit dark where i was, in amongst the trees, and the pics were all blurry..little blighters don't half shift alot!!!

 

[kinnordyvolunteer]

Sunday 5th October

It was a nice sunny morning when i arrived, but boy it was really chilly. In fact it was warmer outside the hides than inside.

I arrived about 9.30 and the first birds i saw were bullfinches, great tits and blue tits. I could also hear goldcrests but didn't see any til much later on.

From the gullery hide it was mallard, teal and gadwall that were visible. The wind was blowing quite hard so i decided not to open the windows until it got warmer. Tufties and moorhen were also around.

Along at the swamp end, it was really quiet. mallard, two herons, 3 lapwing and a pair of mute swans with two cygnets. After sitting for a while a pair of female goosander flew in...first for this autumn.

On my way to the east hide i saw goldcrest, treecreeper, great spotted woodpecker, chaffinch, robin and wren. At the east hide, it was mallard, tufties, gadwall and lots of mute swans.

Back at the car park i noticed a few redwing flying over head. There were 5 together and then lots of singles for most of the morning. There had been reports of fieldfare flocks having been seen, but i didn't see any today.

When i went back to the gullery hide i noticed that three whooper swans had arrived, first ones ive seen this autumn. They stayed all day, spending most of the time sleeping.

Other birds seen today were long tailed tits, woodpigeon, crows, rooks, pheasant, common gulls, siskin and goldfinch.

Darell:t:

 

[kinnordyvolunteer]

Forgot to mention 3 swallows and 13 house martins were also seen.

Darell

 

[kawwauser]

2 whoopers at the east end today,first of the year for me,the log book reports a single kingfisher on the 5th plus 7th, no mention of which hide ,plus 3 otters were reported on the 5th,the robins were singing very loudly today between all 3 hides, i saw more wrens today than i have ever seen in one day, there were 5 male bullfinches at the trees beside the gullery hide and i saw 2 gs woodpeckers chasing each other just east of the east hide(its been a few months since i saw them here) there was a jay in the trees beside the lily pond and some thrush type birds flew over heading north,a common blue damselfly was flying on the path here,i had my lanscape lense on my camera today intending on getting shots showing the beuty of kinnordy but i messed it up by leaving the settings on my usual settings i use for birds, the pics of the lily pond looked great untill i saw them on my computer,still its a reason to head back next week

pic
the water beside the east hide looks really brown probably due to the foliage colours refelecting
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/brown.jpg

 

[kinnordyvolunteer]

The kingfisher was seen at the east hide on sunday. It was flying towards the large post and then veered off to the right. The otters were seen at the same time, by the same couple, that saw the kingfisher. They didnt come anywhere near the gullery where we were!!!

Darell

 

[delia todd]

The kingfisher was seen at the east hide on sunday. It was flying towards the large post and then veered off to the right. The otters were seen at the same time, by the same couple, that saw the kingfisher. They didnt come anywhere near the gullery where we were!!!

Darell

The Kingfisher seems to be getting more regular there then Darell.

Or is it just the time of year?

When's your hols?

D

 

[kinnordyvolunteer]

I think sunday was the first time it had been seen for a while...obviously kept away from where i was sitting!!! Hopefully see it there again before too long.

Hols start tomorrow but am away with 70 kids til tuesday...music camp. Then i can start my holiday!!!! lol

D

 

[delia todd]

I think sunday was the first time it had been seen for a while...obviously kept away from where i was sitting!!! Hopefully see it there again before too long.

Hols start tomorrow but am away with 70 kids til tuesday...music camp. Then i can start my holiday!!!! lol

D

Ooo where are you taking them?

My Patch is ready and waiting for your visit:-O

D

 

[kinnordyvolunteer]

Off to Biggar after school.

Will contact you next week about coming over to your patch.

D

 

[delia todd]

Off to Biggar after school.

Will contact you next week about coming over to your patch.

D

Okeydoke - any day suits me at the moment

Have you seen this? They'd be great to keep in the car if you won them.

D

 

[delia todd]

Thought I'd better keep this thread warm till Darell gets back

Spent a little while there yesterday afternoon. Very quiet at the Swamp Hide: a pair of Mute Swans with 2 cygnets, one Goldeneye and a puckle Mallards, keeping a low profile; did hear a Water Rail though.

The Gullery Hide was a bit busier with lots of Mallards, Gadwall, Tufted Ducks, Wigeon, Mute Swans (with 3 cygnets). At the far side up to 6 female Goosander could be seen around the entrance to one of the channels. Just before we left a female Shoveler swam past the front of the hide.

Jackdaws, Rooks, two Buzzards over the hill, a Sparrowhawk scared everything away. Blue Tits flying between the trees and reed bed, very vocal Wrens; Robins, Blackbirds, Chaffinch, Robin more-or-less completed my sightings.

Didn't manage the East Hide

D

 

[kawwauser]

11 greylags swimming with tufted ducks yesterday plus 11 female goosanders,33 pinkfoots flew over at lunch time followed by another flock of around 100 all heading east,bullfinches were in good numbers and were showing right from the swamp hide round to the lilly pond,a blue tit was flying in and out of a small hole on top of the wellcome sign at the car park,iv,e never noticed the hole before, it looked like it was a tight squeeze,siskins were feeding on trees to the right of the boardwalk near the swamp hide,they continued to feed as i walked past and i got some nice views of them,a large flock of redshanks circled above the east hide but never landed,other birds seen

fieldfare/redwing/rook/carrion crow/jackdaw/kestrel/buzzard/heron/gadwall/mallard/mute swan+cygnets/great tit/coal it/robin/wren/treecreeper/wren/chaffinch/blackbird/jay

pics

siskins
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/sisk3.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/sisk.jpg
i think this was the only one which noticed me passing by
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/sisk2.jpg

gadwall
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/gadwall.jpg

lilly pond

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/lillyb__c.jpg

 

[kinnordyvolunteer]

I was at kinnordy this morning for an hour, hoping to see some whoopers, but alas they had either gone or didn't bother turning up!!!

It was quite a good hour apart from the showers that were around. I started with 15 female goosanders, goldeneye, tufties, gadwall, wigeon, teal, mute swans and 9 cygnets, common gulls,cormorant, mallard and herons. Smaller birds included sskins, chaffinch, bullfinch, blue tits, great tits, coal tits, goldcrest, blackbird, robin, wren, great spotted woodpecker, redwing, woodpigeon, pheasant and dunnock.

A sparrowhawk sat on one of the branches infront of the bog bean before taking flight and landing in amongst the bog bean opposite the gullery hide, not to be seen again. A male peregrine could be seen eating its prey, sitting in the field opposite the gullery hide and stayed there for a good 45mins. Buzzards were also seen and heard.

A water rail could be heard in the reeds, to the left of the gullery hide but did not show its self at all.

Hopefully, i will see alot more tomorrow when i'm on duty.

Darell:t:

 

[kinnordyvolunteer]

Saturday 18th October

It was dull and misty when i arrived at kinnordy this morning, however the weather report did say it would brighten up, with the odd shower now and again. It stayed true to its word and i had a really enjoyable few hours on the reserve.

Not alot seeed to be present when i drove past the swamp end, but when i arrived in the gullery hide, i could hear the sound of whooper swans towards the west...some thing to go and check out later.

In front of the gullery hide there were teal, mallard and a moorhen. I looked eastwards and over on the far side, i could see a male shoveler. When i got my scope on it, i found it was one of eighteen....two males and sixteen females!! Also over at the east end were several female goosanders...i counted 14, but there might have been more. Three did a fly past, along with a male, but he obviously wasn't willing to get the hassle of so many females and kept on flying.

Goldeneye numbers are starting to rise. I saw the first male for this autumn along with three females and then another two young males arrived with another couple of females. Tufties numbers have also risen to over thirty and gadwall, wigeon and teal are also still there in good numbers.

I saw two of our mute cygnets take to the air and land very soon afterwards but tried a few times before managing a complete tour of the east end. The other cygnets looked on wondering when their parents were going to give them the nudge to have a go.

I eventually made my way to the swamp end to find five whoopers over on the far side. A cormorant and grey heron were also present along with a few mallard. Jackdaws and rooks occupied the tall pines and were making themselves heard alright!!! What a racket.

Treecreepers, siskin, robin, wren, dunnock, mistle thrush, blackbird, redpoll, blue tit, great tit, long tailed tit, chaffinch, linnet, redwing 100+, woodpigeon, pheasant, buzzards, sparrowhawk, common gull, black headed gull, jay, greylag and pink footed geese, reed bunting and 6 snipe were also seen. One other bird i did get a very quick glimpse of was a water rail as it flew between areas of bog bean in front of the gullery hide.

Altogether, a very good days birding with lots to see. It was good to see so many shoveler and to see two of the cygnets taking to the air.

Darell:t:

 

[kinnordyvolunteer]

Next Sunday, the 26th October is "Feed the Birds Day" at Kinnordy so come along for a good day out.

Darell

 

[kinnordyvolunteer]

Forgot to mention that the feeders will be going up again this thursday.