kinnordyvolunteer
Darell Berthon
Thanks delia lol
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Birding at Loch of Kinnordy (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter kinnordyvolunteer
- Start date
kinnordyvolunteer
Darell Berthon
It was quiet and misty when i arrived on the reserve this morning. A few mallard, moorhen and a couple of male shoveler on the water. The air was full of sand martins, swallows, swifts and house martins.
Couldn't see the hills for the mist and it took til about 10.30 before it was replaced with sunshine and the odd shower. with the sun came the wind. it had been really calm before this but soon the water became quite choppy.
A sedge warbler was very active and vocal to the left of the gullery hide while reed buntings were seen flying from both sides and infact all over the loch area. Black caps could be heard singing from several places while a song thrush burst into life behind the hide.
the male marsh harrier eventually appeared opposite the gullery hide and when i moved along to the swamp hide, both the harriers could be seen over towards the barn area of the reserve. From the swamp hide i saw the first brood of cygnets...3 in all. One was being transported on its mothers back while the other two were busy looking for food in the water. A flock of 38 greylags landed on the water accompanied by 4 pink feet. tufted duck, gadwall, wigeon and more mallards could alkso be seen.
Other birds seen were curlew, redshank, lapwing, oycs, black headed gulls 8 in total!!, great spotted woodpecker, pied wagtail, rook, jackdaw, crow, buzzard and pigeon. No Osprey while i was there.
Couldn't see the hills for the mist and it took til about 10.30 before it was replaced with sunshine and the odd shower. with the sun came the wind. it had been really calm before this but soon the water became quite choppy.
A sedge warbler was very active and vocal to the left of the gullery hide while reed buntings were seen flying from both sides and infact all over the loch area. Black caps could be heard singing from several places while a song thrush burst into life behind the hide.
the male marsh harrier eventually appeared opposite the gullery hide and when i moved along to the swamp hide, both the harriers could be seen over towards the barn area of the reserve. From the swamp hide i saw the first brood of cygnets...3 in all. One was being transported on its mothers back while the other two were busy looking for food in the water. A flock of 38 greylags landed on the water accompanied by 4 pink feet. tufted duck, gadwall, wigeon and more mallards could alkso be seen.
Other birds seen were curlew, redshank, lapwing, oycs, black headed gulls 8 in total!!, great spotted woodpecker, pied wagtail, rook, jackdaw, crow, buzzard and pigeon. No Osprey while i was there.
Attachments
Hi Vivien
At the bottom of the Opus article is a map link. There's a footpath now runs from Kirriemuir to the reserve car park (where the arrow is). You'll pass one hide on the way.
Though when you get to this point (arrowed), bear left and cross the burn.
Hope this helps.
D
At the bottom of the Opus article is a map link. There's a footpath now runs from Kirriemuir to the reserve car park (where the arrow is). You'll pass one hide on the way.
Though when you get to this point (arrowed), bear left and cross the burn.
Hope this helps.
D
IanF
Moderator
We called in this morning. We'd just arrived in the Gullery Hide at 11.00am when two Ospreys flew through heading east. A few minutes later one returned and spent the next 20 minutes hunting up and down the loch stopping every now and again to hover for 30-40 seconds. It dived in once catching a very large fish, I think it may have been a massive pike. It really struggled to get air airbourne but wouldn't let go. It flew off west with it.
A few minutes later a Marsh Harrier arrived from the west briefly hunting over the reeds but was repeatedly mobbbed by Crows, Redshank, Lapwing and gulls. It headed off north over the top of the hill/wood. (A quick visit on Saturday afternoon had both male and female in view for most of the hour we were there.)
At least half a dozen Buzzard put in an appearance with four in the air together over the skyline to the north.
Whitethroat, Reed Bunting, Willow Warbler, Sedge Warbler and Wren were regularly in view just in front of the hide as was a family of Gadwall with around seven chicks. Water Rail were regularly calling from the right side of the hide but not seen.
A Crow managed to steal one of the few remaining Black-headed Gull chicks. Redshank, Lapwing and Oystercatcher were on the weed covered islands.
In the wood we came across Blackcap, Coal Tit, Robin, Chaffinch, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit.
Lots of Swallow, Swift, Sand Martin and a few House Martin over the water.
A few minutes later a Marsh Harrier arrived from the west briefly hunting over the reeds but was repeatedly mobbbed by Crows, Redshank, Lapwing and gulls. It headed off north over the top of the hill/wood. (A quick visit on Saturday afternoon had both male and female in view for most of the hour we were there.)
At least half a dozen Buzzard put in an appearance with four in the air together over the skyline to the north.
Whitethroat, Reed Bunting, Willow Warbler, Sedge Warbler and Wren were regularly in view just in front of the hide as was a family of Gadwall with around seven chicks. Water Rail were regularly calling from the right side of the hide but not seen.
A Crow managed to steal one of the few remaining Black-headed Gull chicks. Redshank, Lapwing and Oystercatcher were on the weed covered islands.
In the wood we came across Blackcap, Coal Tit, Robin, Chaffinch, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit.
Lots of Swallow, Swift, Sand Martin and a few House Martin over the water.
Attachments
kawwauser
Well-known member
i had a female shovelar with 6 ducklings on monday,this is the first time i have seen shovelar young,the birds were on the far side opposite the east hide,there was a young squirell in the trees right outside this hide,i missed out on the harriers and seem to be the only person not to see them,1 osprey caught a large pike by the rookery trees and 5 buzzards were circling ,it was raining when i arrived and the only calls were from water rails,as soon as the sun shone the reserve was filled with calls from sedge warblers/reed buntings/wren/black caps,pity about the bh gull numbers again murton reserve has done well and the nests/young are all out in the open on a small island ,other birds seen at kinnordy were greylags/1 pinkfoot/gadwalls/lapwing/robin/lots of swifts/swallows/sand martin /mutes/teal/coot/moorhen
pics
record shot of the shovelar family
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/shv1.jpg
sedge warbler singing and flirting about in front of the gullery hide
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/sw2-1.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/sw3-1.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/sw4-1.jpg
pics
record shot of the shovelar family
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/shv1.jpg
sedge warbler singing and flirting about in front of the gullery hide
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/sw2-1.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/sw3-1.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/sw4-1.jpg
kinnordyvolunteer
Darell Berthon
Sorry everyone, but this is the first chance ive had of getting to my computer today to say that there is a great white egret at kinnordy. Well, there was this morning. Not sure if its still there. Hopefully it is!!
Darell
Darell
grrr... oh typical when I'm off in the morning to the other side of the country!!!!!!
Did you actually see it Darell?
D
Did you actually see it Darell?
D
kinnordyvolunteer
Darell Berthon
Great spot then Darrel - makes up for you missing the cranes a few weeks ago then I suppose! hummph!:-O
D
D
kinnordyvolunteer
Darell Berthon
Great White Egret still at Kinnordy today.
Darell
Darell
kawwauser
Well-known member
i headed for kinnordy yesterday (mon)to see the great egret,i checked the osprey nest on the pylon on the way, it doesn,t look good the nest is very flat and no adults or juvs were seen,the very strong winds two mondays ago might account for this, ill check again next week and report back,arriving from the west end the great egret was visable to the naked eye from the road (lifer for me)this was at 10.30 am,the egret is still at the swamp hide end and was mostly preening itself,it walked a short distance and fished for a while,there was a heron feeding to the right of the egret and looked a lot smaller,there are no black headed gulls on the bogbean another wipeout year by the look of it,the only birds in front of the gullery were gadwall/mallards/lapwings,without the gulls the ospreys were very active,one was present at all times although only one caught a fish (perch)some kind person dumped their mcdonalds leftover drinks cartons in the car park ,very nice and quite unusual for here
pic
great egret plus another 4 species surrounding it
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/egret1.jpg
pic
great egret plus another 4 species surrounding it
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/egret1.jpg
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kinnordyvolunteer
Darell Berthon
Sadly the dumping of mcdonalds cartons etc is not unusual for here. You would be surprised what we find dumped, especially at weekends.
As there are no facilities for rubbish, its the wardens and volunteers who make every effort clear everything away.
Glad the egret was a lifer for you.
Darell
As there are no facilities for rubbish, its the wardens and volunteers who make every effort clear everything away.
Glad the egret was a lifer for you.
Darell
ArbroathBirder
Well-known member
I hope the Egret hangs around, I on holiday this week so hope to make it up but sadly I have my garden fence to paint.
Any news on the egret? Just got back a couple of hours ago.
D
D
kinnordyvolunteer
Darell Berthon
Haven't heard anything Delia. I am up there very early o'clock tomorrow morning to do a duck survey. Will let you know if i see it!!
Hope you had a good time over on the west!!
Darell
Hope you had a good time over on the west!!
Darell
Thanks very much Darell. And yes, I did have a great time, ta.
D
D
kinnordyvolunteer
Darell Berthon
I arrived about 5.40 yesterday morning to do a duck survey and as i approached the reserve i slowed down to see what was around the swamp area. It was quite foggy over the water, but it seemed to be quite busy as far as ducks were concerned. On the opposite side of the road, in a small puddle left from saturdays rain, were 6 oystercatchers. I started off towards the reserve car park when i saw a smaller bird along with the oycs. At first i thought it was a common sandpiper, but reversing back i found it to be a wood sandpiper. All the oycs had flown as soon as i stopped the car, but the sandpiper was happily looking for food.
The duck survey was concluded in nice sunshine. We had seen quite a few, but not as many as i thought we would see. Mallard applenty, tufties, shoveler, gadwall, a few wigeon and teal which i hadn't seen here for a while. Also present were coot, moorhen, mute swans with various numbers of cygnets, heron and youngster, male marsh harrier, sparrowhawk, buzzard, osprey, redshank, curlew, lapwing with chick infront of the east hide, reed bunting, sedge warbler, willow warbler, blackcap, whitethroat, yellowhammer, blue tit, great tit, wren, robin, song thrush, blackbird, dunnock, chaffinch, goldfinch, treecreeper, linnet, skylark, swallow, swift, house martin, sand martin, pied wagtail and pheasant.
photos are of the wood sandpiper, lapwing outside the east hide and a whitethroat between the two bridges along at the eastern edge of the reserve. Quite a few pairs along there and around the lilly pond area.
The duck survey was concluded in nice sunshine. We had seen quite a few, but not as many as i thought we would see. Mallard applenty, tufties, shoveler, gadwall, a few wigeon and teal which i hadn't seen here for a while. Also present were coot, moorhen, mute swans with various numbers of cygnets, heron and youngster, male marsh harrier, sparrowhawk, buzzard, osprey, redshank, curlew, lapwing with chick infront of the east hide, reed bunting, sedge warbler, willow warbler, blackcap, whitethroat, yellowhammer, blue tit, great tit, wren, robin, song thrush, blackbird, dunnock, chaffinch, goldfinch, treecreeper, linnet, skylark, swallow, swift, house martin, sand martin, pied wagtail and pheasant.
photos are of the wood sandpiper, lapwing outside the east hide and a whitethroat between the two bridges along at the eastern edge of the reserve. Quite a few pairs along there and around the lilly pond area.
Attachments
gus guthrie
gus guthrie
grasshopper warbler singing round the back of the loch tonight, very same place as last year !
water Rails at both the gullery & swamp hidestonight and a couple of young Tawny owls being very noisy along the path to kirrie, watched over by an adult.
was watching a flock of greylags swimming through a channel towards the gullery hide when a huge commotion got up, a dog otter attacked and killed a large juvenille greylag, dragging it off towards the reedbed at the back.
Saw the otter yesterday morning too, eating a fish in the same place.
water Rails at both the gullery & swamp hidestonight and a couple of young Tawny owls being very noisy along the path to kirrie, watched over by an adult.
was watching a flock of greylags swimming through a channel towards the gullery hide when a huge commotion got up, a dog otter attacked and killed a large juvenille greylag, dragging it off towards the reedbed at the back.
Saw the otter yesterday morning too, eating a fish in the same place.
