Birding at Loch of Kinnordy (1 Viewer)

[sizzlor108]

Female Smew present this afternoon, a pleasant surprise for May. Also a single Black-tailed Godwit, a C. Sandpiper, two Ringed plovers, the White wagtail and a load of hirundines. More Sedgies around too.

 

[Rhummy]

Are they not just normal Highland Ponies? Or are they definitely Koniks?

(We breed Highlands)

 

[kawwauser]

lots of swallows sandmartins flying in the rain today,12.30-2.30,gullery hide,1 white wagtail, 7 bh gulls sitting on nests,1 heron,redshanks,shellduck,lapwings,oystercatchers,teals,shovelars,1moorhen,mallards,1 m gadwall,buzzards,a sparrowhawk circled to the left of the hide and was attacked by a carrion crow,coots were fighting at all 3 hides, the surrounding trees were very busy even though it was raining,1 goldcrest,goldfinch,siskin,wren,blackbird,robin,chaffinch,great tit,sedge warbler,lots of willow warblers,swamp hide ,rooks begging for food,1 family of greylags (5goslings i think)1 hunting male marsh harrier,carrion crow,jackdaw,woodpidgeon,at the east hide there was a male yellowhammer ground feeding and doing a sort of chirping call now and again ,some mutes here and a single pinkfoot in the reeds over by the osprey perch,1 large hare resting in between the trees left of the gullery hide

 

[delia todd]

Shame I missed you Kawwauser - yep, you could say it was raining LOL. You had some good action, didn't you.

I'm so pleased to hear you saw the Marsh Harrier, as there was no sign of it for us, even when the Osprey right flew along the reeds beside the trees.

Ian saw a Swift, which escaped me.

And I saw the Koniks... but too far away for a picture in the rain.

D

 

[sizzlor108]

Good numbers of Sedge warblers around now, first Whitethroat on the reserve at the back of swamp hide. Marsh harrier and Short -eared owl hunting over egno moss.

 

[kinnordyvolunteer]

They are Konik ponies, brought over from Ireland if i am correct. Glad to hear whitethroats are back. they usually are next to the swamp hide and along at the other end of the reserve too. I hope to get up on saturday morning.

Darell

 

[gus guthrie]

Common Sandpipers, a colour-ringed Redshank and a nice summer plumage Dunlin on the Loch this evening.
Otters are also being seen during the day from several of the hides.

 

[kinnordyvolunteer]

I only managed an hour this morning while trying to find the Dotterel that were in the area....no success there!!!

Shelduck, shoveler, mallard, coot, tufties, gadwall, redshank, marsh harrier, goldcrest, tree sparrow, whitethroat, blackcap,llow warbler, reed bunting, sedge warbler, greylags, mute swans, song thrush, lapwing, oycs, common sandpiper, buzzard and snipe were all present.

Darell

 

[delia todd]

All hunkered down against the wind no doubt Darell. A shame you didn't get them though.

D

 

[kinnordyvolunteer]

I will be at the bird fair, hopetoun house, next saturday. I will be volunteering in the silent auction tent between 1pm and 5.30pm. Come and say hello if you are around. make a bid for something while you are there.

Darell

 

[kawwauser]

i had a search for the dottrel 10.00am monday but no joy,(they were seen on saturday)quite a few hares about plus 1 redshank,i headed for kinnordy 11.30,i walked the path around as far as the lily pond,some amazing bird calls heard here,especially after the second bridge, birds seen,2 whitethroats (first of the year for me)some very close views of willow warblers, sedgewarbler,reed buntings,small flock of yellowhammers, 2 wrens,1 treecreeper,goldfinches,4 bullfinches (3m1f)robin feeding youngster,blue tit,great tit,chaffinch,blackbird,jackdaw,woodpigeon,3 swifts to the right of the lily pond (first of the year for me)plus 1 red squirell

 

[Capercaillie71]

I paid a visit to Kinnordy today and had a couple of appearances from the Osprey and one brief sighting of the female Marsh Harrier. Two Ringed Plovers and two Common Sandpipers were on the Bogbean islands along with a White Wagtail in the same place where I saw one three weeks ago. I wonder if it's the same one? Maybe the northerly winds have persuaded it not to bother heading back to Iceland! There was also a male yarrellii Pied Wagtail on the bogbean.

 

[IanF]

A quick visit this afternoon having just arrived back in the area for weeks holiday. Our first visit for 12 months.

Great to see a few more Black-headed Gulls nesting. Hopefully they'll succeed this year. Several Lapwing with chicks in view from Gullery Hide, also a male Marsh Harrier and an Osprey. They Osprey passed through from left to right but made no attempt to catch a fish. Sedge Warbler, Reed Bunting, Willow Warbler, Common Whitethroat and Blackcap seen/heard on the way to the Swamp Hide.

Teal, Shoveler, Goldeneye, Oystercatcher, Shelduck, Redshank, deer x4 and the ponies seen. Lots of Swift, House Martin, Sand Martin and Swallow.

 

[kinnordyvolunteer]

Spotted Crake has been heard late at night near the gullery hide. Haven't heard sightings or hearings for a couple of years, so its good that someone has heard they are back.

Darell

 

[delia todd]

Hmmm... hoping to get there tomorrow Darell, but doubt will be late at night!

How did the Birdfair go... I was hoping but didn't manage in the end.

D

 

[IanF]

We did the Gullery Hide and East Hide this afternoon. A real scorcher today. Great views of the Marsh Harriers at 2.40pm making a food pass. Nothing else of note seen.

Might see you there Delia. We're hoping to do Backwater Res and Lintrathen and Kinnordy again in the morning.

 

[kinnordyvolunteer]

I enjoyed the birdfair Delia. Small and compact, but good for a starter. Lots of book sellers, birding holiday companies etc etc plus talks from various people. The weather wasn't great on saturday but it didn't rain. We watched a BTO ringer put rings on a female siskin and a male nuthatch which are new to that area. People going for a walk said they had seen 6 or 7 of them, so they seem to have arrived in numbers!!

Darell

 

[kinnordyvolunteer]

A survey last week revealed 4 separate Spotted Crakes

Darell

 

[gus guthrie]

The Spotted Crakes have been singing very well this last week or so. Best time to hear them is after dark, around 10.30pm normally. It's surprising what other birds are still singing in the dark too.
Other birds present at the loch just now are Marsh Harrier, Tawny Owls with young, Barn Owls, Ospreys, Black-headed Gulls and plenty small birds too.
Otters are being seen on a regular basis as they raid the nests of birds on the bogbean.

 

[delia todd]

Has anyone seen this bird. First saw it come up from near the Harrier's nest area.

We were there this evening but couldn't stay till 10.30 - really getting quite cold by 8.30!!

Marsh Harriers got quite active for a while and actually saw a food pass - wonderful!

No gulls left now - well just two floating about. If the blooming otters are going to pinch all the eggs they might have the decency to show their faces when I'm there!