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Birds fae Torry (1 Viewer)

Andrew Whitehouse

Professor of Listening
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Scotland
I had a good look around again today, in pleasant weather. I started fairly early around St Fittick's. Of most note were my first Redpolls of the year, with a couple seen and the male showing very nicely by the reedbed. I tried to do a fairly precise survey of Willow Warblers and counted 22 singing. There were also four Blackcaps and a Water Rail again showed well. The Great Spotted Woodpecker was drumming along the embankment. An interesting record was of a Siskin flying over. It seems quite late for a wintering or passage bird, so perhaps it's here for other reasons.

In the afternoon I had a look around the headland. It was mostly pretty quiet. A Wheatear was around Greyhope Bay. Offshore, another Manx Shearwater went north.
 

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Andrew Whitehouse

Professor of Listening
Staff member
Supporter
Scotland
I had a quick look around the headland late afternoon today, mostly in between the showers. Not too much birdwise but there were at least 20 Sandwich Terns and a Common Tern. Lots of dolphin activity though.
 

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delia todd

If I said the wrong thing it was a Senior Moment
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Scotland
Crikey!!! You really caught the action well in those pictures Andrew.

Well done lad.
 

Andrew Whitehouse

Professor of Listening
Staff member
Supporter
Scotland
Winter returned today, with cold, grey conditions. The highlight late in the afternoon was my first White Wagtail of the year, at the east end of the golf course. A Wheatear was also on the golf course. Otherwise things were fairly quiet. Plenty of commoner seabirds were moving offshore but nothing out of the ordinary was among them.
 

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Andrew Whitehouse

Professor of Listening
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Scotland
That's a good record for late April. There have been good numbers in the Northern Isles over recent days, so they seem to be moving (probably back to Scandinavia).

Things were rather low key this evening around the headland. Three Wheatears were the best of it. A couple of Sand Martins were around the colony, looking cold.
 

Andrew Whitehouse

Professor of Listening
Staff member
Supporter
Scotland
Was that a reed warbler I heard in the reeds on St F's today? It wouldn't come out for a mug shot and I can't upload the audio file.
Much more likely a Sedge Warbler. Reed Warbler doesn't breed much in this part of Scotland, whereas Sedge is common. Still good to hear though, as it would be the first of the year.
 

Biscuitman

Active member
United Kingdom
Just saw your Sunday post and picked up on your Siskin observation at St Fitticks. I've just had some return to my Garden in Stonehaven after the winter so I got a few shots - I've attached a few below.
I'm relatively new to the forum and have been interested in your posts, as I've never been up to the St Fitticks area. I took a drive up there the other week for a reccy and drove around Greyhope Road only to find it was closed halfway around! They didn't tell me that on Google Maps! I'm not sure where St Fitticks Park is though or how to get to it.
 

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Andrew Whitehouse

Professor of Listening
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Scotland
Thanks for the comment Biscuitman. If you're driving, probably the best way to get to St Fittick's is to park on Balnagask Circle, probably in the car park near Pentland Place. The main area is between there and the waterworks and then up the Tullos Burn towards Tullos School.

The road on the south side of Girdle Ness has been closed for a long time and will probably be closed for a lot longer. It's open on the north side though.
 

Biscuitman

Active member
United Kingdom
Thanks Andrew, I did drive around the North side until I got to the Lighthouse and the road was blocked so I got the lie of the land around that area.
 

Andrew Whitehouse

Professor of Listening
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Supporter
Scotland
I had an interesting evening today. I headed out around the headland and, as I was doing so, picked up a report of a pod of Orcas heading north off Stonehaven. I wondered how long they might take to get up here. On my way to the Ness, there were three White Wagtails and a Wheatear on the golf course. Offshore, five Shelduck and a drake Long-tailed Duck went north.

As further reports of the Orcas came through, it became fairly clear that they wouldn't make it here before dark. Somewhat unusually, I had a car at my disposable and tried to work out where I might connect with them. I headed down to Findon but there was no sign and I suspected they'd already gone through. I then went to Cove Bay where a large crowd were gathered. The Orcas had partly gone through but I managed to see two surface a couple of times as the light faded. Not as good a views as some had, but the first I've ever seen in Britain.
 

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delia todd

If I said the wrong thing it was a Senior Moment
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Ooooh lovely Andrew. They're wonderful, aren't they.

I was lucky enough to see a pod on Fair Isle - that's about 20 years ago now.

Can't believe I got that tick before you LOL
 

Andrew Whitehouse

Professor of Listening
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Scotland
Back in the Torry saddle again today. The highlight was a flock of 13 Barnacle Geese heading north, seen around 8.30 this morning. Later, I had a brisk stroll around the headland early in the afternoon. Plenty of seabirds were moving offshore. Among them were three Puffins and a Manx Shearwater.
 

Andrew Whitehouse

Professor of Listening
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Scotland
Another extremely cold, windy day here in Torry. I headed round the headland early in the evening and had a fairly interesting time. I suspect there may have been a few migrants lurking in sheltered spots, though all I saw on that front were two Wheatears on the golf course. My second Yellowhammer of the year was also hopping about on the course. Things were fairly busy on the sea. At least three Bonxies were lurking. Good numbers of terns included six Common Terns and at least one Arctic Tern. Twelve Red-throated Divers went north, as did two Whimbrel. A summer plumage Dunlin was on Skate's Nose.
 
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Andrew Whitehouse

Professor of Listening
Staff member
Supporter
Scotland
Had an interesting wander round St Fittick's this evening, in fine but chilly conditions. Two Sedge Warblers were singing in the reeds, both keeping out of sight. More surprising were a couple of Common Sandpipers along the Tullos Burn. I've never seen them there before, and they were quite vocal. I wonder what they're up to. Around 70 Sand Martins were swooping about over the marsh, settling to roost. At dusk, a Fieldfare was also flying about, calling. An odd mix of summer and winter, although perhaps one fitting with the conditions.
 

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