Nice to meet you John. Hope you enjoyed your visit!
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Birds fae Torry (8 Viewers)
- Thread starter Andrew Whitehouse
- Start date
MJB
Well-known member
Naw, naw, naw! Silver threads amang the gold...!
MJB
Cold, windy and showery today in Torry. I had a brisk look around the headland late afternoon. A juvenile Peregrine steamed across the harbour. The pair of Stonechats and a chilly looking Wheatear were on the golf course. Seawatching was underwhelming, despite good numbers of commoner seabirds moving. Four Arctic Skuas were about the only birds of note.
A fairly pleasant day here today, with quite sunny conditions and less wind than over recent days. A few species were taking the opportunity to move around. Most conspicuous were Pink-footed Geese, with 690 counted in various flocks. A group of five Siskins went through past the flat and a couple of flocks of Tree Sparrows over the headland totalled 20 birds. Things were rather quiet otherwise, although a male Stonechat was in Greyhope Bay and an Arctic Tern and three Harbour Porpoises offshore.
I had a fairly quick look around St Fittick's in the afternoon. A Great Spotted Woodpecker, two Redpolls and three calling Water Rails were around. Once again a Jay was near the wooden bridge, although this time I just heard it calling and didn't see it.
I had a fairly quick look around St Fittick's in the afternoon. A Great Spotted Woodpecker, two Redpolls and three calling Water Rails were around. Once again a Jay was near the wooden bridge, although this time I just heard it calling and didn't see it.
Good to know a Jay Is still around
I had a look around the headland late afternoon today, in overcast conditions with an easterly wind. Wandering along Abbey Road, I immediately heard a Yellow-browed Warbler call. It called a few more times but didn't show well, aside from flipping across the road a couple of times. I got to the sycamores below the west end of the allotments and another was calling in there. This one sat still long enough to grace my binocular view for a few seconds. Then a third was calling in the large sycamore further east but evaded my eyes entirely.
Not much else was around aside from a couple of Chiffchaffs and a Song Thrush that was likely a migrant.
Not much else was around aside from a couple of Chiffchaffs and a Song Thrush that was likely a migrant.
Cucurrucucu
Cucurrucucu
Is this a wigeon? Below the allotments today.36 barnacle geese flew over just before 10 this morning.
A dozen or so ringed plovers on Greyhope rocks and ~ curlew bathing.
We've had a warbler in the garden a few times this week but too fast to get proper pictures.
There's a bloody splat on our sitting room window. Think something might have been spooked by the the sparrowhawk. Doubt it could survive such damage but no sign of a corpse below the window.
Put up a silhouette weeks ago but doesn't seem to make much difference. The pigeons maybe hit the window a little less frequently but we've had to rescue a few stunned goldfinches.
Any suggestions?
Yes, a Wigeon. I suspected there might be some Barnacle Geese today. I saw a really distant, quite large flock of geese over the sea which might easily have been some but they were literally miles out.
Cucurrucucu
Cucurrucucu
These went straight overhead - South Breakwater heading southish.
View attachment Harbour 24,9,30 36 barnacle geese 47 cut .mp4
Cucurrucucu
Cucurrucucu
ID please. I assume this is the same warbler that has been visiting our garden every few days for the past week.
Finally got video worth watching.
Chiffchaff. What points define it?
View attachment Garden 24,10,2 warbler 3cut .mov
Finally got video worth watching.
Chiffchaff. What points define it?
View attachment Garden 24,10,2 warbler 3cut .mov
Cucurrucucu
Cucurrucucu
But, apart from the kestrel being mobbed by crows for 10 minutes over St F's this morning, the big surprise was what was fishing around the tide gauge below SEPA.
View attachment St Fiticks 24,10,2 kingfisher above tide gauge 90 cut .mov
Is it your little friend from a couple of weeks ago?
View attachment St Fiticks 24,10,2 kingfisher above tide gauge 90 cut .mov
Is it your little friend from a couple of weeks ago?
Good to know it's still around!
Looks like a Chiffchaff yes. Some things to notice are the blackish legs, slightly dull looking face with a prominent arc below the eye, not as yellow on the breast as a Willow Warbler would look and with a weaker supercillium.
Cucurrucucu
Cucurrucucu
Thanks!
The reason I thought it was a chiffchaff is because I hear one. Still can't tell the difference. Need them all lined up in a row to compare them.
If it were Siberian, how would I know?
All black beak so male?
Yes, a male. I heard a Chiffchaff singing today too, although at work rather than in Torry. They seem to be singing more than usual this autumn. Siberian lacks obvious yellow and olive tones, has a stronger supercillium that is more buff coloured. It also calls and sings a bit differently.
Cucurrucucu
Cucurrucucu
Foreigners have different accents?!
I think so. There have been a couple around recently.
Cucurrucucu
Cucurrucucu
This one was picked on over and over for at least 10 minutes from the nets field to the new harbour.
A bit cloudy in Torry today, with a brisk southerly wind. I had a look around the headland late in the afternoon. I had quite decent views of a Yellow-browed Warbler in the trees below the western end of the allotments again, along with three Chiffchaffs. The only other bird of note was an adult Little Gull that was flying about and roosting with the Kittiwakes on the breakwater.
