Birds fae Torry (3 Viewers)

[tjbw]

On Friday I had a look around St Fittick's and Nigg Bay. Highlights for me included:

9 Rook together on field west of concrete bridge.
Male Pheasant landed near trees on east side of triangle field.
Female Pheasant on path by railway bridge. 24 Linnet on fence at Nigg Bay.
14 Curlew on rocks at Nigg Bay.
Great Black-backed Gull on Nigg Bay.
2 Eurasian Teal.
2 Grey Heron.
Treecreeper ascending tree by feeders north of concrete bridge
Water Rail heard just before I left at about 1700.

Barry

 

[Cucurrucucu]

The Burn will be diverted again, near the wooden bridge, into the main marsh. A new drainage channel will allow the burn to exit the park at the existing culvert. This changes the main marsh from stagnant water to flowing water.

Thanks - very interesting.
How will the retention basin cope with the stinking muck that flows from the industrial estate further up stream? Sometimes to stench of volatiles is eye-crossing and the scum on the surface can be an inch thick.
Water still going into the new harbour?
How will it cope with flooding.
Going right up to the edge of the ruin?
Will we lose the paths on either side of the water treatment works? See so much along there - birds, mammals, amphibians and lots of inverts.

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Interesting to see the plans. It's possible that more wetland that's better managed is a good thing, although I'll believe it when I see it. Avoiding pollution, as others have mentioned, will be important.

It's been fairly low-key for birds over the last couple of days. I had a look around the headland today. Four Long-tailed Ducks were in Aberdeen Bay and the pair of Stonechats were again in Walker Park.

 

[Cucurrucucu]

Song thrush in our garden the last three days. Wonderful sound.
View attachment Garden 25,2,15 song thrush cut .mov

 

[tjbw]

Thanks - very interesting.

Q: How will the retention basin cope with the stinking muck that flows from the industrial estate further up stream? Sometimes to stench of volatiles is eye-crossing and the scum on the surface can be an inch thick.

A: At the moment the dense reed bed near concrete bridge is restricting water flow. I understand that some of these reeds will be cleared. This will result in lower water level at that location, with faster water flow and scum reduction from upstream.

The retention basin will require maintenance for removal of silt and other debris.

Q: Water still going into the new harbour?

A: Yes, the re-routed burn will use the existing culvert which discharges into Nigg Bay.

Q: How will it cope with flooding.

A: Reduced risk of flooding upstream of concrete bridge, due to reed clearance near concrete bridge.

I think they should consider adding a flood control pipe from new retention basin, or from wooden bridge area, direct to the culvert. They could also add a weir at the discharge of main marsh into the re-routed burn.

The flood control pipe would help control maximum water level in the marsh, and the weir could help control minimum level.

Q: Going right up to the edge of the ruin?

A: No, the ruin is outside the development area.

Q: Will we lose the paths on either side of the water treatment works? See so much along there - birds, mammals, amphibians and lots of inverts.

A: The paths on south side of Water Treatment works are outside the development of area,. But the first path on northern side is inside. They will remove trees on either side of this path. This will then provide vehicular access to a new building in triangle field and also car parking and storage space.

There will also be some trees removed along eastern edge of triangle field.

There will be a new bridge and boardwalk near the retention basin, and "improved paths" along the two edges of triangle field towards wooden bridge and railway Bridge.

These answers are based on my understanding of the plans. For definitive answers you could ask ETZ at etzltd.com

I like the proposed Wetland changes but find it hard to believe that there isn't a suitable location elsewhere for the buildings.

Barry

 

[Cucurrucucu]

A: At the moment the dense reed bed near concrete bridge is restricting water flow. I understand that some of these reeds will be cleared. This will result in lower water level at that location, with faster water flow and scum reduction from upstream.

The reed bed was being cut back regularly by the Sustainable Water Company. Even in the covid years, Derrick was there (with all his interesting conspiracy theories), working away clearing particular areas.

But haven't seen any clearing since the ETZ plans started to become more defined.

A: Yes, the re-routed burn will use the existing culvert which discharges into Nigg Bay.

Does seem strange to let waste water go into a mostly enclosed body of water.

The flood control pipe would help control maximum water level in the marsh, and the weir could help control minimum level.

Do they listen to any of us or only take advice from their paid planners?

A: The paths on south side of Water Treatment works are outside the development of area

The plan seems to show the path immediately below the water treatment plant will be lost too.

Means I will lose the main part of my walk and so much of the wildlife will go. (Saw eight speckled woods on one day along those paths last year.)

There will also be some trees removed along eastern edge of triangle field.
There will be a new bridge and boardwalk near the retention basin, and "improved paths" along the two edges of triangle field towards wooden bridge and railway Bridge.
These answers are based on my understanding of the plans. For definitive answers you could ask ETZ at etzltd.com
I like the proposed Wetland changes but find it hard to believe that there isn't a suitable location elsewhere for the buildings.

Don't think I've ever seen anybody use the basketball nets apart from a focal point for parties.
Hope they will leave/make it a wildlife area with paths to walk. Good for biodiversity, education and mental health.
Thanks for the info.

 

[Ian Bell]

Nothing ground breaking but a Song Thrush was singing his heart out In the dark,at 0630 this morning on Abbey Place.

 

[tjbw]

The reed bed was being cut back regularly by the Sustainable Water Company. Even in the covid years, Derrick was there (with all his interesting conspiracy theories), working away clearing particular areas.
View attachment 1629268
But haven't seen any clearing since the ETZ plans started to become more defined.




Do they listen to any of us or only take advice from their paid planners?

A: The paths on south side of Water Treatment works are outside the development of area

The plan seems to show the path immediately below the water treatment plant will be lost too.
View attachment 1629267


Don't think I've ever seen anybody use the basketball nets apart from a focal point for parties.
Hope they will leave/make it a wildlife area with paths to walk. Good for biodiversity, education and mental health.
Thanks for the info.

"Does seem strange to let waste water go into a mostly enclosed body of water."
Water in the burn should be from rainwater drains and surface run off.

Waste water should be connected to the sewer that connects to the Water Treatment Plant.

"Means I will lose the main part of my walk and so much of the wildlife will go. (Saw eight speckled woods on one day along those paths last year.)"

Your route could change as indicated in this map:

 

[Cucurrucucu]

"Does seem strange to let waste water go into a mostly enclosed body of water."
Water in the burn should be from rainwater drains and surface run off.

I've always assumed that the surface water runs off industrial stuff further up hence the frequent scummy surface and stench of volatiles at the concrete bridge.
Will the reed beds filter all that?
Certainly looks as though some water is discharged from the water treatment plant by the way the steam that rises from the burn below the plant. Heat itself is a form of pollution.

Your route could change as indicated in this map:

I'd have to do the steps up to the bridge which can be a challenge for my screaming joints some days.
But I'm more worried about where the wildlife will go when their habitat is pared back so drastically.

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

I've always assumed that the surface water runs off industrial stuff further up hence the frequent scummy surface and stench of volatiles at the concrete bridge.
Will the reed beds filter all that?
Certainly looks as though some water is discharged from the water treatment plant by the way the steam that rises from the burn below the plant. Heat itself is a form of pollution.
View attachment 1629623

I'd have to do the steps up to the bridge which can be a challenge for my screaming joints some days.
But I'm more worried about where the wildlife will go when their habitat is pared back so drastically.

That used to happen quite a lot and the water glowed bright white in my thermal imager.

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Have been a bit slow mentioning recent stuff, although I've not been out much this week. Last Sunday was quiet at St Fittick's. I had very good views of a Water Rail and there were three Stock Doves and a Goldcrest (which seem scarce this winter). Perhaps the most notable sighting was a flock of 20 Curlews on Tullos Hill, a high count by recent standards.

Today was rather pleasant with quite mild temperatures, sunny conditions and a moderate southerly breeze. The headland was fairly quiet with 90 Purple Sandpipers and five Long-tailed Ducks the best of it. Around St Fittick's, I again heard a Jay calling. Also around were seven Teal and a male Stonechat. The highlight was my first Black Guillemot of the year in the harbour. It was still in winter plumage but was perhaps starting to get some darker feathers. I hope it stays around.

Here are a few pictures from the past week or so, including a nice argentatus Herring Gull from last Saturday.

 

[Cucurrucucu]

a nice argentatus Herring Gull

Ignoring the "nice", what do you look for to differentiate from the usual model? More black in the wings? Paler? Pushier?

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Ignoring the "nice", what do you look for to differentiate from the usual model? More black in the wings? Paler? Pushier?

Somewhat darker slate grey on the wings with a large white mirror in the wing tip (even at a younger age as this bird is). It's also really heavily streaked on the head.

 

[Cucurrucucu]

Just added a new species to the list of birds visiting our garden. View attachment Garden 25,2,26 moorhen! 4.JPG

 

[Ian Bell]

Just added a new species to the list of birds visiting our garden. View attachment 1630516

 

[Ian Bell]

😮😮😮😮😮😮

 

[Cucurrucucu]

😮😮😮😮😮😮

View attachment Garden 25,2,28 moorhen on chair 58.JPG Still there. Views the world from the back of the garden chair a couple of metres from our sitting room window.
Not sure what it will do when I go out to plant some daffodils in the window box.

 

[Ian Bell]

I had an early morning visit to St Fitticks Park today.The Main Pond area was more quiet than usual,with only a pair of Moorhen and a single drake Mallard on the water.Along the Path towards the Bay of Nigg,I came across two Roe Deer doe's,a Reed Bunting singing and a Chiffchaff calling from the plantation,over the burn.
Over towards the Concrete Bridge,there was a Water Rail calling from the Reedbeds.It was while In this area,I met a lovely lady called Nina,who was doing her rounds,filling up her Feeders,which she had redesigned,to stop the Crows and Magpies from getting to them.Just after leaving her,I came across a party of 8 Bullfinch,feeding on the Larch trees.
As I moved out of the trees,I startled a Roe Deer buck,which let out a few barks,before disappearing Into the reeds.Quite a few other species were bursting Into song,once the sun appeared and I had to disappear back home again.Sadly no Jay seen or heard...........but one day,I will catch one again !!

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Have been a bit bad at keeping things up-to-date on here, although it's mostly been a quiet week. Yesterday (7th) produced my first Lesser Black-backed Gulls of the year, with two on the rooftops below the flat. One was a subadult, unusually. It's the same date as my first last year. A walk around the headland was quiet but I did pick out 17 Long-tailed Ducks in Aberdeen Bay.

A notable recent development has been the appearance of a rookery on Victoria Road. There are now five nests at various stages of being built. It shows how much Rooks are increasing in the area. Fifteen years ago, I rarely saw them.

Today was pleasantly warm but with quite a bit of mist offshore. Like Ian, I had a look around St Fittick's Park in the morning and like him I heard a singing Chiffchaff. It showed quite well in the willows between the bridges. I think it's the earliest ever I've had one singing here and is nine days earlier than last year. Other stuff there included a Great Spotted Woodpecker, two calling Water Rails, and three Goldcrests. Things were mostly quiet around the headland, although I did flush a Snipe in Walker Park.

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Another mild and pleasant day with very light winds but some mist again. The calm seas allowed for a count of 39 Long-tailed Ducks in Aberdeen Bay. Also there were three Common Scoters and a Red-breasted Merganser. Looking further out, a group of 17 Whooper Swans were picked out flying north.

Over in St Fittick's, a Redpoll was my first of the year. Also around were Great Spotted Woodpecker, Stock Dove, three Water Rails and two Teal. A Toad lurked in the undergrowth. At the feeders, a male Yellowhammer turned up right on cue. I saw my first of the year in the same circumstances and on the same date in 2024.