Birds fae Torry (14 Viewers)

[Andrew Whitehouse]

An otter from Victoria bridge this morning just after 5 am. A Torry tick for me!

Nice record Mark. Was that a late night or an early morning?

 

[Mark Lew1s]

An early morning unfortunately....

 

[Mark Lew1s]

If it was a late night you probably wouldn't have believed me! I wouldn't have believed me either!

 

[Mark Lew1s]

A very pleasant morning stroll around the ness today, with plenty of signs of arrivals and movements. There were at least 5 willow warblers on the north bank and 2 more flighty phylloscs in the allotments. At the battery 4 teal went south and 5 swallows went north, a common sandpiper was on the shore and a whitethroat was in the battery willows. At least 9 wheatear and 1 white wagtail in the walled garden and a house martin was making itself at home over the new houses behind inverdee house.

Offshore a few scoter, LTD, RTD were moving north with large nos of Guilles and razors, and 3 wigeon and a handsome adult dark phase arctic skua as well.

 

[Mark Lew1s]

And 6 common terns north as well...ooops

 

[danny_heptinstall]

a single whimbrel flying north, 3 common terns resting on the outer breakwater and half a dozen or more wheatears in the walled area by the lighthouse this evening

also 9 RTD in Nigg Bay

 

[Capercaillie71]

I called in past the hallowed turf of Girdleness at lunchtime on my way north throught he city. It was freezing cold, windy with added hail showers, so not much fun wandering about. Bird-wise, the best I could manage was the White Wagtail in the walled garden, but the overall highlight was this fox and her cubs sunning themselves between showers outside their den, completely unconcerned by me standing 20 metres away.

 

[Ian Bell]

Great pics Paul. :t:

They are spreading throughout Torry and Iv'e seen them outside my house a few times now.Makes a pleasant change from seeing Staffordshire Terriers..!

 

[Capercaillie71]

Great pics Paul. :t:

Thanks - as a country-dweller I am more used to seeing foxes running away from me at top speed!

 

[Mark Lew1s]

Great fox pics!

A pleasant surprise this morning was a short-eared owl hunting over the rough ground behind the sewage works. Also a surprise, but also something of a relief, were the 4 sand martins darting in and out of the nest holes in Nigg bay.

Seawatching was quiet apart from a peregrine hunting terns and kittiwakes off greg ness, and 4 bar-tailed godwits that went north.

There were 10 wheatears in the walled garden.

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

A few things from yesterday. I also managed my first Sand Martin of the year over Abbey Road. Not too many other migrants except for at least fourteen Wheatears, most in Walker Park. A White Wagtail was also there. Off the Coo, twelve Common Scoters and two Common Terns went north. Fifteen Red-throated Divers were around Nigg Bay and there were four Long-tailed Ducks. We've not had the spring build up of that last species this year, which is a bit of a shame. Presumably it's something to do with the peculiar weather conditions.

A car stopped beside me as I was walking around Nigg Bay. The couple inside were clearly birders and they asked me if I'd seen the King Eider. I was slightly confused by this. It turned out they thought they were at the Ythan Estuary.

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Actually got up early this morning and had a wander around, hoping the overnight rain and southeasterlies might have done something. It certainly felt more like spring anyway, and the birds were more what one would expect in early May. Along Abbey Road Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and Sedge Warbler were all singing. A Sparrowhawk flew off from the allotments carrying prey. At least three Whitethroats were singing on the golf course and north bank.

Happily the Battery produced a long-awaited patch tick. It wasn't a complete surprise as the same bird was reported yesterday: a singing Grasshopper Warbler. It sang briefly a couple of times and showed fairly well as it dashed from bush to bush. A Sedge Warbler was also there. At least 25 Wheatears were festooned around the golf course and Walker Park.

The south bank was a bit quieter but two Fieldfares were a surprise. Mark, who was also out early, put up a splendid Short-eared Owl from near St Fittick's. Presumably it's the one that's been hanging around lately. Three Blackcaps and a Willow Warbler were at the mound and another Sedge Warbler was, rather unusually, singing from a hedge by the bowling green.

 

[Mark Lew1s]

Not much to add to what Andrew had this morning. At least three common sandpipers were on the north shore, and a very nice male whinchat was also at the battery.

Spring feels like spring at last!

 

[Joseph N]

Had a quickish look round the Ness between showers early afternoon. 2 Whitethroats included one on the South Bank and one by the sycamore. 8+ Wheatears included a single leucorhoa on the golf course at the western end of the battery with an oenanthe for a nice comparison in breast colour and size, whilst the other 6 were in the walled garden. A Whimbrel was on the rocks at Nigg Bay whilst a Red-throated Diver was also here. Very few migrants on show, thought something may have been brought in after yesterday but stuff could have been lurking out of view.

Joseph

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Had my first Swifts of the year this morning, with three over Victoria Road. Three days later than last year.

 

[Ian Bell]

Had my first Swifts of the year this morning, with three over Victoria Road. Three days later than last year.

You beat me to It Andrew.I had 9 Swifts on Balnagask Road,30 minutes ago.

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Nice to see the Swifts back, and it's also good to see a few House and Sand Martins around now. Not too much else around the Ness today, in the rather pleasant weather. The best was a first summer White Wagtail on Greyhope Bay. A scattering of four or five Wheatears ere on the golf course but there were virtually no other migrants. Two Long-tailed Ducks were in Nigg Bay, a Purple Sandpiper was on the rocks below the Coo and one Red-throated Diver went north. There were good numbers of Common Terns about. That's your lot though.

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

I had some hopes of a few migrants today, but nothing at all was doing. The main interest was on the sea, where there was a reasonable northwards passage. Highlights were eleven Manx Shearwaters, a dark phase Arctic Skua and four Puffins. Lots of Common Terns and a few Arctic Terns were also about, as were three Red-throated Divers. Nine Purple Sandpipers, some approaching summer plumage, and a Dunlin were in Greyhope Bay. Seven Wheatears, all looking rather 'Northwestern', were in Walker Park and another was on the south bank.

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Thanks to a phone call from Mark I just managed a house and patch tick, with an Osprey heading north over the harbour mouth.

Cheers Mark!

 

[Mark Lew1s]

My pleasure! A long awaited patch tick for me too.