StuartReeves
Local rarity
Nice one on an interesting date...
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Birds fae Torry (6 Viewers)
- Thread starter Andrew Whitehouse
- Start date
Nice one on an interesting date...
Hmm, enigmatic there Stuart... Is it your birthday?
Anyway, I think this might be one of the most enjoyable birds I've seen at Girdle Ness. I spent I guess nearly an hour watching it along the southern edge of the golf course this evening. It spent a lot of the time sat on posts, often at very close range. Sometimes it hopped down on to the fairway, seemingly to rummage for insects and invertebrates in the grass cuttings. It also spent a bit of time hovering, kestrel-like, along the bank. For a while it got some fairly significant stick from a pair of Magpies, at which impertinence it gave a rather shrill, plaintive call.
I hope it sticks around. Anyone got any worms?
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StuartReeves
Local rarity
Just that an autumn redfoot merits a second look these days. A second look which in this case confirms that it is indeed a redfoot.
Zephyrus Carrington
Well-known member
Nice pics Andrew - particularly that flight shot! A smashing bird which much enlivened my cycle ride home tonight!
Hugh Addlesee
Well-known member
Are you sure about that? Roddy Mavor soon put me to rights yesterday when I suggested the same, i.e. that it clearly wasn't an Amur. It sounded like any confirmatory features on juvs are subtle, though maybe it is possible with the photos taken of this bird.
I thought it was a good date as it was exactly a decade since Mark & I had a Great Shear give a nice fly past at the Ness. It doesn't seem that long ago...
Mark Lew1s
My real name is Mark Lewis
Holy moly - 10 years ago? Let's make sure we're at girdleness on 10th September 2025 then!
Stonefaction
Dundee Birding....(target 150 in 2025).
Saw it from the car when we arrived at 9am yesterday and was happy enough with that. Local crows then chased it off and we were gonna move on. Thankfully it showed up again and we had amazingly close views of the bird in the sunshine (which didn't last) from on the golf course. As has been said, the bird comes to you. Even took a few videos using phone to show how close the bird was....
Amazing wee bird, and probably just sneaks it above the Harlequin Duck for my bird(ing moment) of the year. Still time for something to top it....
https://www.facebook.com/stonefaction/videos/10153055865743021/?pnref=story
https://www.facebook.com/stonefaction/videos/10153055591413021/?pnref=story
and a couple with the P900, so better quality...
https://www.facebook.com/stonefaction/videos/10153055743483021/?pnref=story
https://www.facebook.com/stonefaction/videos/10153055615808021/?pnref=story
A few more photos on my flickr page too.
Amazing wee bird, and probably just sneaks it above the Harlequin Duck for my bird(ing moment) of the year. Still time for something to top it....
https://www.facebook.com/stonefaction/videos/10153055865743021/?pnref=story
https://www.facebook.com/stonefaction/videos/10153055591413021/?pnref=story
and a couple with the P900, so better quality...
https://www.facebook.com/stonefaction/videos/10153055743483021/?pnref=story
https://www.facebook.com/stonefaction/videos/10153055615808021/?pnref=story
A few more photos on my flickr page too.
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Nice shots Barry, and I like the flight videos. The Red-footed Falcon was still around this morning, sitting about on the golfing tees at one stage while people drove to the fairway just a few metres from it.
There wasn't much evidence of any migrants, which was disappointing, although the wind made it hard work to search. Two Wheatears were all I managed. Peregrine and Reed Bunting were in the Nigg Bay area. Waders included three Sanderling, five Purple Sandpipers, one Dunlin and fifteen Knot. Two Arctic Terns were on Greyhope Bay. Offshore there were quite a seabirds milling about, the best of which were two Sooty Shearwaters - one north and one south. The latter was pretty close in, probably no more than a hundred metres or so from the shore.
There wasn't much evidence of any migrants, which was disappointing, although the wind made it hard work to search. Two Wheatears were all I managed. Peregrine and Reed Bunting were in the Nigg Bay area. Waders included three Sanderling, five Purple Sandpipers, one Dunlin and fifteen Knot. Two Arctic Terns were on Greyhope Bay. Offshore there were quite a seabirds milling about, the best of which were two Sooty Shearwaters - one north and one south. The latter was pretty close in, probably no more than a hundred metres or so from the shore.
Mark Lew1s
My real name is Mark Lewis
A pretty good day today. In the morning I was out quite early and expecting an inundation of migrants after yesterday's weather. Things were in fact very quiet but the lack of numbers was compensated by the quality. Through the morning I had tree pipit, snow bunt and yellow wagtail go over, and pied flycatcher and three whinchat scattered about.
In the afternoon I had a good 2 hour seawatch. There were several skuas going north including a single Pom. Best of all though was a juv Sabine's gull - a full on patch tick and my 200th species at girdle ness! I'm now celebrating with a drop of something quite strong...
In the afternoon I had a good 2 hour seawatch. There were several skuas going north including a single Pom. Best of all though was a juv Sabine's gull - a full on patch tick and my 200th species at girdle ness! I'm now celebrating with a drop of something quite strong...
Today was the calmest I can remember for ages. Hardly a breath of wind. Most of the interest was in the Nigg Bay area. The best bird may have been a Jack Snipe flushed from the marsh, although the Great Spotted Woodpecker seen and heard briefly along the railway embankment was probably rarer on patch. Four Mistle Thrushes going north were also unusual.
Otherwise things were fairly subdued but 'stuff' included two Yellowhammers, three Reed Buntings, five Goldcrests, two Knot, five Red-throated Divers and one each of Common and Sandwich Tern. Bit of movement on the Purple Sandpiper Totaliser too:
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Also a couple of Harbour Porpoises offshore. Last night I heard my first Pink-footed Geese of the autumn and a few more were going over today.
Was a bit disappointed to see the council 'tidying up' the trees around 'the mound' today. It'll certainly make it less attractive to migrants.
Here's a picture of Torry's hottest new night spot.
Otherwise things were fairly subdued but 'stuff' included two Yellowhammers, three Reed Buntings, five Goldcrests, two Knot, five Red-throated Divers and one each of Common and Sandwich Tern. Bit of movement on the Purple Sandpiper Totaliser too:
11
Also a couple of Harbour Porpoises offshore. Last night I heard my first Pink-footed Geese of the autumn and a few more were going over today.
Was a bit disappointed to see the council 'tidying up' the trees around 'the mound' today. It'll certainly make it less attractive to migrants.
Here's a picture of Torry's hottest new night spot.
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Another reasonably interesting day at Girdle Ness. Still very calm after a very settled week of weather. Again, much of the most notable stuff was around Nigg Bay. At least one Common Crossbill was heard calling overhead. Also going over were two Redpolls and ten Tree Sparrows. Four Common Snipe were in the marsh. I also managed a 24-carat patch tick. Well maybe not 24-carat but still a patch tick. I was in amongst the scrub between the football pitch and the school fields when I heard a soft piping note. Soon after I was watching three Bullfinches flitting about in the bushes. I guess that one counts as 'long-awaited' although it's not a regular bird here at all. Other birds around Nigg Bay included a Chiffchaff and two Goldcrests.
Three Harbour Porpoises were offshore, but little else was happening there. There were still eight Knot on the North Pier. Following up on reports earlier in the week, I tried a bit of pishing by the willow bush just left of the steps down from the Battery to the breakwater. Just a few seconds later a Yellow-browed Warbler popped out, gave good views for a few seconds and then disappeared. It came out again a couple more times, the second occasion long enough for some photos.
Earlier in the day I saw a 'patch record' four Collared Doves on Victoria Road.
Here are some 'patch gold' shots of Bullfinch and Yellow-browed Warbler.
Three Harbour Porpoises were offshore, but little else was happening there. There were still eight Knot on the North Pier. Following up on reports earlier in the week, I tried a bit of pishing by the willow bush just left of the steps down from the Battery to the breakwater. Just a few seconds later a Yellow-browed Warbler popped out, gave good views for a few seconds and then disappeared. It came out again a couple more times, the second occasion long enough for some photos.
Earlier in the day I saw a 'patch record' four Collared Doves on Victoria Road.
Here are some 'patch gold' shots of Bullfinch and Yellow-browed Warbler.
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That's good that you picked up a Stonechat Jim - I've not seen any since earlier in the year. I was hoping they might return to nest this year, but maybe we'll have to wait till next.
Had a bit of a look around in the (lightish) rain this afternoon. Certainly quite a few birds in, with Song Thrush and Redwing both quite numerous. Otherwise it has hard to see much in the way of passerines, other than a scattering of Goldcrests and a couple of Chiffchaffs. The best bird was a brief view of a Short-eared Owl that came in south over the harbour. I bet there's lots of stuff 'out there' though.
I also managed to gather a tub full of blackberries, which I made into a nice crumble. So it was a worthwhile afternoon, even if I did get a bit wet.
I also managed to gather a tub full of blackberries, which I made into a nice crumble. So it was a worthwhile afternoon, even if I did get a bit wet.
Mark Lew1s
My real name is Mark Lewis
2 yellow-browed warblers and a very siberian looking chiffchaff along abbey rd this morning. Also, millions of geese going over this morning, although they appear to have dried up now...
Mark Lew1s
My real name is Mark Lewis
And at least three more YBW around the sewage works, with another sibey-lookin' chiffchaff.
And a stonechat.
And a stonechat.
Another reasonably lively day around Girdle Ness. The best area at the moment is around the waterworks, although I suspect we only get to see a small fraction of what's actually around. A nice male Redstart was seen early on and was soon followed by a vocal Yellow-browed Warbler. Interestingly this bird was ringed. Would be good to know where. The Bullfinch influx continues with at least five in the same area as last week. I also had several views of a juvenile Water Rail on the reedy pool - presumably one of the brood from the summer. If you want to get this species on your Girdle Ness list then a bit of time spent on the concrete bridge by the reedy pool could well sort it out at the moment. Three Rooks flying south were my first in the area this year. Also around Nigg Bay were at least eight Redpolls, a Yellowhammer, two Chiffchaffs, four Snipe, two Wheatears and a Coal Tit.
Elsewhere things were a bit quieter with very few migrants being obvious, aside from five Blackcaps. Waders included a Dunlin and two Knot. A second Yellow-browed Warbler was seen briefly but well in the sycamores along Abbey Road.
Elsewhere things were a bit quieter with very few migrants being obvious, aside from five Blackcaps. Waders included a Dunlin and two Knot. A second Yellow-browed Warbler was seen briefly but well in the sycamores along Abbey Road.
Much cloudier today with more of a breeze. Birds seemed to be coming in during the day and there were more thrushes than yesterday. A large mixed flock of at least 75 Redwings and Song Thrushes circled about over the Nigg Bay area. The ringed Yellow-browed Warbler was again around today, spending most of its time along the railway embankment. At least two Chiffchaffs were in the same area. A couple of Pheasants were up on Tullos Hill and I again saw a Great Spotted Woodpecker (a male) along the embankment. It took all of a minute to get views of the juvenile Water Rail on the reedy pool. Two Snipe were flushed and I was surprised to see a House Martin still visiting a nest at Balnagask Circle.
A Short-eared Owl flew in off the sea and headed off towards Tullos Hill. A few minutes later a Goldcrest also came in, which made me wonder if it had flown 'Air Short-eared Owl' for most of the way. Goldcrests were coming in all day in fact, with over 50 counted. Around the rest of the Ness were two Blackcaps, nine Redpoll, a Wheatear, four Knot and a Brambling zipping in over the allotments. There was also some fine progress on the Purple Sandpiper Totaliser:
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A Short-eared Owl flew in off the sea and headed off towards Tullos Hill. A few minutes later a Goldcrest also came in, which made me wonder if it had flown 'Air Short-eared Owl' for most of the way. Goldcrests were coming in all day in fact, with over 50 counted. Around the rest of the Ness were two Blackcaps, nine Redpoll, a Wheatear, four Knot and a Brambling zipping in over the allotments. There was also some fine progress on the Purple Sandpiper Totaliser:
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