Cucurrucucu
Cucurrucucu
Lesser? or Common which seem to be less common here?
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Birds fae Torry (5 Viewers)
- Thread starter Andrew Whitehouse
- Start date
I didn't see them well enough to be sure, but Lesser is the default one here. Common can occur, particularly at this time of the year though.
Today was reasonably interesting in the fresh wind. Last night's rain hadn't dropped many migrants down on the headland. A Chiffchaff and a Blackcap on the north bank was about all. Two Wigeon and a Teal flew over the harbour and there was dogged progress on the Purple Sandpiper Totaliser:
30
Offshore was again where the action was. Four Little Gulls (two adults and two juveniles) were lingering offshore, along with at least six Arctic Terns. Two subadult Arctic Skuas appeared for a while and a juvenile Black Guillemot was close to the shore. 27 Red-throated Divers, five Golden Plovers, three Dunlin and two Common Scoters were moving. The best bird was my fifth ever Pochard on patch - a drake going south.
Cucurrucucu
Cucurrucucu
I was just happy with 9 curlew together on GreyHope rocks.
I had a stroll around the headland late in the afternoon in pleasant but cool, breezy conditions. A Wheatear was on the golf course and a Stock Dove flew south over the club house. Offshore, a pair of Long-tailed Ducks flew south - my first of the autumn. Also moving were a Common Scoter, five Red-throated Divers, an Arctic Tern and an Arctic Skua. A Grey Plover was again on Greyhope Bay - I think a different bird to the one that was around a week or so back. Finally, my first Otter since the spring appeared briefly in the outer part of the River Dee channel of the harbour.
Cucurrucucu
Cucurrucucu
The water flowing under the concrete culvert near the basket ball nets was looking very brown and scummy after yesterday's rain. I took a snap of it and, as I did, something came up out of the water from under the bridge but dived again immediately, coming up briefly a couple of feet away and dived again.
All I saw was a dark, foot long shape. Thought it might have been an otter. By chance it was caught in the picture … just.
So what bird in St F's dives so well?
All I saw was a dark, foot long shape. Thought it might have been an otter. By chance it was caught in the picture … just.
So what bird in St F's dives so well?
Sounds interesting. Can't make anything out from the picture though!
I had a look around the headland late afternoon today. A Chiffchaff and Blackcap were both along Abbey Road, but I didn't see any other migrants. The Grey Plover was again in Greyhope Bay and was later seen flying south. A few things were moving offshore. The best was a female Scaup flying rapidly north. A Manx Shearwater was feeding a mile or so out, and was regularly being chased by the gulls for its efforts. Two Common Scoters, two Sandwich Terns and three Red-throated Divers were also going through.
I had a look around the headland late afternoon today. A Chiffchaff and Blackcap were both along Abbey Road, but I didn't see any other migrants. The Grey Plover was again in Greyhope Bay and was later seen flying south. A few things were moving offshore. The best was a female Scaup flying rapidly north. A Manx Shearwater was feeding a mile or so out, and was regularly being chased by the gulls for its efforts. Two Common Scoters, two Sandwich Terns and three Red-throated Divers were also going through.
Cucurrucucu
Cucurrucucu
I was amazed it had been caught in the picture at all since it wasn't there when I snapped it.
Did think little grebe was possible but never seen any in St F's, only below Victoria Bridge.
Today felt fairly interesting, with light southerlies and a overcast conditions, with rain coming in the afternoon. Although there were a few bits and pieces, things were fairly quiet though. A few ducks were moving, including one Teal, 13 Wigeon and six Common Scoters. The Grey Plover was still around and a Manx Shearwater and two Black Guillemots were lingering offshore. I thought there weren't any migrants around but then found a Garden Warbler, a Whitethroat and a Chiffchaff along the north bank below the allotments. A female Blackcap was on Abbey Road. I went out late in the afternoon but things were even quieter.
Cucurrucucu
Cucurrucucu
Does Doonies count as Torry?
We were very happy with a good view of this lovely.
Don't see them as often as we used to.
We were very happy with a good view of this lovely.
Don't see them as often as we used to.
It was an interesting day here, with some serious #patchgold action. This followed a call from Mark this morning, which I followed up down at St Fittick's. First a distant call, then closer until a brief view flying over followed by a couple more: my first patch Jay! Eventually, I saw it perched briefly in a tree before it flew off up the Tullos Burn. I think it's the first I've ever seen in Aberdeen city. Also around St Fittick's were a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Teal, three Snipe, three Bullfinches and three Chiffchaffs.
A look around the headland in the afternoon was fairly quiet. A good selection of waders was roosting on the breakwater, including the Grey Plover, a Knot and two Dunlin. The Purple Sandpipers have also taken to roosting here recently, which I'm not sure I approve of because it makes it harder to count them. This could be bad news for Totaliser fans. There were at least 28 today. A Sanderling and a Black Guillemot flew past the foghorn but not much else was happening on the sea. From home I got lucky and picked out a Merlin dashing southwards over the city rooftops.
A look around the headland in the afternoon was fairly quiet. A good selection of waders was roosting on the breakwater, including the Grey Plover, a Knot and two Dunlin. The Purple Sandpipers have also taken to roosting here recently, which I'm not sure I approve of because it makes it harder to count them. This could be bad news for Totaliser fans. There were at least 28 today. A Sanderling and a Black Guillemot flew past the foghorn but not much else was happening on the sea. From home I got lucky and picked out a Merlin dashing southwards over the city rooftops.
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Nice one with the Jay Andrew. I, too, struggle to see these here; though did get a glimpse of one at the new feeding station on the edge of town once.
You'll have to reprimand the Purple Sandpipers and get them to move to a better place!!
You'll have to reprimand the Purple Sandpipers and get them to move to a better place!!
It's strange.... in London Parks they will eat from your hand apparently!!
Ah but what about the Jay's ??? 😉
It was a pleasant end to the day, with calm, clear conditions. I had a wander round the headland. The Grey Plover was still in Greyhope Bay and a Wheatear was between there and the foghorn. As often seems to be the case, calm conditions following some strong northerlies proved interesting for seabird movements. Three Sooty Shearwaters, two Manx Shearwaters, two Arctic Skuas, four Long-tailed Ducks, three Goldeneye, ten Teal and two Red-throated Divers went through, mostly at a fair distance.
Cucurrucucu
Cucurrucucu
Is it a sanderling that has been sitting amongst the turnstones and p sandpipers on the edge of the South Breakwater the last few mornings? 
No, that's the Grey Plover. It's much bigger than a Sanderling.
Cucurrucucu
Cucurrucucu
That's your grey plover. Thank you!
