Northeast Aberdeen and Donmouth (1 Viewer)

[Andrew Whitehouse]

So here's a new patch thread, although of course it won't be replacing your favourite 'Birds fae Torry' action. I've decided to do a bit more birding in a second patch though, as part of a second entry to a well known patch watching related competition. This patch is my 'work' patch rather than my home patch, as it's the area surrounding my place of gainful employment: the University of Aberdeen.

The patch is supposed to be under three kilometres square and I've managed to just about sneak in all of the areas I intend to cover. The patch actually consists of a number of separate sites that I regularly visit. It's centred on Donmouth but also includes Seaton Park, the northern part of the King's Links, most of the Old Aberdeen University campus, and my regular walk to work along Spital and King's Crescent, including St Peter's Cemetery. It also extends north from Donmouth to include Murcar Golf Course up as far as the club house. That probably sounds as though it ought to be much more than 3km square but it comes out as that on the area calculator map!

So far I've not seen anything too exciting, although some of the notable 'regulars' such as Dipper and Stock Dove have already been seen. I managed to miss the best bird in the area this year: a Slavonian Grebe. Perhaps it might turn up again though. The area has a good mix of habitats and has turned up some very notable rarities in the past (Lesser Sandplover, Orphean Warbler, Hume's Warbler, King Eider and many more). We'll see what happens. If anyone else sees anything in the area, feel free to post!

 

[Mark Lew1s]

Great stuff! I sit next to Roddy Mavor who casts an eye over Donmouth with some regularity - He says the Slav has been the best of it this year so far - If I hear anything else of note from him I'll pass it on...

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Thanks Mark. I had a wander round Seaton Park and Donmouth today. Quite lively in places, with lots of Dipper action and a good selection of waders including 35 Sanderling, three Purple Sandpipers and a Dunlin. Also 78 Teal and over 70 Common Scoter offshore. Frustratingly I briefly saw a flock of what were probably Waxwings flying over the park, but didn't see them quite well enough to be sure. Some were later reported flying in what seems to have been the opposite direction an hour or so later!

 

[wendolene26]

Hello there,

I've recently joined the forum and am from Aberdeen. I'm hoping to be able to contribute to this thread with my sighting and maybe some photos.

Rach

 

[Mark Lew1s]

I bumped into Anders today, a Swedish birder who has just moved to Aberdeen. He had 5 little gulls at Donmouth recently (in the last few days I think).

 

[nicklittlewood]

I bumped into Anders today, a Swedish birder who has just moved to Aberdeen. He had 5 little gulls at Donmouth recently (in the last few days I think).

A fair few Little Gulls about it seems - at least four different birds at Blackdog last weekend,

Nick

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

I had a stroll along the Don this afternoon and up the coast a short distance towards Murcar. As predicted above, the best birds were Little Gulls: two adults and a juvenile. All were drifting south towards Donmouth along the shore, at gratifyingly close range. A Long-tailed Duck and around 150 Common Scoters were offshore. Actually perhaps the best bird was in what I'm tempted to call the Seaton Park Washlands: an area of burgeoning floodwater near the eastern entrance to the park. On the flood was what can only be described as a Coot. An actual Coot. Party.

 

[Borgehed]

Hi everyone!

Anders her. The coot has been at the same place for 8 days now (I didn't know it was rare). I have a loot to learn about birding in Aberdeen. Today a had my first "spring birds" to cranes how was flying north.

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Hi everyone!

Anders her. The coot has been at the same place for 8 days now (I didn't know it was rare). I have a loot to learn about birding in Aberdeen. Today a had my first "spring birds" to cranes how was flying north.

Hi Anders - Coot are not all that scarce here, but it's an unusual place to see them. They're mostly just found on the larger lakes in northeast Scotland. Cranes are definitely rare though - worth reporting!

 

[Borgehed]

Here comes a short report from Don Mouth this morning. Nothing special but her are the records. If you don't use this forum for this kind of updates pleas tell me.
Teal 80 (40 offshore and 40 in the river), Little gull 1 ad, Long-tailed duck 17 (1 resting and 16 flying south), Common scooter 250 (180 resting), red-throated diver 2, Razorbills 12, Little Grebe 2 (+1 upriver). And the Coot is still swimming in Seaton Park.

 

[Hugh Addlesee]

Still some Little Gulls around today - two adults off Beach Boulevard/ Donmouth in a brief look late morning.

 

[Borgehed]

Not anything special, but 45 species at the morning trip to Don Mouth. You can feel that the spring is arriving. My first Linnet, 2 Lesser Black-Backed gulls a singing Song thrush are good signs. A Long Tailed Duck, 10 Common Scooter and a Red-throated diver in the water. In the upper part of the cajaking course (in Seaton Park) was an otter playing.

 

[Mark Lew1s]

Really similar to Girdle ness Anders - apart from the otter! First linnets this week and a lesser black-backed gull today...

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Well done on the Otter, Anders. I had a look around the river mouth yesterday, seeing a Long-tailed Duck near the mouth. The Coot is still present, excitingly.

 

[Hugh Addlesee]

A bit late reporting it on here (no internet last night), but there was a Grey Phalarope at Donmouth for the last hour of light yesterday, showing well close inshore perhaps 100m north of the rivermouth. It seemed fairly settled, so hopefully might still be around today. It was possibly slightly oiled on the breast sides, but typically active.

 

[Borgehed]

I find the Grey Phalarope at 11:30 today (didn't know it was there). Here is a picture taken with my mobile through the telescope. The bird was still there when i left at 13:00.

 

[delia todd]

I wonder if this is the same bird that I dipped on in Angus last year?

It's great to see the standard of photography from Aberdeenshire is being maintained in this thread too

Anders if you need help with uploading pictures, don't be afraid to ask.

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Well done on the phalarope Anders. Needless to say, I didn't see it today! I had a fairly good look around seeing a nice selection of stuff but nothing too thrilling. A Common Snipe was on the island (I was scanning looking for the Water Rail reported yesterday). A female Long-tailed Duck was around the bridge and two more were offshore. Lots of stuff was singing in Seaton Park.

 

[Borgehed]

This morning walk throw Seaton Park and to Don Mouth gave over 50 species. Nothing special but Misthel Thrush, Sand Martin, Singing Stock Dove, Singing Chiffchaff, Long-taild Duck, 16 Red-brested Divers, 220 Common Scooters and 30 Sanderling.

 

[Borgehed]

9 Waxwings at Hilton Street this morning. And then a question, do we include Ythan Estuary in this thread?