Tayforth Birding (3 Viewers)

[MacGee]

The one ice-free patch of water on Airthrey Loch had maybe expanded slightly today, but it looked very crowded. Lots of swans have gone, as have all the Tufted Duck, but still left in the water were Mute Swan, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Goosander, Little Grebe. On the surrounding ice, Robin, Blackbird, Dunnock, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit. When I threw down some food, a Coot flew at me like a missile and started snapping it up.

Lots of birds changing their behaviour because of the lack of food. Yesterday I had a Robin land on my head. Today when I came out of the front door, there were several Bullfinch on the lawn and one in a bush hardly more than a metre away. Also a Fieldfare rooting about in the bottom of the hedge and a Redwing sitting in the drive. Only when I came further along the path did they react. The rowan tree has been stripped of all its berries in a couple of days.

I'm taking a box of bird food out with me wherever I go now, but it's very little. I fear it's going to be a very quiet Spring.

Michael

 

[kawwauser]

the flock of 500+ snowbuntings i reported on monday turned out to be skylarks with a small number of snowbuntings joining them

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/skyl.jpg

 

[MacGee]

It was even colder at Airthrey Loch today; people were actually walking on the ice. The ice-free bit of water was smaller than ever, but the Little Grebe was still there as was the Goosander. The Tufted were back. As I approached there was a charge of birds towards me, mainly Coots, but a few others mixed in.

I went up to the walled garden, because Deryck Irving on the ForthBirding forum said that he'd seen a Woodcock there. I managed to see it (them?) three times. The first time it was sitting among a group of Redwing in some leaf litter. While I watched it through binoculars it sat quite still, but as soon as I lowered the binoculars it scuttled off. The two other sightings were of it in flight. Lots of Bullfinch around that area, searching in the leaf litter and calling from the trees.

Michael

 

[FoghornKinghorn]

Just incase anyone doesn't know (I thought I would share this incase you are interested and didn't know) there are no less that 3 White-tailed eagles at the moment that have taken up residence on St Serif's Island viewable from RSPB Vane Farm. If you can't get to the western highlands and islands this might be a good opportunity to see one of maybe three close to home.

The link is a picture of the three birds together very sadly killing a buzzard (it's not gruesome but not pleasant): http://www.birdguides.com/iris/pictures.asp?t=601031&v=0&q=0
___________________________
BirdGuides is one of the best ways to keep up to date with whether they are there or not:http://www.birdguides.com/bne/default.asp?menu=menu_birdnews

OR

Rare Bird Information maps: http://www.birdforum.net/sightingsmap.php
However on both there are some days where they might simply just not get reported.

Hope this is useful to someone,

 

[MacGee]

It was colder still at Airthrey Loch this morning. The patch of open water looks close to disappearing and the birds are desperate for food. Little Grebe, Goosander, Tufted Duck all still there and the Woodcock still flying around.

At Dunblane in the afternoon it was pleasanter in the sunshine, but the Allan Water was frozen right across at one place. No Dipper or Grey Wagtail, but my first Heron of the year flew out of the trees as we passed.

Michael

 

[MacGee]

Ouch!

I was feeding the birds at Airthrey Loch yesterday and they were desperate as usual—Mallards pecking at my legs. Then, somehow unnoticed by me, a Mute Swan actually nipped my finger. It was a fairly gentle nip, but the surprise made me spill half a pound of bird food into the eyepieces of my binoculars.

Michael

 

[apbarr]

Strange thing happened tonight in Plean Country Park. Just leaving the car park when I heard a Raven croak twice. Anyone ever heard of Ravens in this area or is there any other species likely to cause confusion?

Heard and saw a pair of Ravens in approx.the same location tonight around five months after the first sighting, strange

 

[Rhummy]

Went up to Lintrathen Loch yesterday - lots of wildfowl.

 

[delia todd]

Nice photos Rhummy. There seems to be very little ice-free water there!

Had the shock of my life just now... of all te species I thought (hoped) might appear in what passes for a garden - I never expected to see 3 Peacocks!

D

 

[Woodchatshrike]

The Eagles are still kicking about at Vane or from Kirkgate. Tidy.

 

[kawwauser]

i was in st andrews on mon during some very stormy weather, not much birds about and not a single person around the harbour area,the grey skies and crashing waves did look nice though,
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/Picture045.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/Picture050.jpg
i had my first fulmars of the year,a pair was sitting on a ledge arguing,2 bedraggled herons,female eiders,bh gulls ,herring gulls,buzzards,curlews,a carrion crow was sitting on the wall with its neck feathers blowing about exposing some white feathers that some dont know they actually have,
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/Picture053-1.jpg
highlight was a flock of starlings weigning down some telegrph lines,
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/Picture061.jpg
although there numbers weren,t as big as some vids i have seen they still put on a good show doing their swirling formation,

here is a pic from 3 weeks ago of godwits flying after being disturbed by a dog walker,it was taken at tayport shoreline,i see godwits regullary feeding in the mud but haven,t seen them flying like this,i thought being large waders they would fly off slowly like a curlew,these birds were very fast
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/Picture016.jpg

 

[Stuarty]

Went to see the Eagles at Vane Farm yesterday, awesome views of the female and one of the males for pretty much the whole day. Other highlights were a male Hen Harrier, and a few Bramblings.

 

[Woodchatshrike]

Hi Chaps

A few birds about yesterday. Showy Water Rails were present at the Pier and Burleigh near the currently defunct hide.

A Female Merlin was seen near Kinross motorway junction.

On the north shore there was a covey of 29 Grey Partridge and a colour-ringed Greenshank.

No sign of Hen Harrier yesterday and even eagles were thin on the ground yesterday.

Happy birding.

Jeremy

 

[MacGee]

I went to Vane Farm today hoping to see the eagles and was lucky this time. Two of them out on the ice, looking huge and menacing.

The first hide at Vane has become much more interesting with the new feeding policy. Today there was Yellowhammer, Tree Sparrow, Reed Bunting, Brambling, Sparrowhawk, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Dunnock, Blackbird, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Bullfinch. There was almost as much bustle inside the hide as out.

At the feeders behind the centre there was a Treecreeper feeding on the seeds on the ground.

Michael

 

[llendorin]

Well, I went out and about for a bit today. I walked from Lower Largo round to Ruddon's Point and back.

Starting at Lower Largo, there were plenty of Eider, the usual garden birds in the form of Blackbird, Robin, Dunnock and House Sparrow and a few gulls about, mainly Black-Headed Gulls.
I managed to add Redshank and Oystercatcher between Lower Largo and Dumbarnie Links.
For some reason, I've always found (I say this, yet it's only my 2nd visit to the site!) the rocks in front of Dumbarnie Links to be quite good. Here, I added Herring Gull, Common Gull and Great Black-Backed Gull. Also Dunlin, Turnstone, Curlew and Grey Plover. In terms of wildfowl, I added Mallard, Wigeon and Pintail to the list, too.
Further along, there were a good few Sanderling at the edge of the beach, and as I got to the end of the bay, just before reaching Ruddon's Point, I added Bar-tailed Godwit, Knot and a single Red-breasted Merganser.
There were 5 people already at the end of Ruddons point when I got there, and I was immediately confronted with the question 'You don't happen to be an expert on Phalaropes, do you?', to which my response was a very definite 'Ummmm, no'. Luckily, I know my limitations, so I'd brought my field guide along for all those scoters I was expecting to see! It turns out the bird they'd picked up was a Grey Phalarope! A lifer for me, so I'm well chuffed right now!
Also at Ruddons point, I added Cormorant, Long-Tailed Duck, Red-Throated Diver and Velvet Scoter to the list.

On the return trip I managed to add Slavonian Grebe and Ringed Plover to the list.

There were also other species about, such as Skylark, Song Thrush and Carrion Crow. Surprisingly, I didn't see a single Redwing or Fieldfare in the whole trip!

All in all, it was a good walk, and I saw plenty. They Phalarope was the clear highlight for me, though!

 

[Woodchatshrike]

No sign of any eagles yesterday but the green-winged teal is still kicking about off Orwell sat on the ice at Loch Leven. 7500 pinks at the weekend. At least one Bramblefinch on the feeders at Vane yesterday.

 

[llendorin]

No sign of any eagles yesterday but the green-winged teal is still kicking about off Orwell sat on the ice at Loch Leven. 7500 pinks at the weekend. At least one Bramblefinch on the feeders at Vane yesterday.

There were 3 Bramblings at the feeders next to the big hide this afternoon. One of the Eagles was showing from St Serf's.

I missed the Green-Winged Teal, though.

What happened to the hide at Burleigh? Was it just the force of the ice that knocked the supports?

 

[kawwauser]

i was at vane farm on monday hoping to see my first sea eagle, i saw the individual sitting on the post a st serfs island,it was not hard to find every scope in the visitors centre was pointed at it, magnificent bird, the centres widows were steamed up and nobody could confirm the birds wing tag,on my journey from the centre to the first hide the eagle took flight and i missed it,i did however see 1 brambling a bird i have been really looking forward to seeing plus 3 tree sparrows, both species seen groundfeeding to the right of the first hide, other birds seen were golfinch/greenfinch/dunnock/robin/blackbird/song thrush/chaffinch/goldeneye/goosander/gadwall/mallard/teal/widgeon/mute swan/canada goose/pinkfoots/herons/buzzards/2 ravens flying over the hide 1 bird calling out/coaltit/great tit/blue tit/bh gulls/kestrel/m/f reedbunting,on my journey from dundee i only counted 3 hunting kestrels ,not a lot considering the amount of road verges, not a single fieldfare or redwing was seen which surprised me

pics
brambling
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/brambling2.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/brambling1.jpg

the only cloud in the sky
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/leven1.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/leven2.jpg
i done a near dark walk on lundie craggs and had a close flying woodcock
lundie walk view
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/kawwauser/lundienight.jpg

 

[MacGee]

i was at vane farm on monday hoping to see my first sea eagle

I was there yesterday, later in the day, after having a long, freezing walk from Burleigh. I saw one eagle sitting on the far dung heap. Then, at the first hide, with the light rapidly fading, I was able to follow one of the eagles flying right across in front of the hide.

Earlier on, at the Centre, some of us were looking at a couple of smallish Curlews with short thin beaks and trying to make out if they were Whimbrels, but the visibility wasn't good enough to tell—not for me, anyway.

There were lots of birds on the feeders in front of the Centre: Great Spotted Woodpecker, Tree Sparrow, Siskin, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Goldfinch. I saw a Reed Bunting at the first hide, but missed out on Brambling and Yellowhammer.

Before I left I went up the hill a bit to try to hear/see the Barn Owl that's been reported, but I missed out on that too.

Michael

 

[gus guthrie]

forfar loch

I was there yesterday, later in the day, after having a long, freezing walk from Burleigh. I saw one eagle sitting on the far dung heap. Then, at the first hide, with the light rapidly fading, I was able to follow one of the eagles flying right across in front of the hide.

Earlier on, at the Centre, some of us were looking at a couple of smallish Curlews with short thin beaks and trying to make out if they were Whimbrels, but the visibility wasn't good enough to tell—not for me, anyway.

There were lots of birds on the feeders in front of the Centre: Great Spotted Woodpecker, Tree Sparrow, Siskin, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Goldfinch. I saw a Reed Bunting at the first hide, but missed out on Brambling and Yellowhammer.

Before I left I went up the hill a bit to try to hear/see the Barn Owl that's been reported, but I missed out on that too.

Michael

It's been a pretty dreich day around here today, though birding wise it has been excellent !
Forfar Loch was full of birds today as our other local lochs are still thawing out. Highlights today were a Black-throated Diver sailing past the yacht club at very close range, what a fantastic sight !
The female Smew is still hanging about , showing really well. Other birds are Mallard, Teal, Goosander, Wigeon, Goldeneye, Gadwall,Pochard, Scaup, Shoveller, 150+ Tufted Duck and plenty of Coot.11 species of duck on the loch at present. Typically when I arrived this morning I had just missed a fly-by of a Kingfisher.
Other highlights were a flock of Bullfinches at Backwater Dam,25+ Whooper Swans in a field at Kinnordy Loch and my daughter Alex spotted a female Merlin chasing prey at Drumgley Farm outside Forfar yesterday morning.
In our garden are 11 goldfinches, 23 siskins, several Yellowhammers and a single Bullfinch . We had a total of 70 birds around the feeders at one time, brilliant to watch, best was several days ago when a flock of Long- Tailed Tits descended onto a fatball, 11 birds at one time.