Wild in Aberdeen - City and Shire (1 Viewer)

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Nice pictures of Spotted Flycatcher, Jim. I've not seen one myself yet this year.

 

[Jimmycq]

Thanks Andrew, my first ever..well first I've actually id'd

Jim

 

[Capercaillie71]

Nice photos. I saw my first spotted flycatcher of the year today. They are getting quite scarce these days, and in fact I'm not sure that I saw one at all last year.

 

[Ben Nevis]

Nice photo Jim.I had my first Spotted Fly of the year yesterday.

 

[Andy Webb]

Hi Pancho,

As Andrew says, this is a great sighting and the first in the region for over three decades!

Would you be able to send a description (i.e. field notes) of your observations of this bird to: paulbaxter 'AT' hotmail 'dot' co 'dot' uk? He is the bird recorder for North-East Scotland. We will want to publish your record in the North-East Scotland Bird Report and in order to demonstrate that a minimum standard of identification has been achieved, he will need to send the description to Scottish Rarities Committee for this species.

Many thanks

Andy

I think you definitely need to report that! Would be a big rarity in this area.

 

[Pancho85]

Ok Andy!

 

[RecoveringScot]

Yesterday @ approx. 07:30 1 Woodcock south over Union Grove, Aberdeen about 50 feet up.My first in spring/summer since I've been here (13 years) - it's usually Nov-Jan. I was rather taken aback.

Cheers

 

[Jesson]

Hello. I'm new to bird forum, and enjoying looking through everyone's sightings. Today I was surprised to see a female goldeneye on a largish pond local to me, as I thought just a few breed in the Highlands/Deeside area. I got a good look, brown head with yellow high placed eye and bluish beak, dark posterior, nondescript body markings. Of course I don't know if she is breeding and will go back for a better look when I don't have dog and octogenarian with me. I'm not sure how sensitive the location info would be? AB43 anyway.

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Hello. I'm new to bird forum, and enjoying looking through everyone's sightings. Today I was surprised to see a female goldeneye on a largish pond local to me, as I thought just a few breed in the Highlands/Deeside area. I got a good look, brown head with yellow high placed eye and bluish beak, dark posterior, nondescript body markings. Of course I don't know if she is breeding and will go back for a better look when I don't have dog and octogenarian with me. I'm not sure how sensitive the location info would be? AB43 anyway.

I've seen a few away from breeding areas recently. You'll get a bit of dispersal at this time of year, so the presence of a single bird away from the main sites probably doesn't indicate breeding.

 

[Jimmycq]

Loch of Skene on Saturday afternoon for a quick wander, nothing much to report, usual birds around, Tufted Duck numbers seem up a little. did see two pair of Coot, both with two chicks, East end, just before I got hit with an absolute downpour, ended up sitting underneath a large pine tree for about 45 minutes where I was visited by Robin, Wren, Great Tit & Treecreeper. Think we waere all looking for the same thing, somewhere to stay dry !

Jim.

 

[RyanI]

I was just wondering what the status of Speckled Woods are in Aberdeenshire now. I heven't lived up there much for the last 10 years but remember only seeing them in Moray. The reason I'm asking is that my dad is started seeing on his patch in Whiteford so was wondering if this is just part of a wider range expansion?

 

[Mark Lew1s]

I don't know about a range expansion of speckled woods, but it's been an excellent year for butterflies, certainly around Aberdeen. Numbers of ringlet, meadow brown and common blue are very high around girdle ness, and we've had our first ever dark-green frit there too.

I was up on the Black Isle over the weekend and saw a few speckled wood up there, which are the first I recall seeing in Scotland.

So, that's not much use to you in terms of an answer to your question! But I thought I'd say it anyway...

 

[RyanI]

My dad has been getting good numbers of Ringlets, common blues, meadow browns as well and small (?) pearl bordered fritilllaries ( i think they are small PBF judging by the size in his description)

 

[Hugh Addlesee]

I saw three Speckled Woods on the south side of Loch of Skene at the weekend, which I think were my first in the region, but that's probably more through not being in the right place at the right time, as I think they're supposed to be quite common on Scolty Hill at Banchory now and presumably at other places on Deeside too. As Mark said, certainly loads of Ringlets around this year.

 

[Matthebirder]

Blackdog (Surf Scoters) - access question please.
I am spending a few days in Aberdeen later this week staying at Newburgh. Could someone please let me know the best access point to look for the Surf Scoters, I will have a car and it will be evening time when I'll be able to have a look. I did try to find a way to the beach last year but seemed to get stuck finding a way through the properties.
Thank you for any advice
Matthew

 

[delia todd]

Hi Matthew

It's a couple of years since I was there on a Bash, but this is a map for the spot you need.

There's a path going down past the fishing sheds, right at the sharp left hand bend. Cross the burn, and go up onto the dunes. Where you go from there depends on where the raft of ducks are. From memory, I think there was a car park just along from the gate.

If there's any change to this, I'm sure one of the locals will be along shortly.

 

[nicklittlewood]

Hi Matthew

It's a couple of years since I was there on a Bash, but this is a map for the spot you need.

There's a path going down past the fishing sheds, right at the sharp left hand bend. Cross the burn, and go up onto the dunes. Where you go from there depends on where the raft of ducks are. From memory, I think there was a car park just along from the gate.

If there's any change to this, I'm sure one of the locals will be along shortly.

Yeah that's about it basically. Turn off the A90 at sign for Blackdog (not the Blackdog Industrial Estate turn-off just to the north). Drive straight down the road/lane, past the village, and keep going until the road turns sharp left just before the tarmac runs out. Park at this corner (or a little further down the track) and simply walk through the gate and down the track that runs down the right hand side of the shed/warehouse-type building, and on to the beach/dunes. There are some signs at start of this walk saying stuff about being a working area and things but don't worry about these. Most folk view off top of the dunes. The scoters are most frequently to the south. Just scan for the flocks. The Surfies (two drakes and a duck at the moment) have been quite a bit to the south recently, off Murcar golf course (viewed from approx. NJ962129).

Cheers and good luck

Nick

 

[Matthebirder]

Thank you Delia and Nick. Sounds easy....will post out any sightings
Matthew

 

[Ben Nevis]

Entertainment this morning at work,came by the way of a Sparrowhawk mobbing a Peregrine over Marischal College.

 

[Ben Nevis]

I received the new 2012 North East Scotland Bird Report this morning.Yet again,another fantastic publication.Well done,all Involved In the production of It.