Wild in Aberdeen - City and Shire (4 Viewers)

[burnie]

We had a run up to Cullen on the off chance the Orcas might still be around, only report we saw was that they were seen heading off towards Caithness. We did get to see plenty of bird life however, couple of Long Tailed Ducks along with Razorbills, Guillemot's, Eider, Shags and plenty of Gannets quite close to the shore hunting and diving. Had a look at Portsoy and Gardenstown on the way back, more of the same along with Red Throated Divers, pity the light was poor.

 

[Andy Strachan]

I spent a couple days last week looking for the Black Kite that was goin' about. Nae luck. Decided to check out Newburgh on Sunday, and although still no Black Kite, I found my first Little Tern. I watched it for a good 10 minutes. It was diving over and over, it was really quite nice to watch it hover like a Kestrel before finding its target and diving in. I was in the perfect place as it was working its way from my right to left, parallel with the shore, hovering, diving, going forward a few metres, and then same again. Then when it got to my left it circled back to where it started on my right and did the same again, multiple times!
I sat down and got some pictures
After getting home I didn't even think about it again until tonight, then I checked it on Birdtrack and realised there are seemingly not many records of Little Terns in the area. I don't know if that's because they are a sensitive species and some records are hidden during breeding seasons? Or because they are so uncommon?
I'm assuming there are more.. and this is case of me being chuffed to see just one, when there's probably a colony of Little Terns with the rest of the them! ha

Anyway, very pleased to have seen it.

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Yesterday, I had an exploratory wander around the north of the city. This began with my first ever visit to Scotstown Moor. It's quite a pleasant area for a stroll with some interesting boggy, scrubby habitat. Birds included a couple of singing Garden Warblers and a Redpoll. The boggy pools held a few odonata, including a nice Four-spotted Chaser and a few Large Red Damselflies. I also saw my first Small Heath of the year.

I continued on to the coast and Murcar. I was hoping for plenty of scoters on the sea but, as seems to be the case in recent years, numbers were very low - probably no more than 100 Common Scoters. A tatty looking Painted Lady was in the dunes. At Donmouth, seven Canada Geese were a surprise.

 

[Ian Bell]

Like Andrew,I headed north yesterday,visiting Troup Head.We all know what to expect there with the large number of breeding Gannets and It really Is a fantastic place,allowing close views of breeding and fly past birds at the top of the cliffs.In the glorious sunshine,I could have stayed all day,watching the birds and enjoying the view over the Moray Firth to the Caithness Hills.A quick look In at Loch of Strathbeg allowed close views of the Tree Sparrow colony and the Common Tern colony from the Visitor Centre was busy but nothing unusual was seen In my short time there.

 

[burnie]

Had a trip up to Fowlesheugh today, couldn't get a parking place, it was mobbed, never seen that before in the week, went to St. Cyrus instead, no sign of the Peregrines, wardens think the nest has failed it seems. Got a couple of Linnets, Reed Buntings, Fulmars, Buzzard, Jackdaws and a Copper Butterfly.

 

[burnie]

Prior to this week in isolation, me and my son did a couple of Munroes, carried a very heavy camera and lens up there to be rewarded in great views but zero wildlife, save 2 Meadow Pipits, the place was mobbed with walkers(that's what you get when the ski lift is running bringing folk up on them) must aim for wilderness rather than an easy climb next time lol.

 

[kawwauser]

when I was at lundie crags on Friday I had to wait until a parking space became available before I could start my walk ,never seen it like that before

 

[Andy Strachan]

Even though it was a bit of a gale yesterday, I decided to go to Rattray and see what I could find. As I was pulling up to the "car park" (that's more suited to bmx dirt jumping) I spotted some Twite! Four of them. The pictures are terrible as they were taken through the windscreen. I watched them for a bit through the bins before chancing stepping out and getting a clear pic, but as soon as the door opened they took off into a flock of linnets, sparrows, and goldfinches 🤬 I followed the flock from tree to tree for 20 mins, but couldn't pick them out again. Anyway, I was pleased.... that was my first Twite sighting as I was searching for them I came across some Redwing. I carried on to the beach where the tide was in and there weren't many birds on the beach, but managed to spot three Bar-tailed Godwit and got my best views of them yet. I was happy for a gull that was parading about the beach looking chuft with a crab it had picked up, before it got mobbed and all hell broke loose.
While at Rattray I was really hoping for a black redstart (as they'd been reported there recently), but it wasn't to be, but nevermind, I was pleased enough with the Twite.
On the way there I spotted a flock of pink-footed goose in a field and found one Barnacle Goose, and potentially some other less common ones that I'm going to post in the ID forum. Although they're probably not anything interesting at all. You know how it goes!

Anyway enjoy my terrible photo's!

 

[Andy Strachan]

Even though it was a bit of a gale yesterday, I decided to go to Rattray and see what I could find. As I was pulling up to the "car park" (that's more suited to bmx dirt jumping) I spotted some Twite! Four of them. The pictures are terrible as they were taken through the windscreen. I watched them for a bit through the bins before chancing stepping out and getting a clear pic, but as soon as the door opened they took off into a flock of linnets, sparrows, and goldfinches 🤬 I followed the flock from tree to tree for 20 mins, but couldn't pick them out again. Anyway, I was pleased.... that was my first Twite sighting as I was searching for them I came across some Redwing. I carried on to the beach where the tide was in and there weren't many birds on the beach, but managed to spot three Bar-tailed Godwit and got my best views of them yet. I was happy for a gull that was parading about the beach looking chuft with a crab it had picked up, before it got mobbed and all hell broke loose.
While at Rattray I was really hoping for a black redstart (as they'd been reported there recently), but it wasn't to be, but nevermind, I was pleased enough with the Twite.
On the way there I spotted a flock of pink-footed goose in a field and found one Barnacle Goose, and potentially some other less common ones that I'm going to post in the ID forum. Although they're probably not anything interesting at all. You know how it goes!

Anyway enjoy my terrible photo's!

After getting a second opinion on my questionable photo's I'm confident I can add White-fronted Goose to my list of birds spotted at Rattray

 

[Gander]

After getting a second opinion on my questionable photo's I'm confident I can add White-fronted Goose to my list of birds spotted at Rattray

Nice spot.

 

[Andy Strachan]

Went out to see the Smew at Fyvie loch. First time I've been there. Missed the Mandarin Ducks there last year. Really nice place and the snow really added to the scenery. And I'm glad to say I seen two Smew. Apparently there was a third juvenile, but I only seen two females. Thought I was going to miss out on them as someone at the hide told me that two had flown off earlier and one was hiding in shrubs, and I'd scanned the whole loch and hadn't seen them. So I wondered down to one end and got some nice pics of Coal Tits and a Robin, then on the way back passed the hide there was one right out in the open! Then the other popped out as well. Got some pics. You can tell the two Smew apart by one of them having cleaner marking on its cheeks.

There was also some Tufted Duck, Moorhen on the ice, Little Grebe, Mute Swans, Greylags, Mallard, Coot, and two Goldeneye amongst others.

 

[Andy Strachan]

Had a good few finds this weekend I'm pleased to say.
March last year I caught Water Rail on my trail cam that I'd set up in Meethill Park, Peterhead in amongst the reeds. I seen them a couple times that week and never seen them again. That was my only ever sighting of water rail. I'd been hoping to see them again all year but never had any luck, until this week where I caught one on camera again . This time in a different wetland not far from the last place. I went to pick up the camera today after leaving it for a week. Not really sure how to describe the habitat, it's basically a dip in an unused field in Dales Park area that almost permanently has water in it surrounded by long grasses, reeds etc, and is good for Snipe, Mallards and Herons. I picked up the camera, checked the footage and was chuft to find Water Rail on there. It also captured a Grey Heron, a Magpie, a dog, and two pairs of wellies walking by that turned out to be a boy with his Granda collecting tadpoles who said "HI!!" to the camera really didn't expect to capture anyone on there.

After checking the footage I had a snoop around the water, where I then flushed a snipe which took off without calling and landed just a few metres away. I thought where it had landed the grass was quite short I could get a good glimpse without getting too close, but it took off again. This time it circled round a couple times, almost landed then changed its mind and flew by again and away, but I got really good eyes on it through the binoculars and am absolutely positive that it was a Jack Snipe. A first for me. It's bill was significantly shorter than common Snipes', and it's behaviour was different from all other snipe I've encountered before. I actually think I seen a jack snipe in meethill park last week, but couldn't confirm it. Could of been this same one. Absolutely devastated that I didn't bring my camera with me this morning as I would of easily of got some pictures

Also, this weekend, went to Slains Castle and specifically said to my wife "I'm basically taking us here to see an owl." while at the same time thinking "no way i'm going to see an owl that easy". I have yet to see one EVER. I've never seen a wild owl. We went to Slains really just because her brother (who's not a birder) said he seen one sitting on a post there one time. Well just as we walked up the castle and minutes after me saying that, two birds were flying over towards us and I looked up and one was a crow and the other one was "oh! what's that?...................it's an OWL!" and it flew towards us and over and I got good views and could clearly see it's marking etc and it turns out to be a Short-Eared Owl Another first!

A good weekend's birding! Also, got a Yellowhammer on my patch for the first time today as well. I always expected to get one one day but it's taken two years!

 

[Andy Strachan]

Unfortunately though, it looks as though that field is going to be covered with houses in the near future. Quite a few patch ticks have come from there, as it added a bit of wetland and farmland variety to my walks. So I'm bit gutted about that. With houses being built on it, there will be a huge chunk of housing separating the farms from my patch.

 

[Andy Strachan]

Found what I think is an Iceland Gull at Sandford beach, Peterhead today just after 6pm. Flew towards Boddam harbour, where there were hundreds of gulls on the rocks. It's the first one I've seen. I didn't expect it to be so strikingly white. It really stood out from the others.

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Found what I think is an Iceland Gull at Sandford beach, Peterhead today just after 6pm. Flew towards Boddam harbour, where there were hundreds of gulls on the rocks. It's the first one I've seen. I didn't expect it to be so strikingly white. It really stood out from the others.

Nice! It looks like a 3rd calendar year bird with the pale eye. They can get very pale by this time of the year.

 

[Andy Strachan]

Nice! It looks like a 3rd calendar year bird with the pale eye. They can get very pale by this time of the year.

Oh cool, Cheers for that

 

[Andy Strachan]

Grasshopper Warbler just now at the wasteland near Dales Park School, Peterhead.
I spent like 20 minutes standing in one spot hearing it call again and again just a few feet away but took aaages to pinpoint it. Video was taken with my phone. I actually seen two birds standing on the same stem for a second, they looked like they were together but could only confirm that one was a Grasshopper warbler as the other one stayed under cover the rest of the time.

 

[Andy Strachan]

Went back again armed with a camera and got some pictures that I'm well pleased with. I struggle to get pictures of every day birds this good. It helps that it sits still rattling away for quite some time! It has this really funny way of shimmying up the stems to call, then basically tumbling down into the dock leaves below, and it just disappears for a while and then suddenly it's shimmying up a stem on your right, and you adjust to get a good angle, then when it's done it tumbles back down, then it shimmies up on your left! And your like "HOW did it get past me without me seeing it!" and it just goes back and fore all the time under cover! Its like Whack a Mole! You just stand and wait and hope it pops up right next to you, and sometimes it does.
One of the best birds I've seen. And it's a patch tick! Happy chappy.

 

[burnie]

To cut a long story short, I've been in hospital, had some major surgery which has put me out of action for a few weeks, so had a short drive to Gourdon harbour, just to sit by the water and test out my new movie camera. Just a short clip of some Herring Gulls having a paddle, very windy day. Click on the having a paddle link.
Having a paddle by tigerburnie, on Flickr

 

[delia todd]

I hope you make a great recovery Burnie.

That's a lovely video that.... did you know you can also add it into the Gallery, from where I can link it to view from the relevant Opus article?