Wild in Aberdeen - City and Shire (4 Viewers)

[Ian Bell]

I had a few hours around the Ythan yesterday,In bitterly cold conditions.Nothing much out of the usual was to be seen to be honest but It was nice to escape the "Concrete Jungle" of Aberdeen for a few hours.Plenty Teal and Wigeon on Foveran Burn,as well as a single Kingfisher and Little Grebe.There were good numbers of Bar tailed Godwits both feeding on the river and later,a large number were roosting with Curlews and Oyster Catchers on the north side of the river.
A single Long tailed Duck was near the mouth of the river and 37 Sanderling were "tide chasing" there as well.On the way back to get the bus,a female Sparrowhawk was chasing finches beside the Golf Club.I would have stayed a bit longer but as I get older,I'm starting to feel the cold a lot more In my bones !!!

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

I had a look along Aberdeen Beach today, before heading up along the Don to Seaton Park. Off the beach were four Long-tailed Ducks, 20 Common Scoter and three Red-breasted Mergansers. Three Purple Sandpipers and seven Sanderling were along the shore. Around Donmouth there were five Little Grebes, four Goldeneye and four Teal. Five Fieldfares flew over. A sad sight was a freshly dead Otter near Beach Boulevard. It looked quite a large one and I guess had been hit by a car.

Reassuringly, a saw a very much alive Otter along the Don in Seaton Park. It swam rapidly past me before heading off into the gorse bushes with a large fish. There were two more Goldeneye and a couple of Dippers, one of which was in song.

 

[Ian Bell]

I had a morning visit to a very cold River Ythan today.The trees next to the Reserve Car Park were alive with Blackbirds and Redwing,going through the leaf litter.On the river Itself,were a dozen Red breasted Merganser,along with the usual Eider and four Mute Swans.In the dunes were Reed Bunting,Wren,Meadow Pipits and Twite.However,the Twite seemed unsettled and were flying around In large groups.At a guess,perhaps 100 birds.
The reason for their anxiety,was probably due to a Sparrowhawk flying over the dunes and at one stage,the Sprawk had a "right go" at a passing Buzzard.Also In the dunes were a couple of Snow Bunting.
Along the shoreline,were Turnstone,Dunlin and a single Grey Plover.It was'nt a day for hanging around,as the snow and Icy wind did not make for pleasant walking conditions but a good day was had.

 

[tjbw]

On Friday 13th I went to the Hide at Donmouth, then walked up to Diamond Bridge. I didn't get down to the beach. Sightings from the hide included; 40 Redshank together, Curlew, 2 Red-breasted Merganser, 3 Goldeneye, 16 Teal, 2 Cormorant, Grey Heron, 4 Little Grebe, Kittiwake, Great Black-backed Gull.
Sightings between Seaton Park and Diamond Bridge included Whooper Swan, 6 Goldeneye, 3 Goosander, Dipper, Grey Heron, 1 or 2 Treecreeper, and an Otter.

Barry

 

[tjbw]

I returned to Donmouth today. This time I went down towards the beach and saw 10 Sanderling. From the hide the same species as last time were present.

Then at Diamond Bridge I noticed the Whooper Swan still present, I'm told it's been here for about 3 months. Only additional sightings were Redwing and Chaffinch.

Barry

 

[Andy Strachan]

My wife spotted a Waxwing in the garden today! I've never seen one yet!
She only seen the one. Amazing what turns up in your garden. Had a male Blackcap a couple of weeks ago. A first for the garden and even better because of the time of year.
This is bordering Meethill Park, Peterhead.
Hope the waxwing enjoyed some pear that I put out this morning!

 

[burnie]

Had a drive over the Cairn O'Mount to deepest darkest Aberdeenshire, up through Aboyne and up to the Glen Shee ski centre car park. We began in cold sunny conditions and got two Red Kites at the top of the Cairn O'Mount, but it went down hill from there literally and metaphorically, the weather and wildlife spotting took a nose dive. Corvids a plenty but little else, quite a few Red Grouse calling at the Glen Shee car park, but few seen, a large herd of Red Deer stags about 50 strong were filmed on the way back to Braemar, it was very cold and low cloud and fog on the tops made for poor viewing.

 

[burnie]

Short video from the hills, no sound on this one

 

[RecoveringScot]

Raven at Cults, Aberdeen about 16:35 soaring and displaying briefly before leaving south-east at speed. No idea whether these are expected here as I've just moved in to the area. Peregrine, loads of Buzzard, several Sparrowhawk sightings. Two days ago Red Kite drifting over. Two Swallows seen going swiftly N, my first of the year.

 

[RecoveringScot]

Saw another female Bullfinch at Cults this morning (after a pair (m./f.) on my first day a week or so ago). In over 21 years of living in the centre of town, and even though there were plentiful suitable trees around, it's one species I never recorded there that I can remember. Nicely unexpected. Haven't seen a Greenfinch though for donkeys, when once they were common in the town centre gardens area.

 

[RecoveringScot]

And of course, having bewailed the fact that I hadn't seen Greenfinch for years, what should come bounding along and landing on top of a tree but a male Greenfinch about 10 minutes ago which together with a Dunnock brings my Cults house-garden patch list to 31 over 3 weeks, the winds being not particularly comfortable (the lack of thermals with clear skies has prevented more than a few soaring BOPs).

 

[delia todd]

Yeah.... I've been hearing Greenfinch all over the place this year..... after years of not seeing/hearing them at all. It started last year when I began to hear the odd one or two round town here.

 

[RecoveringScot]

Yeah.... I've been hearing Greenfinch all over the place this year..... after years of not seeing/hearing them at all. It started last year when I began to hear the odd one or two round town here.

Interesting. I'm not up to date with their recovery, being mostly out of birdwatching with various health problems over the last few years.

 

[delia todd]

with various health problems over the last few years.

Sorry to hear that Phil.

Perhaps we can compare notes.... such as how many pills we take a day LOL

 

[RecoveringScot]

Another Red Kite at Cults at about 11:20 this time very close at rooftop level about a hundred yards from me. Amazing to think that this bird, which I travelled to mid-Wales specially to see in the 1970s, is becoming so familiar. It moved off south-east across the river.

 

[RecoveringScot]

First two definite House Martin of the year at Cults today. Also a small 'V' of geese going NE but they were miles away. Yesterday still large flocks of Wood Pigeon (several hundred) flying over fields and woods on the S. side of the Dee west of Inchgarth reservoir.

 

[RecoveringScot]

Osprey seen from Cults soaring above conifer woods just south-west of Inchgarth reservoir at about 13:20 for approx one minute then lumbered off SW. Also 5 minutes later a male Sparrowhawk furiously chasing one of the local nesting sparrows about 40 feet from me, but didn't see the outcome.

 

[RecoveringScot]

Female Blackcap at Cults, Aberdeen 08:45 (first of year), with Greenfinch and Goldfinch, also Bullfinch around. If the sun manages to lift the mist it will look quite encouraging as the wind has mostly dropped away and the temperature is slowly on the rise.

 

[RecoveringScot]

Well the weather didn't shape up like I hoped but I have added a new species to the patch list: a flyover Great Spotted Woodpecker at 13:20 or so. A few hurrying Swallows and what appears to be a pair of locally resident House Martins (feeding very actively first thing) also seen.

 

[RecoveringScot]

Yesterday's 2 House Martins at Cults have become 10-12 overnight, even though the temperature is not going to rise much beyond 7C/45F today. They seemed to be finding some things to catch nonetheless.