sizzlor108
Mark Wood
I used to see a couple of stock dove regularly hanging out in the trees around hillhead (student campus) while i was a student there.
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Wild in Aberdeen - City and Shire (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter Ken Hall
- Start date
They're a regular breeding bird around Seaton Park and sometimes can be heard calling around Old Aberdeen too. I've not seen or heard in the city centre though.
RecoveringScot
Well-known member
Thanks sizzlor108 and AJW,
I didn't know that at all. I'll have a look at the old Bird Reports for background.
Cheers
I didn't know that at all. I'll have a look at the old Bird Reports for background.
Cheers
Joseph N
Lothian Young Birder
A casual, non-briding walk along the beach at Donmouth provided a small amount of reasonably good birds today. Most notably a group of 15 Little Terns were mixed in with a group of 35 Sandwich Terns right at the very mouth of the Don - don't think they are too unusual here but very nice to see with some great views of them. Further up the beach a summer plumaged Red-throated Diver was nice, but better was an immature Great Northern Diver also not far offshore but further north up the beach. Having had Shore Lark there last year and other things having been seen there in the past, Donmouth certainly has lots of potential for both seabirds and passerine migs. Very few check it, and personally I think even though some do from time to time, it just isn't given the justice it deserves.
Joseph
Joseph
Mark Lew1s
My real name is Mark Lewis
Hi Joseph,
Donmouth actually gets quite decent coverage, especially when the conditions are right. Two of the guys in the patch listing competition I'm part of have Donmouth as there patch. It might not feature too frequently in the local news as info on 'lesser' rarities sometimes does not get put out...I can think of a red-backed shrike and a wryneck over the last few years at Donmouth that were not very widely reported...
Your assessment of the site is quite correct...it has oodles of potential. One thing against it might be that migrants follow the cover inland and soon get lost in the cover of brig o'balgownie or seaton park, but there have been long staying birds recently such as humes and barred warblers.
One place that probably is overlooked is seaton park. I should imagine that it does well for migrants, probably keeping birds for several days after falls. It has previous as well, there was an Orphean warbler there a long time ago!
Donmouth actually gets quite decent coverage, especially when the conditions are right. Two of the guys in the patch listing competition I'm part of have Donmouth as there patch. It might not feature too frequently in the local news as info on 'lesser' rarities sometimes does not get put out...I can think of a red-backed shrike and a wryneck over the last few years at Donmouth that were not very widely reported...
Your assessment of the site is quite correct...it has oodles of potential. One thing against it might be that migrants follow the cover inland and soon get lost in the cover of brig o'balgownie or seaton park, but there have been long staying birds recently such as humes and barred warblers.
One place that probably is overlooked is seaton park. I should imagine that it does well for migrants, probably keeping birds for several days after falls. It has previous as well, there was an Orphean warbler there a long time ago!
Joseph N
Lothian Young Birder
Hi Mark,
Apologies for suggesting that Donmouth does not receive a lot of coverage. My comment that 'even though some do from time to time' did imply that I was aware that some people do cover the area. I realise though that I was probably being overly presumptuous with my original belief that the area isn't covered that well - it's great to hear that there a couple of people that have it as a patch, something I was originally unaware of. Nonetheless, as with pretty much anywhere on the coast, so much must get missed there even during favourable conditions - some real stonking rarities I should imagine!!
I agree with your theory that migs get pushed towards the likes of the Brig O Balgownie and Seaton Park and that both these sites should get more coverage - there certainly is plenty of good cover for them to get into in both those areas and I have checked the Seaton Park area for migs during the right conditions before. I will bare these sites in the mind during a period of favourable conditions this coming autumn.
Joseph
Apologies for suggesting that Donmouth does not receive a lot of coverage. My comment that 'even though some do from time to time' did imply that I was aware that some people do cover the area. I realise though that I was probably being overly presumptuous with my original belief that the area isn't covered that well - it's great to hear that there a couple of people that have it as a patch, something I was originally unaware of. Nonetheless, as with pretty much anywhere on the coast, so much must get missed there even during favourable conditions - some real stonking rarities I should imagine!!
I agree with your theory that migs get pushed towards the likes of the Brig O Balgownie and Seaton Park and that both these sites should get more coverage - there certainly is plenty of good cover for them to get into in both those areas and I have checked the Seaton Park area for migs during the right conditions before. I will bare these sites in the mind during a period of favourable conditions this coming autumn.
Joseph
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Joseph N
Lothian Young Birder
A very pleasurable day's birding yesterday, despite the westerly winds having made the area become relatively quiet. The start of the day saw me at Rigifa Pool where the Pectoral Sandpiper first seen on Friday evening was present, as well as the Avocet that has been there. This was the second sighting I've had of Avocet in the county within a week, along with the two at Strathbeg last week which were my first in the county. The two birds showed well in the morning sunshine, mostly feeding busily near to one another about 75ft from the road. Occasionally the Pec Sand would fly to the very back of the pool, but would very quickly to return to where the Avocet was feeding. It was fantastic to see these two scarce waders so close to home. Attached are a few pictures of them - one of which shows the birds feeding not far at all from one another.
The rest of the day didn't live up to the quality of the start of the day but was enjoyable nonetheless. 2 drake Garganey were lovely to see at Strathbeg, as were 4 Little Gulls (including one stunning adult sumplum bird) and 2 Ospreys. Meanwhile seawatching was quiet off the nearby Rattray, with one dark phase Arctic Skua being the highlight. To conclude the day, a further 2 Ospreys were at the Ythan, but little else. Despite things being quieter elsewhere, the delight of seeing the Avocet and Pec Sand together at Rigifa was enough to send me home satisfied.
Joseph
The rest of the day didn't live up to the quality of the start of the day but was enjoyable nonetheless. 2 drake Garganey were lovely to see at Strathbeg, as were 4 Little Gulls (including one stunning adult sumplum bird) and 2 Ospreys. Meanwhile seawatching was quiet off the nearby Rattray, with one dark phase Arctic Skua being the highlight. To conclude the day, a further 2 Ospreys were at the Ythan, but little else. Despite things being quieter elsewhere, the delight of seeing the Avocet and Pec Sand together at Rigifa was enough to send me home satisfied.
Joseph
Attachments
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Tom Lawson
Well-known member
Somewhere recently I read ? a blog giving information with a map of how to work the Ythan Estuary which I forgot to download. Can anybody help with the reference.Thanks.
Tom Lawson.
Tom Lawson.
It might have been Ken Hall's website. It certainly has that information anyway:
http://www.thenatureofnortheastscotland.com/section295030_97732.html
RecoveringScot
Well-known member
The Stock Dove in Union Grove is still around. Interestingly it is associating itself with a breeding pair of Collared Doves in the back garden of the Nargile restaurant. On one occasion I saw it following (but not strictly chasing) one of the CDs throughout several circuits of the general area at high speed. I wonder if it's trying to muscle-in on the CD relationship? It always seems to return to the trees in the garden after being away. Since I've been living here the population of Collared Dove and Wood Pigeon have both increased from zero to several pairs within a restricted area. Territorial disputes both between and within species (and with Jackdaws) are frequent. I'm not sure what has caused this increase, but refuse spillage after collections by refuse vans may have something to do with it. This has also markedly increased over the last decade. Perhaps the Stock Dove is the harbinger of future colonisation too. I hope so. It's a nice species.
Cheers
Cheers
Capercaillie71
Well-known member
I like them too, although there are only a few pairs out this way. Easily overlooked, but nice subtle plumage and their all-dark eyes make them look more gentle than the beady reptilian eyes of feral pigeons or cushie-doos.
daveofficer
Well-known member
right, i have no way of verifying this, but a reliable friend of mine says they had a Woodchat Shrike in their garden in Inverurie. They say they've exhausted their bird book and it could only have been this bird.
I saw on birdguides that there was one spotted in Wales at the end of May, with photographs. So are they right? Is there a bird which could be easily mistaken for one? I thought maybe a female blackcap because of the chestnut top.
I saw on birdguides that there was one spotted in Wales at the end of May, with photographs. So are they right? Is there a bird which could be easily mistaken for one? I thought maybe a female blackcap because of the chestnut top.
They're kind of distinctive, but then it's always possible for people to get things wrong. Not to say that they have though. It'd be useful to know what it was doing and where (very specifically) it was? On the ground? In the middle of a tree? At the top of a bush?
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Hugh Addlesee
Well-known member
It would be nice to think it was true, at least if it's still around, but it's highly unlikely. If Blackcap's a serious contender, what about Tree Sparrow? - quite a likely new bird for an Inverurie garden, I would think.
daveofficer
Well-known member
I'll try and get more info. They're kicking themselves they didn't get a photo but the person who saw it is an artist who specialises in quirky nature inspired art, particularly birds (and indeed designed my song thrush tattoo), so I'm sure they would have noticed details which would help identification. But, we all let optimism get the better of us when we see a flash of colour in the bushes.
i find the the not knowing for sure quite exciting though. there must be hundreds of rare birds around the country happily going unnoticed in peoples gardens or parks, just minding their own business without hordes of scopes pointing at them. maybe one day they'll turn up in my garden.
i find the the not knowing for sure quite exciting though. there must be hundreds of rare birds around the country happily going unnoticed in peoples gardens or parks, just minding their own business without hordes of scopes pointing at them. maybe one day they'll turn up in my garden.
Peregrine Shot
In todays Evening Express (Page 6 of the the local newspaper) there is a report of a Peregrine Falcon being shot near Ballater In April.The bird was killed by a Shotgun.No report on the papers website yet,so no link Im afraid.
Having lost a Golden Eagle in this area,a couple of years ago through Illegal activities,this area is now becoming very dangerous for our Raptors.How many Incidents/killings go unreported because of nobody seeing the dead victims ? :C
In todays Evening Express (Page 6 of the the local newspaper) there is a report of a Peregrine Falcon being shot near Ballater In April.The bird was killed by a Shotgun.No report on the papers website yet,so no link Im afraid.
Having lost a Golden Eagle in this area,a couple of years ago through Illegal activities,this area is now becoming very dangerous for our Raptors.How many Incidents/killings go unreported because of nobody seeing the dead victims ? :C
Link; news.stv.tv/scotland/north/254536-protected-falcon-found-shot/
sizzlor108
Mark Wood
Was up at the Ythan today, looking at the King Eider. Also managed to find a long-tailed duck beyond the estuary mouth, two dozen manx shearwaters flying north, 7 canada geese flying south and a sedge warbler on the golf course.
choughed2bits
kev thomson
Further to your message, thought you might find this interesting:
Table of Scottish Raptors found Poisoned, Shot or Trapped 1989-2011
http://raptorpolitics.org.uk/2011/0...ors-found-poisoned-shot-or-trapped-1989-2011/
I was up north today and stopped in past the Peregrine Watch at Bin Forest,near Huntly.Both adult birds were on the Quarry but sadly,have not bred this year.However,I was still afforded great views of both birds,so anyone wishing to see Peregrines in a natural,easy place,should head there.
Also loads of Finches,Tits and GS Woodpecker at the feeders.I missed the local Red Squirrel by 5 minutes..!
Also loads of Finches,Tits and GS Woodpecker at the feeders.I missed the local Red Squirrel by 5 minutes..!
