Wild in Aberdeen - City and Shire (7 Viewers)

[Joseph N]

It was a nice day for ducks yesterday, both with regards to the weather and also literally within Aberdeenshire. The drake American Wigeon at Strathbeg was showing nicely from Starnafin (pictured below), although pretty dingy looking in the early stages of its eclipse plumage. However, it was still pretty striking without most of its cream crown.

We popped into Murcar early evening between showers for half an hour or so, where we managed a single drake Surf Scoter. The majority of scoters became very distant after they did a dramatic fly past north to Blackdog in their thousands, so unfortunately we couldn't pick any more Surfies out nor the celebrity Black Scoter.

4 1st summer Little Gulls were hawking Meikle Loch early afternoon, whilst another two were at Strathbeg. For more info, see my blog in the next couple of days.

Joseph

 

[Capercaillie71]

Yesterday I had two frustratingly close encounters with hard-to-see birds. In the morning I was walking along the edge of a field between Banff and Aberchirder when a Quail started calling in the adjacent field. As I stopped to listen I realised that it was gradually moving towards me and eventually was probably about 5 metres away, with only 30cm height of barley concealing it. I stayed still for a good long while in the hope that it might eventually emerge from the edge of the crop right in front of me, but no such luck! There was another Quail calling in the distance too.

At midnight I was driving home from some dusk fieldwork in Moray over the Cabrach and I had been seeing a lot of owls, mostly flying off fenceposts at the farthest reach of the headlights, never to be seen again. On a whim I stopped next to a conifer shelterbelt and put the windows down. Sure enough I was nearly deafened by the squeaks of at least 3 juvenile long-eared owls right next to the car! Despite the full glare of the car headlights and the fact that the owls were again no more than 5 metres from me and not much above head-height, I just couldn't see them! The dense branches of the trees kept them well hidden. Eventually I gave up and headed off. A few hundred metres down the road on the open moor, an eared owl flew off a fencepost. In the brief views that I had it seemed to have quite orangey primary patches so I suspect it was one of the adults.

Although I've seen both these species before I've never had particularly good views of either (flight views only). That didn't change yesterday, but still they are both great birds to hear.

 

[Jimmycq]

Just seen this footage on the bbc, osprey chick at Lochter being plucked off the nest by a buzzard. (click on link to youtube on bbc page)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-18609752

 

[sh4rpy]

Hi All
Myself and a couple of birding buddies have pencilled in a trip to Ythan for this saturday 7th July. We were hoping to connect with the Black Scoter. Does anyone know if it is still around? Any other info, where to view etc would be useful too.
Thanks in advance
Chris

 

[Zephyrus Carrington]

Hi All
Myself and a couple of birding buddies have pencilled in a trip to Ythan for this saturday 7th July. We were hoping to connect with the Black Scoter. Does anyone know if it is still around? Any other info, where to view etc would be useful too.
Thanks in advance
Chris

I believe it was still around on Sunday, although I haven't yet connected myself.

The Scoters have been widely dispersed when I have visited and we have been suffering from quite a lot of poor visibility, which probably explains the intermittent sightings. As I type I can't see much beyond 1/4 mile out of my office window in S. Aberdeen...

Best plan would probably be to park at Blackdog and work your way south along the dunes towards Murcar. You'll soon see where the duck concentrations are. If its bright (here's hoping!) the light will be better in the afternoon/evening.

 

[sh4rpy]

Many thanks for the advice-fingers crossed for some good visbility

 

[Zephyrus Carrington]

Popped into the Blackdog/Murcar hood this arvo. There was a big congregation of Scoter off Murcar, but many were fairly distant. Saw 2-3 drake Surfies, about 10 Velvet and the strange all yellow/orange billed Scoter that has been kicking around lately. Couldn't find the Black Scoter.

 

[Jimmycq]

Had a quick look around Loch of Skene this evening, light was horrible but at least it wasn't raining. Having said that I was really surprised how low the water is. Rafts of Tufted Duck and approx 80+ Mute, including three families with 5,6,7 cygnets. Plenty Sand Martin and Swift and positive on 2 House Martin. Willow Warbler, Goldfinch, Great Tit Grey Heron etc, all the usuals. Caught this little guy east end, just need a confirmation on this. I think it's a Common Sandpiper, was a bit more brown in real life, first time I've seen wader on the loch, apart from Oystercatcher, tail was constantly going up and down.

Jim.

 

[Hugh Addlesee]

Had a quick look around Loch of Skene this evening, light was horrible but at least it wasn't raining. Having said that I was really surprised how low the water is. Rafts of Tufted Duck and approx 80+ Mute, including three families with 5,6,7 cygnets. Plenty Sand Martin and Swift and positive on 2 House Martin. Willow Warbler, Goldfinch, Great Tit Grey Heron etc, all the usuals. Caught this little guy east end, just need a confirmation on this. I think it's a Common Sandpiper, was a bit more brown in real life, first time I've seen wader on the loch, apart from Oystercatcher, tail was constantly going up and down.

Jim.

Hi Jimmy,
Yes, it is a Common Sand, though there has also been a Greenshank there for a few days now - generally east of the Temple.
The water level's low because the estate has opened the sluice so that they can do some more work - presumably carrying on repairing the islands following on from last year. It should get a good deal lower yet, and hopefully will stay that way well into the autumn.
Hugh.

 

[Jimmycq]

Thanks Hugh, and having just re-read my post he was at the West end of the loch.

 

[RecoveringScot]

European Roller apparently still showing this morning at Lovie's Cement Works, New Pitsligo on wires.

 

[Joseph N]

Wader passage certainly seems to be underway in the NE now, with plenty of waders about on the coast today. Things were quite lively on that front this morning at Strathbeg, with singles of Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper and Ruff, 20 Golden Plover, 25 Dunlin, 5 Greenshank and a decent number of Lapwings.

Cairnbulg continued this trend with groups of 20 Whimbrel, 20 Dunlin and a couple of Sanderling and Ringed Plovers. A pale phase Arctic Skua harrassing the roosting gulls on the rocks close in provided further entertainment.

The Ythan proved to be the most productive though. Redshank and Dunlin were the predominant waders, with 130+ and 90+ respecitvely scattered across the estuary. Other waders were well represented with at least 15 Knot, 10 Golden Plovers, 8 Blackwits, 2 Greenshanks and 5 Common Sandpipers around, the latter by Logie Buchan Bridge. It was also lovely to hear and very briefly see a reeling Grasshopper Warbler at Logie Buchan; the first I've had there in quite some time.

4 Little Gulls seem to be resident at Meikle Loch at the moment, present today and last weekend, as well as last month. Also last weekend a female Surf Scoter and the strange hybrid scoter were off Blackdog.

Joseph

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Was at the Ythan and Blackdog this afternoon, often in the rain. There was a reasonable selection of waders on the Ythan: at least eight Whimbrel, three Bar-tailed Godwits, a Greenshank and a Common Sandpiper. Lots of Arctic Terns too. I saw a Peregrine take out one, probably a young bird.

At Blackdog there were two drake Surf Scoters and what I presume is the freakish hybrid scoter thing. It is a bit freaky - certainly looks to have some Surf in it. I guess one of the long staying drake Surfies has been sowing his wild oats with a Common. Lots of birds at Blackdog with four Arctic Skuas patrolling the beaches, lots of Sanderling, a Common Sandpiper and a few Red-throated Divers. I only saw one Velvet Scoter, although I suppose more might have been to the south.

 

[Joseph N]

It seems that wader numbers at ther Ythan may have dropped off since I was last there on Friday. I was back again today, and Redshank and Dunlin numbers had dropped down; c.60 of the former and maybe 25-30 of the latter. There probably was more at the estuary mouth though. It seemed that no Knots, Blackwits, Golden Plovers or Common Sands were around, all of which had been present in reasonably decent numbers on Friday. There were increases of some species though, with at least 5 Greenshank around the Snub, whilst there were 200+ Lapwing around and a few Whimbrel. On the non wader front 3 Little Gulls were from Waulkmill.

Joseph

 

[Jimmycq]

Just a query on Herring Gull behaviour. My office overlooks a flat roof on which a pair of gulls have raised 3 chicks, they are almost fully fledged now, but in the past week or so one of the adults, or maybe both, they're hard to tell apart, has been attacking one of the chicks when they return to feed. These are quite serious attacks, at one point the chick took shelter under the air conditioning unit and the adult was trying to haul it out by the wing, it is now a the stage when the adults return to feed the third chick is heading for cover and not begging for food. Has anybody noticed this type of behaviour before or have an explanation. thanks

Jim.

 

[Joseph N]

Was back at the Ythan again yesterday afternoon for some more passage wader action. Wader totals were as follows: 80+ Lapwing, 70+ Redshank, 45 Dunlin, 8 Golden Plover, 5 Knot, a couple of Barwits and Common Sandpipers + singles of Whimbrel and Blackwit. At the mouth of the estuary a tatty juv Peregrine had a go at the terns.

Meikle Loch was quite lively, with a single juv Wheatear on the fenceposts, 2 Ruff and later a Greenshank east overhead, as well as a single first-summer Little Gull and fishing Osprey.

Joseph

 

[Jimmycq]

Pooped in to Loch of Skene yesterday evening, hoping to see the 2 Little Ringed Plovers and Greenshank Hugh reported. Hopefully this is them, all at west end, 3 Plovers, single high note calling, also 3 Greenshank (only 2 in photo), large white patch on back in flight. 7 Greylag Geese east of car park, would this be a family unit ?, two of them significantly larger than the others. Found myself being watched by this little one, think it's Sedge Warbler, making little ticking noises as it sat, but open to correction on all

Jim

 

[Jimmycq]

Sorry, pictures are a bit out of sequence with the text..and I " popped " in !!

Jim.

 

[Hugh Addlesee]

Pooped in to Loch of Skene yesterday evening, hoping to see the 2 Little Ringed Plovers and Greenshank Hugh reported. Hopefully this is them, all at west end, 3 Plovers, single high note calling, also 3 Greenshank (only 2 in photo), large white patch on back in flight. 7 Greylag Geese east of car park, would this be a family unit ?, two of them significantly larger than the others. Found myself being watched by this little one, think it's Sedge Warbler, making little ticking noises as it sat, but open to correction on all

Jim

Hi Jimmy,
Glad you've caught up with some more waders at Skene, especially as I think it won't be long before the sluice is shut again, perhaps for a good few years:-C Anyway, just to be confusing, the plovers yesterday were 2 LRPs and 1 RP - the latter is the middle bird in your photo of the 3, and is peering in at the left in your other photo (a bit larger, dumpier & with different head markings, amongst other differences). All gone by today, & I think that'll be the last of the LRPs whatever happens to the water. 2 of the Greenshanks still present. Yep, Sedge Warbler, and you're probably right about the geese, though I haven't looked at them closely. The first 2 Shovelers back amongst the Mallards yesterday (and still present today). Just 1 Green Sand through so far (that I've seen).
Cheers,
Hugh.

 

[Jimmycq]

Thanks again Hugh, I did notice one was a bit larger but thought maybe it was an adult, just shows when you have something on your mind you tend not to think laterally. Now you've got me going again for Shovelers, another new one for me, will have to try and get down this week before jetting off to Malta in a week for holiday. Dont get to do much bird watching there, not one of the wife's holiday past times I'm afraid, having said that, I'm trying to arrange access to the reserves, they're usually closed between Jun-Oct, so we'll see.
cheers again
Jim