February 2013

Sunday 3rd Feb - a bitterly cold day & the weather putting paid to a trip further afield...these selections all taken around Girdleness , Aberdeen Harbour & Fittie area.

m & f common eider

Eider splash!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Red Breasted merganser

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo opportunities midweek have been limited on three counts: 1) Crap weather, 2) Lack of light 3) A 25 minute window of opportunity each day due to work! That said, a close female kestrel nort to be sniffed at - this individual photographed on Redmoss Road over two days

Duck numbers on loch Loirston are increasing slightly with a small increase in numbers of tufted duck and goosander (up to 5), goldeneye (7). There are still over 100 wigeon but little grebe seem to be temporarily displaced.

Wigeon

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday 9th February - a return to golf after a few weeks absence - a really mild and beautiful day...and an incredible tally of up to 31 bottle-nosed dolphin visible (inclusding 3 calfs). Just a wee bit too far out for photos which wasn't a problem seeing as I had no camera with me!

The following day on the 10th the weather predictably took a turn for the worse but we headed in to Aberdeen regardless hoping the snow and sleet would relent so we could go a bit further afield. It didn't but we were treated to very close views of about 6 - 7 bottle-nosed dolphins well up Aberdeen harbour ie viewable from the parking area by the allotments. Although relatively close, there was no breaching but we had a great hour's viewing

Bottle-nosed dolphin , Aberdeen harbour

Red-breasted merganser

Late January 2013

A fair amount of snow in the 4th week of January made it a harsh time for some of our local wildlife.
Piling out extra birdfood in the garden helped bring in lots of finches, inclusing up to 4 brambling about the 25th and a few tree sparrow.

Robin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aberdeen harbour and the River Dee offered some photo opps for our commoner coastal birds as well as some confiding long-tailed duck.

Cormorant

Oystercatcher

Redshank

Long-tailed duck

At month end there were still some short-eared owl about between Cove & Girdleness & this one was photographed on the 31st near the old tip area.

Short-eared owl

January 2013 Catch up

Well to all the blog readers (both of you), I dedicate this catch up to you.
Wintery conditions in the N/East of Scotland have been the order for the last week or so.
In the last week I've seen 3 different short-eared owl midday along the Old Coast Road and at Torry Battery with many other sightings posted so it would appear we have had a bit of an influx. Waxwings are still about the region, albeit in lesser numbers (presumably being topped up with a few new arrivals).
We caught up with a  reported 1st W iceland gull last Sunday 20th January at Loch of Skene after a trawl around Crathes and Drum (usual suspects such as jay, treecreeper and a nice group of long-tailed tit at Drum).
The garden this week has had a nice male brambling and a few fieldfare in the vicinity and a healthy dose of bird seed scattered today will hopefully bring in others. Good numbers of chaffinch seen - predominantly male and again, numbers probably swelled by migrants.

Short-eared owl - near Girdleness 23.1.13

Short-eared owl No.2 100 yards on 23.1.13

Robin in my garden 24.1.13

Weekend 6th January 2013

Weather still slightly grim so again opted to head South on Sunday instead of North.

Loch of Kinnordy had a male smew as well as the ususal regular ducks but like many other sites in Scotland a lack of pochard anywhere.

About a half hour after arriving, shooting began in the surrounding area so a chance to practice some flight shots.

After Kinnordy we drove to Backwater Reservoir and caught up with an earlier reported great northern diver. Always good to see one inland even if in winter plumage. The surrounding area had dipper and red grouse and looks as though quality time spent here would be rewarded with some good birds such as eagle etc not far away in the glens. As it was the rain came heavily curtailing our day but good to get out! 

Greylag Geese

Whooper Swan

Greylag Geese

Male & Female Mallard

Between the hides, two red squirrel were at the bird feeder area and not too concerned about our presence but poor light made it awkward to get a decent picture.

Just what are you staring at?

 

 

 

 

 

2013 - Happy New Year

Wednesday 2nd January 2013 - weather not attractive enough for a trip up North. Recent goodies include the region's first laughing gull at Rosehearty and a wintering desert wheatear at Rattray. Supporting cast of king eider, american wigeon and mediterranean gull and more regular sightings posted of white winged gulls.

Anyway, maybe a weekend trip beckons but a foray in to Aberdeen and specifically at the Wellington bridge at the River Dee today, a winter plumaged slavonian grebe was a nice bird to find early in the year. It took a bit of time to get a reasonable picture as it moved between there and the Victoria Bridge.

Slavonian Grebe - River dee, Aberdeen 2nd January 2013

Whilst trying to relocate the slav, three long tailed tuck were near the Victoria Bridge but flew further down the harbour.
A small flock of waxwing flew (approx 25) over the river towards Torry and also in the area around 20 redshank, red-breasted merganser, goldeneye, goosander, mallard as well as black headed and herring gull.

Goldeneye (m) - River Dee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Goosander (m) - River Dee

Whats about - Late November?

Many many reports of waxwings on a daily basis and seen quite a few here in different areas - Kincorth, Crathes Castle, near Grammar School, Bath St - Stonehaven & yesterday had 15 arriving in the tree beside our garden yesterday most of the day.
Other birds reported in the wider area include a bittern at Strathbeg & Kinnordy and a black necked grebe reported from Montrose Basin today.

For me, nipping out at 3pm during my break on Friday 23rd resulted in another otter sighting. Poor, fading light but just a joy to watch regardless.

Otter - Loch Loirston, Aberdeen

 At Cowie, stonehaven, a few commoner waders inclusing purple sandpiper and the well stocked birdfeeders at the garden there ensures tree sparrow are usually guaranteed.

Blue Tit - Cowie, Stonehaven

Tree Sparrow - Cowie, Stonehaven

Waxwings 18th Nov 2012

Bumped into more of these at Crathes Castle yesterday, we saw 13 in total. As well as the waxies, around 6 jays, 2 great spotted woodpecker, crossbill over, red kite over, treccreeper and all the usual ones.