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| Roe Deer |
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| Buzzard |
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| Grey Wagtail |
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| Grey Wagtail |
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| Jay |
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| Hawfinch |
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| Hawfinch |
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| Mistle Thrush & Black Grouse |
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| Black Grouse |
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| Raven |
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| Brown Hare |
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| Jackdaw |
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| Black Grouse |
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| Brown Hare |
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| Redwing |
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| Kestrel |
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| Buzzard |
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| Shoveler |
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| Greylag Goose |
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| Wigeon |
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| Goosander |
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| Teal & Snipe |
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| Teal |
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| Roe Deer |
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| Pied Wagtails & Oystercatcher & Teal |
On my short walk to the doctors I managed a grand total of 5 species, all regularly seen species near my home - Carrion Crow, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Herring Gull, Blackbird and Feral Pigeon. As arranged, I messaged Nat when I left the surgery expecting her to take about 15 minutes to reach me. Unknown to me she had arrived early to wait at our arranged pick-up point, which meant an earlier start than expected which was no problem. I popped home to collect my birding gear then met Nat.
We discussed the options - north into the Glens etc, East along the coast, South to Fife and the Fife coast, and lastly West to Scone Palace to attempt to find Hawfinch, a species Nat I knew would like to see. After suggesting the latter, this was the option decided upon so we headed west for Perth. There wasn't too much to see en route except a few Woodpigeons and Carrion Crows, though a large flock of Swans in a field on the far side of the Tay may or may not have been Whoopers stopping off to feed on their way back north.
Oystercatcher, Woodpigeon and Mallard were seen before we reached Scone Palace and headed in to the grounds to begin our hunt for the elusive finches, which can be frustratingly hard to find for such chunky birds. A Pied Wagtail flitted and scurried around near the car park. A few Black Headed Gulls circled high above the palace, and a Buzzard was spotted above the trees. We wandered up the driveway in the hope that the birds might be where we found them on the ADBC outing earlier in the year.
Blue Tits and Chaffinches called from the trees and bushes as we slowly walked along the tarmac strip of the driveway, staring up into the trees on either side. A Jay flew over, with a pair of Jackdaws going in the opposite direction. We heard but didn't see a Great Spotted Woodpecker. A Robin sang quietly from a low branch. Great Tits and Blackbird were added before we reached the area off to the left, near the northeast corner of the grounds, but it was very quiet and we drew a blank here except for a few Woodpigeons which clattered away off through the trees.
A Pheasant was next on the list, and a Carrion Crow overflew. As we stood deciding where to try next, we spotted a pair of Roe Deer sprinting towards us, seemingly unaware that we were there. Unfortunately the speed of their approach meant the auto-focus on my camera struggled to achieve focus and I only managed one relatively in-focus shot, as the buck with antlers in velvet, swerved away and past us. Still it was a very close encounter with animals that are usually heading off in the opposite direction.
We decided to check the driveway at the north side entrance, having seen the Hawfinches there on an ADBC outing a few years ago. Reaching the dirt track down through the bushes we stopped to watch a Great Tit and a Blue Tit flitting about in a bush. A third bird caught my eye as it shuffled along the underside of a branch. A Treecreeper. There was no sign of the target birds along the lower drive either, but at the side entrance we crossed the road to check the flooded area.
A female Grey Wagtail wandered around, its long tail wagging as it searched for edible items on the small mud islands. A smart looking male flew in, landing nearby. Nat spotted a Jay on the ground in the garden slightly further up the road, before it flew up into a small tree, and then into the small wooded area opposite. A small group of Long Tailed Tits called to each other as they foraged in the trees just inside the estate, and a Wren flew low across the road and into the undergrowth and out of sight.
We decided to retrace our steps and head back to the northeast corner of the ground, hoping that maybe we had either somehow overlooked the birds earlier, or that we might find them there now. Having now spent almost two full hours searching and not finding the birds we weren't exactly full of hope, but I was determined that I would find at least one bird.
Arriving back in below the trees I was aware of some calls that I couldn't quite place. Not as dry as the 'tic' calls I expected from Hawfinch, but slightly more melodic. Usually an unidentified call turns out to be a Great Tit but I scanned the trees to find the source. High in the trees, I found what was making the noise. Hawfinches, at least 4 of them. I pointed the birds out to Nat, who managed to train her binoculars on them, as I attempted to get a few photos. With the sun behind the birds from our viewpoint, I decided that we might get better views from the driveway so we hurried round to try.
Unfortunately, the tree the birds were in was further back than I anticipated and the view from closer in wasn't as good as expected either. Still, the light was better and I took a selection of photos. One, when seen later on the computer, showed a ringed bird, but it was a different bird to one I found at the ADBC outing which turned out to be the oldest known Hawfinch in the UK (2 days short of 8 years between being ringed at Scone by Neil Morrison and being photographed by me - details chased up by Chris McGuigan on my behalf - thanks Chris!), although we are still waiting for the BTO to update their website.
Having successfully (eventually) found our target bird, we headed back to the car, discussing en route where to try next. I suggested the possibility of perhaps seeing Snow Buntings, and perhaps Ptarmigan (albeit distantly) at Glenshee. As Snow Bunting was another bird that Nat wanted to see, we decided it was worth a try. Birds were rather few and far between, Pheasants, Buzzards, Woodpigeons and Crow family birds mostly, though north of Blairgowrie we began to see more waders - Oystercatchers, Lapwings and even a few Curlews, as well as Common Gulls.
Nearing Spittal of Glenshee, black and white shapes in a roadside field didn't immediately register - my mind trying to make them into Oystercatchers and failing. The realisation hit - Black Grouse! We stopped the car and wound down the window for a photo or two. A Mistle Thrush hopped along beside one of the grouse. Despite the birds wandering away from us, we got pretty good views at a site I haven't seen, or heard of, the species before.
A few Red Grouse were seen as we headed along the road getting closer to the ski centre. We had seen from a distance what looked like a rain shower, but as we stopped at the car park and got out to have a nosey, the rather sleety shower turned a bit heavier, the strong wind making exploring rather pointless. A pair of Red Grouse flew up and away from us behind the ski-lift, and I managed to find a deep snow drift to stand in. Back to the car then...
We had something to eat then decided to head back across country towards Loch of Kinnordy and the surrounding area exploring on the way. A chance for a landscape photo, from the end of the car park, of the hills with their partial coating of snow and darker areas looking almost like a pencil drawing resulted in us finding yet another Red Grouse, as it flew off up the hill. We turned off the main road to cut across towards Glen Isla. A few Pheasants and a Buzzard or two were the only things of note on the way.
We almost missed the turn at Forter Castle as it seemed closer than I remembered it being. As we headed up the glen a large flock of birds lifted from among the long grass and trees on out left. Fieldfares, Mistle Thrushes and Starlings mostly, they flew ahead of us for a short distance, with some dropping back into the field and others continuing on and away from us. Jackdaws, Pheasants, Woodpigeons and Oystercatchers as well as a few Common Gulls were the main interest as we made our way slowly along the road. A small bird flew off from a gorse bush. Nat having got a better view than I had identified it as a male Stonechat. Another nice find.
We turned at the estate buildings to head back down the glen with nothing additional added on our way back. At the junction we took the left-hand fork towards Kirriemuir. There was a substantial amount of smoke billowing across the glen from heather being burned up behind the farm opposite. A Raven flapped its way across from left to right, and a Buzzard drifted up above the hills. We stopped to photograph a pair of Brown Hares in a field, only for me to get distracted by a few birds in the tree we had stopped below. A Goldcrest and a Blue Tit. Further on a Dunnock disappeared in below a bush as a Blackbird pair stopped to ponder whether the car was something to worry about or not.
A Meadow Pipit was another addition a little further on, with yet another Brown Hare being seen. As we approached the junction for Backwater reservoir we decided we might as well check it out. Nat had seen Crossbills (another bird she had been hoping to see) at the local RSPB outing recently, but the chance of perhaps seeing more swayed the decision. As we crossed the dam, we could see a few Common Gulls but the reservoir looked quiet.
Things perked up very soon after though. I could see a large-ish bird perched in the tree ahead of us, so I suggested taking it slowly as we approached. Checking through binoculars it turned out to be a female Black Grouse - a Grey Hen. The first time I have seen this species in a tree. With the tree being on the 'wrong' side of the road for photos from the car, we edged closer. Thankfully, the bird was quite relaxed and allowed me to climb out of the car and take a few photos, though the multitude branches between me and the bird made it tricky to get a clear shot, but I did succeed in getting one that I was happy with.
We headed further on along the road, spotting a few Mistle Thrush which flew along in front of the car. A flock of Lapwings passed over. A Raven was spotted up towards the ridge. A trio of Brown Hares lazed around in the field. Two Goldfinches and a male Chaffinch perched on the fenceposts before flying up into the trees. Oystercatchers were dotted around, the black and white standing out against the green of the grass. A small flock of Linnets took flight as we pushed on towards the car park. Rather than stop at the car park, we decided to head up to the farm at the top end of the road, and turn there. A few Pheasants were around, but sadly no sign of any partridges of either species.
Coming back again, we saw a Grey Wagtail fly out and away from a wet bit of the roadside. A Pied Wagtail flew alongside the car further down the road. The field nearest the car park on the way out held decent numbers of Fieldfares, with a few Mistle Thrush and Starling among them. As we stopped for me to get a photo, the birds took flight, leaving only a single Redwing stood looking at the car. A bird of prey just below the skyline turned out to be a Kestrel and we watched it return to perch on a rock near the top of the hill. A Robin was on the fence beside the dam.
On the way out to the Kirriemuir road again, we slowed to check that the two raptors above the hill opposite were Buzzards. Along the next mile or so we saw at least another 5 of the species hanging in the air above the trees, or circling up on a thermal. A pair of Jackdaws chased one of the Buzzards, though it was tricky to see the birds to identify them properly until I got out of the car and crossed the road.
The two Shelduck were still in the small pool in a field, but there was no sign of the Teal that had shared the pool with them previously. A few Rooks and Jackdaws were in the roadside fields as we made our way towards Loch of Kinnordy despite the time by now being around 1730. A Redshank was by a puddle in a field, and as we reached the western end of the reserve we could see a few Greylags, with Whooper Swans, Tufted Duck and Wigeon nearby. A few male Reed Buntings were by the roadside.
We headed in to the gullery hide to see what was around. Out on the water most of the birds were quite distant. More Greylags, Whooper Swans, a Moorhen, a few Teal closer in, Tufted Ducks rather distant. A drake Shoveler swam by the bogbean islands where Oystercatchers stood, with a flock of Lapwings further back. Mallards, and eventually a Mute Swan also put in an appearance.
A few Pied Wagtails flew by, maybe 5 or 6 in number. Scanning around found a the odd Redshank, and a single well camouflaged Snipe. A pair of Goosander could just be made out well across the loch, though two females sleeping were somehow overlooked initially despite being in plain sight. There were a handful of Goldeneye still around, though these too were distant. More Pied Wagtails flew in, settling on the bogbean among the Oystercatchers.
Woodpigeon clattered out of the trees. The drumming of a Great Spotted Woodpecker came closer, and I popped outside to try and see the bird but drew a blank. Back in the hide I spotted a Buzzard fly up and land on a telegraph pole at the back of the reeds opposite the hide. A Pheasant male wandered through the reeds as the Snipe poked around beside a group of roosting Teal.
Two Roe Deer grazed by the edge of the reeds. The Rooks along at the rookery added to the background noise. Even more Pied Wagtails flew in, and I counted a group of around 12-15 on the bog bean. More flew in as others flew off into the reeds to roost for the night.
With the sun close to disappearing behind the hills to the west, the arrival of Pied Wagtails seemed to increase even more with birds seemingly either coming or going from the islands. In total I estimate we saw over 100 Pied Wagtails coming in to roost. A pair of Teal swam in close to the hide but the low light made getting a decent photo rather tricky. With the time now after 1830 and the temperature dropping fast we decided to finish up our eventful outing and head back down the road. A few Mute Swans and some Greylags were in the roadside fields as we drove back towards Kirriemuir. A few Carrion Crows and Starlings were all we saw on the way to Dundee.
A surprisingly productive day despite the late start though only the Black Grouse (in bold) was new for my own year-list. 55 species seen in total.
Black Grouse, Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Common Gull, Curlew, Dunnock, Fieldfare, Goldcrest, Goldeneye, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Tit, Grey Wagtail, Greylag Goose, Hawfinch, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Jay, Kestrel, Lapwing, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Long Tailed Tit, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Raven, Red Grouse, Redshank, Redwing, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Shelduck, Shoveler, Snipe, Starling, Stonechat, Teal, Treecreeper, Tufted Duck, Whooper Swan, Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Wren.