STONEFACTION BIRDING: 0161 : Smiles And Surprises (15/5/15)

0161 : Smiles And Surprises (15/5/15)

The 5th and final day of the week's holiday and day 7 of a 9-day birding mini-marathon was also day 2 of a double-header out and about with Nat. We had discussed popping up to Killiecrankie to see Wood Warblers, and hopefully Pied Flycatchers too, previously and although Nat had made the trip a week or so previously she was happy enough to do so again. As we had seen Pied Flycatcher at Kilminning it was the Wood Warbler that would be the target species for the day.

Short Eared Owl

Getting the day-list off the ground were Starling, Herring Gull, Feral Pigeon and Woodpigeon with Carrion Crow and House Martin added from the car. Lesser Black Backed Gull on a lamp post on the Kingsway completed the Dundee section of the list, as we headed out into the countryside and headed north and west towards Dunkeld and then on north to Pitlochry and Killiecrankie.

Oystercatchers, Jackdaws, Rooks and Pheasants were the most numerous species in the fields, with House Sparrows and Swifts around some of the more urban areas along the way. A pair of Mallards looked out of place stood out in a field. Blackbird and Chaffinch were next onto the list at another small village. A group of Mute Swans fed in another field while a Buzzard circled overhead.

Nat once again spotted the first Red Legged Partridge of the day. Common Gulls were next onto the list, sharing a field with corvids and pigeons. A few Swallows swept over, and we eventually saw our first Curlew of the day near Dunkeld. A small herd of Fallow Deer made a pleasant change from Roe and Red as they watchedthe traffic go by from in below a wooded area.

We arrived at Killiecrankie at around 0930 and could immediately hear a Wood Warbler singing from across the road among the trees. Needless to say this was where we concentrated our efforts first. Unfortunately the bird remained hidden from view for us, so we headed off to try the area past the visitor centre, with the bird across the road as the fall-back option if required.

Blue Tit and Goldcrest were first of the Killiecrankie species onto the list with Robin, Great Tit and an unexpected male Bullfinch following. We could hear another Wood Warbler singing close by but got slightly distracted by a pair of Long Tailed Tits before we started searching for the bird. It sounded like it was up in the trees but when we eventually did spot it we were surprised to see it perched among some saplings in front of us. Unfortunately this was temporary and it retreated back in to the larger mature trees on realising we had spotted it.

In addition to hoping to get a decent photo or two, I was also planning to attempt a video clip or two if we could find a co-operative bird at some point. With the bird almost straight above us, the photos we did manage weren't great and the bird's almost constant movement made getting video even harder. We discovered a Spotted Flycatcher and while attempting to get photos of it I saw a raptor high in the sky. One quickly grabbed photo as the bird disappeared over the trees and out of sight showed this to be a Red Kite.

A Blackcap sang loudly further up the track and a bit of searching finally found the bird flitting around in the trees. I heard a similar but different song and suspected Garden Warbler. Willow Warbler was found first before we confirmed that there was also a Garden warbler present as we watched it cross paths with the Spotted Flycatcher up in the trees. We went back to have another attempt at the still vocal Wood Warbler but the attempts weren't much better than before.

We had heard a Great Spotted Woodpecker calling and as we explored along the side of the railway line we found it in the trees above us. Exploring further up the hill, we spotted a Treecreeper hanging around a particular tree before it decamped to some saplings close by. I then realised why, as I spotted a flap of bark loose on the tree trunk where the bird had been first. We hastily backed off down the track and the bird returned to the tree, where from behind the bark, a second bird appeared. The first bird passed over some nesting material and the second disappeared back into the hole.

It was great to watch the birds from a distance, with the pair ignoring us as we were obviously well outside their 'comfort zone'. After a few minutes we headed off to explore some more. I spotted a Collared Dove flying among the trees along the railway line and we headed down to the river to try for Grey Wagtail, Dipper or Common Sandpiper. We found none of them, though a Robin singing a few feet in front of us was nice compensation.

As we finally succeeded in getting slightly better views, and a wee bit of not-very-good video footage of the Wood Warbler I spotted movement in the trees further up the slope. That had to surely be a Nuthatch! It was, and we eventually succeeded in getting pretty good views of the bird. Nat had spotted it earlier but wasn't 100% sure so hadn't pointed it out. As it was, in effect, my first self-found Nuthatch (I only found out later that they have bred at the site for 3 years) I was pretty chuffed to see it. A nice surprise. Our final bird at the site as we headed back to the car was Coal Tit at the feeders.

With no real plan for the rest of the day, but mindful that there was rain supposed to be moving in from the west (and the grey skies didn't look promising) we decided to go exploring some of the back roads between Pitlochry and Loch of Kinnordy, where we had decided to round off the day's birding. As long as we ended up going in a vaguely eastwards direction no road was too wee or too winding to explore. And explore we did, though birds seemed to be in fairly short supply.

Meadow Pipits, Mistle Thrushes, Pied Wagtails and Siskin were seen on fence-posts, roads and trees. A Kestrel hovered near a different road. I spotted a raptor high in the sky and Nat stopped the car. Photos comfirmed my initial ID of Peregrine. Further on, a Wheatear was spotted by Nat.Another nice find.

We weren't expecting the next bird however. As we drove along, we caught the briefest of glimpses as a large bird disappeared behind a dip. All I had seen was a dark patch on the wing. I suggested Buzzard but I knew it didn't look right for that species. The reason for that was apparent seconds later when flying towards the car came a Short Eared Owl. I managed a few photos before it veered away from us and continued its hunting. We found a place to pull in safely and watched the bird fly low above the ground, sometimes hovering, sometimes landing. A bird I had wanted to see well in daylight for years and we had stumbled on one. This topped even the Nuthatch for me.

We watched it for a while as it zig-zagged over the ground, sometimes hovering, sometimes perching briefly. Other birds around included at least 3 Kestrels and a few Lapwings. I suspect any young Lapwings here are going to have a challenging upbringing ahead of them. We watched a pair of Roe Deer cross the open ground. A Red Grouse flew in and disappeared a patch of heather. Another bird for our list. We resumed our exploration on a high after finding the owl. We got caught a short while later in quite a heavy downpour although we did stop to grab a few photos of a rather wet Buzzard perched on a fence post.

As we passed by Loch of Lintrathen I spotted a bird I was sure was an Osprey and Nat found a place to pull in safely. The bird had disappeared behind trees but didn't come out the other side. I got out of the car into the rain to see if I could see it. A Common Sandpiper on the other side of the wall flewoff complaining loudly. Out above the loch I re-found what was indeed an Osprey. A pair of Shelduck were in a pool in a field as we neared Kinnordy. Greylags with goslings were around the western end of the reserve.

A text message from the Angus & Dundee Bird Club grapevine service had come in earlier letting us know that a drake Garganey had been found at the loch earlier, so we were hopeful that it would still be around, and hopefully very showy. Goldfinches were seen from the car park as we headed into the hide. A bit of initial scanning added Black Headed Gulls, Moorhens, Tufted Duck and Shoveler but no Garganey.

Coot and Redshank followed and Sand Martins and Swallows skimmed inches above the water catching some of the few insects on the wing in the cool air. A Grey Heron flew by, but despite scanning around across the loch and repeatedly checking the bogbean islands there was still no Garganey. An Osprey provided a bit of interest as it hunted over the loch.

Reed Buntings were active among the reed stems across the far side and a Sedge Warbler finally put in an appearance as it sang loudly from the reeds to our right. A Water Rail squealed loudly but stayed hidden. A pair of Shoveler gave us really close views out in front of the hide and I was pleased with the selection of photos I got of the birds. As time ticked on we decided that if the bird hadn't shown within the next ten minutes or so then we would head for home with a pretty decent return for our day out even without the only summer-visiting duck species in the UK.

For the next five minutes I slowly swept my binoculars from left to right and back again through the almost 180 degrees that I could see from the hide with the emphasis on the bogbean islands. Movement would turn out to be a Pied Wagtail, or a Redshank. Mildly frustrating perhaps but just one of those things when it comes to watching wildlife. It is rarely predictable, but it wouldn't be half as enjoyable if it was.

Something white caught my eye and the binoculars stopped their sweeping. Not just white but white edged in a chocolate brown. A bird preening. Not just any bird - a drake Garganey. I got Nat onto the bird and we pondered just how many times we had both checked the same area where the bird had obviously been sleeping. We watched it preen for a minute or two, half-hidden behind the bog-bean before it once again put its head back down and went back to sleep, almost invisible once more. We headed for home.

66 species, with 3 decent year-ticks (in bold) among them, were seen. Quality as well as quantity with some real highlights such as the Treecreepers, the Nuthatch, the Owl, the Garganey, Spotted Flycatcher, Red Kite and Peregrine in the mix. A really good day out to round off the 5 days off work.

Blackbird, Blackcap, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Common Sandpiper, Coot, Curlew, Garden Warbler, Garganey, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Grey Heron, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Kestrel, Lapwing, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Nuthatch, Osprey, Oystercatcher, Peregrine, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Red Grouse, Red Kite, Red Legged Partridge, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Sand Martin, Sedge Warbler, Shelduck, Short Eared Owl, Shoveler, Siskin, Song Thrush, Spotted Flycatcher, Starling, Swallow, Swift, Treecreeper, Tufted Duck, Wheatear, Willow Warbler, Wood Warbler, Woodpigeon.