Well, somehow I've now made it to the 350th post since I started blogging almost 3 years ago. Once again, a big thank you to everyone who has contributed in some way - by reading these posts, or by birding with me, or by sharing the posts. Onwards to 400 and beyond now....
This week's midweek outing with Nat almost didn't happen due to a combination of factors but we got organised for a later departure time of 0930. With a drake American Wigeon having been found at Lintrathen at the weekend and me not having any decent photos of a drake we decided to try there first and then again try Kinnordy in the hope of photographing the Hen Harrier. If we happened to run into a Woodcock along the way, all the better.
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| Wigeon & American Wigeon |
We were underway just after 0930 and it was 2 species of pigeons that started the list for the day - Woodpigeon and Feral Pigeon. Herring Gull, rather unsurprisingly, was next. As we headed out towards Alyth we added Buzzard and Starlings. We stopped at the river Isla having spotted a flock of geese in a stubble field. A Sparrowhawk circled above us as we got out of the car. The flock was mainly Greylags, though there were also a number of Pink Footed Geese and around half a dozen Canada Geese. Unfortunately there was nothing less common and we headed on our way.
A large flock of Fieldfares and a few Redwings overflew the car as we drove past Alyth golf course. Chaffinch and Mistle Thrush were then seen a little further on, in roadside trees, and a Jay was spotted flying across the road as we neared Lintrathen. Walking in towards the hide the main stretch was very quiet. Once we reached the trees we had a couple of Lesser Redpolls fly over and then nearer the hide I heard Bullfinches calling and we spotted the birds flying up to perch in the top of a conifer, giving us nice views against a blue sky.
Once we were in the hide we scanned through the birds on the water with binoculars to see what we could find before setting up the scope for a better search. Coots, Wigeon, Tufted Ducks, Goldeneye, a few Teal, Goosander, a few Canada Geese, a Great Crested Grebe and a Little Grebe were all seen with binoculars. Cormorant, Mute Swans and a few Mallard were discovered via the scope but the American Wigeon was proving elusive. Eventually, I picked up the bird swimming in from the east of the loch with some Wigeon, and I snapped away at my first photographable American Wigeon drake, though initially the light wasn't great, but once the clouds cleared the light improved. I even made sure I got some video footage of the bird. There were also a few Grey Herons in the trees along the edge of the loch.
We were just packing up when a trio of other birders arrived at the hide, so we pointed out where the bird was and headed back to the car. Blackbird was added on the way out, but otherwise it was very quiet once again. We drove on to Kinnordy, where surprisingly the car park was empty. Nat decided to have lunch while I headed into the Gullery hide. A Robin was by the path and Blue Tits were in the trees by the walkway but it was quieter than the previous week. In the hide, there was a birder from Dundee, I met at Guardbridge and we chatted about what he'd seen. The Hen Harrier had put in an appearance earlier but had flown off across the fields.
There was a mixture of ducks on the water - mostly Mallard, Teal and Wigeon and a few Goldeneye, while a flock of Lapwings and a couple of Snipe were spotted on the bogbean islands. Black Headed and Herring Gulls were along towards the eastern end of the loch. A party of Whooper Swans put in an appearance along with a few Mute Swans before Nat spotted a bird flying up from the reeds. It took a few seconds to register what it actually was - a very late House Martin. Unfortunately it flew out of sight before I could get a photo.
We decided to have a walk along to the other hides. A flock of Siskins were in the trees above the hide as we left and a Wren was on the boardwalk towards the Swamp Hide. Things were relatively quiet out in front of the hide though a Gadwall drake was with a Goldeneye and a Wigeon, giving an unusual group photo opportunity. A Common Gull glided past before we decided to try the East Hide. The feeders held Coal Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Chaffinches and Tree Sparrows but it was otherwise rather quiet. There was nothing new added from the hide, but I texted the warden to let her know about a couple of collapsed planks on the platform outside the door in urgent need of repair. Jackdaws and Rooks were in a field near the dual carriageway at Forfar.
With a rather wintry looking cloud approaching we had decided to head east with the intention of popping in to Murton. However, we had only reached Forfar when it caught up with us, so we decided to head for home via Carnoustie, in the hope of picking up a few wader species at the coast. We detoured along a single track country road to investigate a large flock of geese. Herring Gulls and Lapwings were roosting by a puddle in a field by the road, giving very close views as we drove past. geese as far as we were able to tell were Pink Footed Geese - though they didn't seem to like the car having stopped, despite them being a good distance back from the road, and flew off.
At Westhaven we found the tide well in with hardly any beach showing along to the east, so we drove along to the car park at Carnoustie. With the rain just going off I got out of the car to check the shoreline. A small flock of Redshanks were on the thin bit of beach and I stepped back so as not to spook them. A Ringed Plover was also on the beach and a Great Black Backed Gull flew past before we called it a day and headed for Dundee.
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Pink Footed Geese |
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| Greylag Geese |
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| Greylag Geese & Canada Geese |
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| Bullfinch |
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| Canada Goose |
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| American Wigeon |
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| American Wigeon |
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| American Wigeon & Wigeon |
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| American Wigeon & Wigeon |
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| Wigeon & American Wigeon |
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| American Wigeon |
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| Wigeon & American Wigeon |
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| Lapwing & Snipe |
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| Snipe |
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| Whooper Swan |
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| Whooper Swan |
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| Teal & Mallard |
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| Goldeneye |
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| Gadwall, Goldeneye & Wigeon |
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| Gadwall & Wigeon |
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| Lapwing |
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| Greylag Geese |
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| Greylag Geese |
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| Ringed Plover |
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| Redshank |
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| Ringed Plover |
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| Ringed Plover |
51 species seen - American Wigeon, Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Coot, Cormorant, Curlew, Fieldfare, Gadwall, Goldeneye, Goosander, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Crested Grebe, Great Tit, Grey Heron, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, House Martin, Jackdaw, Jay, Lapwing, Lesser Redpoll, Little Grebe, Mallard, Mistle Thrush, Mute Swan, Pink Footed Goose, Redshank, Redwing, Ringed Plover, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Siskin, Snipe, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Teal, Tree Sparrow, Tufted Duck, Whooper Swan, Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Wren.
