With the first of my Autumn days off work for birding finally coming around I was hoping for decent birding conditions to ensure I could get out and about. I'd made plans to get out with Susan on Thursday in the hope that we could both add something to our year-lists. Unfortunately the weather had different ideas with relatively strong westerlies bringing in heavy rain. This meant our planned start time of 0830 had to be pushed back a couple of hours to 1030 which also meant a shorter day's birding and a change of route from the coast to a more inland route which I hoped would mean we missed the worst of the weather.
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| Meadow Pipit |
I headed out at around 1020 to meet Susan who was running slightly behind schedule at our usual pick-up point. Herring Gull, Blackbird, Feral Pigeon, Starling, Carrion Crow and Woodpigeon were all seen on the walk down. We headed inland towards our first stop at Backwater Reservoir. Swallow, Rook, Buzzard and Mallard were seen before we made a quick stop at Reekie Linn in the hope of Dipper and Grey Wagtail. We found neither, though Bullfinch and Pheasant were added around the car park area.
At Backwater we saw a number of Pied Wagtails and Meadow Pipits which appeared to be on the move. A Cormorant stood on the concrete building behind the dam. Susan spotted a male Stonechat among the felled area nearby and 2 Kestrels hovered over one of the hills to the north. From the car park at the northern end of the reservoir we added Tufted Ducks, Wigeon, Great Crested Grebe and Canada Geese on the water as well as a Reed Bunting in a nearby tree. A pair of Ravens gave chase to a Kestrel which was missing most of the primaries on one wing. Close views of Buzzard and a perched Kestrel were had on our way back down to the 'main' road.
Loch of Lintrathen was our next planned stop and here we found that there was a couple of thankfully quiet wasps bykes in the hide, so we chose not to linger, instead viewing the Loch from a far safer spot further east. Canada Geese, Curlews and Grey Herons were the only additions on the grass where there's usually water. A Mistle Thrush was seen on the walk back to the car. The rain which had stayed off till now began as we drove round to the 'new' hide.
The rain and generally poor light conditions did make it tricky to pick out distant waders against the mud at the water's edge. Sand Martin, Mute Swan, Moorhen, Jackdaws, Lapwings, Little Grebes, Teal, double figures of Snipe, a single Ruff, 40 Dunlin, a trio of Redshanks and a few Coots were all seen. In addition, Common Gulls and Common Sandpiper were also seen here and a Lesser Black Backed Gull glided over. Once the rain had abated we headed for Loch of Kinnordy.
Things were rather quiet here as the RSPB were cutting back the reeds in front of the Gullery Hide so most birds were rather distant though a pair of Shoveler did show briefly closer in. Distant Reed Buntings were seen and a Water Rail or two were heard. House Martins, Swallows and sand Martins were seen over the eastern end of the Loch and a Black Headed Gull pair flew past. A walk along to the Swamp Hide added Small White butterfly, a Common Toad(let) and a Wood Mouse on the path that almost got stood on. On the way to the East Hide, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Chaffinch and Dunnock were all spotted as well as a Willow Warbler or two and a few Red Squirrels.
As Susan had things to do at home we headed for home around 1520 having managed to see 49 species of bird, 1 butterfly, 1 amphibian and 2 mammals. Although we succeeded in avoiding the worst of the weather I suspect we would have had less luck in doing so at the coast. Nothing new (except the Mouse) was added to the year-list(s) but as always it was an enjoyable day's birding.
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| Kestrel |
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| Meadow Pipit |
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| Reed Bunting |
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| Canada Goose |
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| Raven & Kestrel |
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| Raven & Kestrel |
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| Raven & Kestrel |
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| Buzzard |
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| Kestrel |
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| Canada Goose & Grey Heron |
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| Dunlin |
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| Ruff & Mute Swan |
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| Snipe |
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| Ruff |
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| Mallard & Redshank |
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| Common Sandpiper & Mallard |
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| Lapwing, Mallard, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Common Gull & Pied Wagtail |
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| Snipe & Lapwing |
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| Rook |
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| Mallard & Coot |
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| Buzzard |
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| Reed Bunting |
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| Buzzard |
Species seen - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Common Sandpiper, Coot, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Great Crested Grebe, Great Tit, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, House Martin, Jackdaw, Kestrel, Lapwing, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Little Grebe, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Raven, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Ruff, Sand Martin, Shoveler, Snipe, Starling, Stonechat, Swallow, Teal, Tufted Duck, Wigeon, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon.
Amphibians seen - Common Toad
Butterflies seen - Small White
Mammals seen - Red Squirrel, Wood Mouse.
