For the second of two days out birding with Paul we decided on a trip north to the Ythan Estuary area. Our target birds were an Iberian Chiffchaff which was apparently showing very well, and easy to find due to singing almost non-stop at the corner of a conifer plantation by the roadside, and Elvis the King Eider who had been seen sporadically over the preceding few days. The plan was to spend time at the estuary and then work our way back down the coast homewards. A later start than the 0630 of the day before was arranged with 0730 guaranteeing me a welcome extra hour longer in my bed.
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| Iberian Chiffchaff |
As Paul was running slightly late I headed out at 0730 to meet him at the new pick-up point. Starling, Feral Pigeon, a surprise Swallow twittering away perched on wires in the industrial units, Herring Gull and a flyover Oystercatcher started off the day's list. Once underway we noted House Martin, Woodpigeon, Rook, Skylarks, Chaffinch, Lapwing, Jackdaw and Mute Swan from the car on our way north to Mill of Tarty where the Iberian Chiffchaff had been found. Using google streetview the previous eveing I hoped I had been able to pinpoint the bird's location. With the Aberdeen bypass now open I wasn't sure exactly how to get in to the single track roads in the area.
We found a way in via Tipperty and navigated round to where I hoped we would find the bird. As we approached the slight bend in the road we lowered the windows and immediately heard the distinctive song of the bird loud and clear from the trees. Paul parked the car as "off road" as was possible and we scanned for the bird but couldn't quite see it. We crossed the small bridge into the plantation and managed within a minute to see the
Iberian Chiffchaff - a lifer for us both. After another minute or so of brief views as the bird moved around from tree to tree we were rewarded with prolonged views as the bird sang loudly from higher in a tree. Willow Warbler and Coal Tit were also seen in the plantation. With a short iphone video and a selection of photos (into the sunlight, so not as good as they could have been) in our possession we headed for the Ythan Estuary at Newburgh.
A Sparrowhawk was being mobbed by a Carrion Crow above the main road into the village. A Magpie was seen by the pub and Black Headed Gulls overflew as we parked the car. Heading for the beach I noticed more Striped Millipedes on the path with lots of trails criss-crossing the sand. Linnet was noted perched on a Gorse bush before we reached the beach. Sand Martins hawked overhead while Common and Arctic Terns flew around over the river. A small flock of Dunlin and Ringed Plover were seen on a small tidal island being inundated by the rising tide. Lots of Eider were on the river and hauled out along the far shoreline but there was no obvious sign of the King Eider. Sandwich Tern and Little Tern were spotted as we neared the tin hut where we could see others scanning from.
Among the others was Fiona McLean, a long-time friend of Jacqui's who can often be found adding to her life-list around the country. Fiona had helped Ian and I get onto the Buff Breasted Sandpiper at Whitesands Quarry the last time I'd ran into her and I had spotted an Iceland Gull at Skateraw for Fiona the year before. It's always an enjoyable chat with Fiona and with there having been no sign of Elvis so far that morning I spent a fair bit of time chatting as Paul scanned through his scope. A Buzzard drifted over. Knot, Black Tailed and Bar Tailed Godwits were found as were Shelduck, Goosander, Wigeon, Red Breasted Merganser and Cormorant. Both Grey and Common Seals were also noted.
After an hour or so we decided to head round to the Waulkmill Hide. We stopped first at one of the small car parks and scanned across the river. Mallard, Shoveler and Pink Footed Geese were added while Green Veined White and Small Tortoiseshell butterflies flitted around the Gorse. From the Waulkmill Hide we added Great Black Backed Gull, Goldeneye and Greenshank to the list. Rather than just the 4 Pink Footed Geese we had seen from the car park it turned out that there were another 28 or so in the same field. With nothing else of note we decided to head to Collieston for a spot of sea-watching. Pheasant, Reed Bunting and Grey Heron were seen on the short drive.
A Pied Wagtail was on the fence at the car park as we clambered up onto the rocks giving us a raised viewpoint out over a rather calm looking sea. Razorbills were roosting on the water with at least 8 Red Throated Divers further out. Fulmar, Kittiwake and Guillemot were passing by along with a few Gannets. A Puffin was picked out low over the water. Shag and Common Scoter were also seen before we found out that 6 Dotterel were still around at Rattray Head. Having done a lot of driving the previous day and with more to do to get home I didn't think Paul would want to add another hour and a half's worth but he thought it was worth the effort involved so off we went.
Kestrel, Goldfinch and Common Gull were the new birds seen from the car on the way there. Rather than try to negotiate the tarmac-littered pothole track I suggested we might as well walk in, and back out. This gave us Corn Bunting, Skylark, Yellowhammer Meadow Pipit and Linnet but unfortunately for the second week in a row we drew a blank on the Dotterel. The farmer was spreading muck across the field that it seemed the birds had been seen in so it was hardly surprising we left empty handed. Cranes and Great White Egret had been reported at Strathbeg, juat s few minutes further along the road. As we were almost there we headed for the visitor centre.
Stock Dove and Tree Sparrow were the only additions during this leg of the journey. From the visitor centre we were able to pick out a distant Spoonbill and an Egret which flew a short distance. Teal and Gadwall were on the pools. The Common Terns bickered noisily in front of the hide on their island. I managed to find the rather distant Cranes partially hidden behind the greenery. We headed round to the Dunbar Hide for closer views of all the 'goodies'. An Osprey was seen over the pool to the north and a Whooper Swan was another welcome surprise as one flew in to the same body of water the Osprey was hunting over.
A Small Copper butterfly was by the track. A Sedge Warbler displayed from the reeds. From the Dunbar Hide we had distant views of the 5 Cranes feeding along the far edge of the 'low ground'. The 2 Egrets were off to the north and not really visible from the hide. The Spoonbill flew closer and turned out to be a completely different bird to the pair seen previously - a 2nd year bird rather than a breeding plumage adult. A female type Marsh Harrier appeared befor Paul picked out the Garganey pair. I was then surprised to find a second female type Marsh Harrier flying alongside the first. A Lesser Black Backed Gull was in with the Herring Gulls near the Egrets. A very productive visit.
We had another quick look at the Egrets but there was something about them that seemed 'wrong' for the reported Great White Egrets. Looking at photos later at home it clicked. The bird I had photographed had an all black bill but also plumes on its head - a Little Egret rather than the reported Great White Egret which has no plumes. The other bird had appeared to be the same size but having not paid enough attention, because of everything else going on, I couldn't be 100% sure either way. It was safest to assume that both were Little Egrets, or one definite Little and 1 Egret "sp.". A Greenfinch was seen at the car park and the first Blackbird of the day was seen as we passed through Crimond village. We arrived back in Dundee around 1930 where Paul dropped me off and headed home for Kirkcaldy and a rather later than intended evening meal. I added a high flying Swift from my dwindling local summer residents and a few House Sparrows in a garden as I neared home.
A very good day out with 79 species seen with Strathbeg in particular having a great range of 'rares' all at once even without Great White Egret. The 1 lifer (in bold) was the only addition to my year-list but Paul added Crane as well as the Iberian Chiffchaff. All in all, an enjoyable and largely improvised day out.
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| Iberian Chiffchaff |
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| Iberian Chiffchaff |
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| Iberian Chiffchaff |
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| Ringed Plover, Dunlin & Eider |
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| Sandwich Tern, Common Tern & Little Tern |
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| Black Tailed Godwit & Bar Tailed Godwit |
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| Buzzard |
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| Knot |
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| Wigeon |
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| Dunlin & Ringed Plover |
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| Sandwich Tern |
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| Common Seal |
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| Little Tern |
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| Sandwich Tern |
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| Sandwich Tern |
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| Shoveler |
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| Pink Footed Goose |
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| Herring Gull |
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| Sandwich Tern |
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| Greenshank |
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| Pink Footed Goose |
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| Mute Swan |
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| Mute Swan |
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| Black Headed Gull |
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| Herring Gull |
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| Guillemot |
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| Fulmar |
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| Guillemot |
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| Red Throated Diver |
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| Kittiwake |
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| Red Throated Diver |
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| Gannet |
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| Red Throated Diver |
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| Guillemot & Razorbill |
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| Cormorant |
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| Grey Seal & Herring Gull |
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| Corn Bunting |
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| Skylark |
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| Meadow Pipit |
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| Crane |
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| Common Tern & Black Headed Gull |
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| Common Tern, Black Headed Gull & Oystercatcher |
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| Common Tern |
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| Osprey |
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| Crane |
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| Whooper Swan |
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| Little Egret |
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| Little Egret |
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| Marsh Harrier |
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| Spoonbill |
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| Garganey |
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| Crane |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Crane |
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| Spoonbill |
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| Garganey |
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| Little Egret |
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| Marsh Harrier |
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| Marsh Harrier |
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| Marsh Harrier |
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| Marsh Harrier |
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| Spoonbill |
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| Grey Heron & Spoonbill |
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| Common Tern |
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| Jackdaw & Spoonbill |
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| Buzzard |
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| Herring Gull & Lesser Black Backed Gull |
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| Buzzard |
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| Greenfinch |
Species seen - Arctic Tern, Bar Tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Black Tailed Godwit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Common Scoter, Common Tern, Cormorant, Corn Bunting, Crane, Dunlin, Eider, Fulmar, Gadwall, Gannet, Garganey, Goldeneye, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Black Backed Gull, Greenfinch, Greenshank, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow,
Iberian Chiffchaff, Jackdaw, Kestrel, Kittiwake, Knot, Lapwing, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Little Egret, Little Tern, Magpie, Mallard, Marsh Harrier, Meadow Pipit, Mute Swan, Osprey, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Pink Footed Goose, Puffin, Razorbill, Red Breasted Merganser, Red Throated Diver, Reed Bunting, Ringed Plover, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Sand Martin, Sandwich Tern, Sedge Warbler, Shag, Shelduck, Shoveler, Skylark, Sparrowhawk, Spoonbill, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Swift, Teal, Tree Sparrow, Whooper Swan, Wigeon, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Yellowhammer.
Butterfly seen - Green Veined White, Small Copper, Small Tortoiseshell.
Mammals seen - Common Seal, Grey Seal.
Others of interest - Striped Millipede.
