For a variety of reasons I haven't done any birding for a few weeks so the suggestion of an outing on Saturday with Ian offered the chance to change that when Ian's message came through on Thursday. However the weather forecast looked likely to scupper those provisional plans. As things progressed on Friday evening so did our plans with a Black Stork at Loch of Strathbeg our chosen target although the Baikal Teal in northeast England was considered as a possibility. In the end we decided that we should try for the Stork as the weather seemed to not be as bad as had been forecast just hours before, but was worse to the south. With luck we wouldn't get completely soaked looking for the bird.
Spoonbill
The first bus to Forfar on a Saturday leaves Dundee around 0730, so I headed out just before 0725 to catch it on Dura Street. Feral Pigeon, Herring Gull, Blackbird, Woodpigeon and Swift were noted on the relatively short walk to the bus stop, with Collared Dove and Lesser Black Backed Gull added as I waited for the bus to arrive. From the bus I was able to add a few more species to the list - House Sparrow, Skylark, Mistle Thrush, Carrion Crow and Starling. Jackdaw and more Swifts were seen as I waited for Ian to arrive at our pick-up point in Forfar. Heading north we noted Oystercatcher, Black Headed Gull, Lapwing, House Martin, Buzzard, Greylag Goose and Mute Swan as well as a few Rabbits and Roe Deer.
We decided to stop off at Mill of Tarty to try for the Iberian Chiffchaff but unfortunately drew a blank there though Coal Tit and Chaffinch were both seen. More additions were made on the stretch to Loch of Strathbeg with Yellowhammer and Kestrel seen on the way back to the main road. Pied Wagtail, Magpie, Rook, Swallow and Tree Sparrow were found with a few of these courtesy of a slight wrong turn which led us along single track backroads before we reached Loch of Strathbeg. Thankfully we had encountered little in the way of rain and it was dry though rather cloudy when we arrived.
From the visitor centre we were able to see Tufted Duck, Common Tern, Shelduck, Mallard and Black Headed Gull out in front with 3 Spoonbills, a Wigeon, a flyby Shoveler and a few Grey Herons more distantly. There was no sign of the hoped for Black Stork however. We decided to walk round to the Dunbar Hide where we would have a better view of the 'Low Ground' where we hoped the Stork would be lurking. A Dunnock was seen from the track as well as a Brown Hare laying low which ran off when we weren't watching. A Red Admiral butterfly on the path was a slight surprise given the weather.
From the Dunbar Hide we were able to add Teal, Sand Martin, Curlew, Gadwall, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Sedge Warbler, Reed Bunting and a Great Black Backed Gull before I spotted an Osprey in flight. A Hooded x Carrion Crow hybrid was found among other corvids and a few Jackdaws were seen collecting hair from the backs of the Konik Ponies. A Meadow Pipit wandered around next to a Pied Wagtail before we realised that there was a male Garganey sleeping next to the Wigeon and Mallards we'd noticed earlier. Photos showed that the female was also still around. A male Marsh Harrier drifted along hunting over the reedy channel. On the photos taken of the bird a Fox can be seen wandering along behind the fence - not ideal, but not particularly unexpected given the variety of potential food sources around.
Another Osprey was seen as well as a Buzzard from the hide further up the hill where we'd retreated to in the hope of the raised view helping us find the elusive Black Stork, but it wasn't to be. The Marsh Harrier re-appeared causing some panic among the ducks and the Spoonbill trio flew in and landed close in front of the Dunbar Hide. Needless to say this resulted in me hurrying down to get better photos, which I succeeded in doing, as well as some video. Great Tit was noted on the walk back to the visitor centre and a Pheasant and Coot were seen out front. A Lesser Redpoll male flew over as we were getting into the car around 1315 to head south towards the Ythan via Bullers of Buchan where Ian hoped to be able to add Puffin to his year-list.
We were succssful with this, though only a couple of Puffins in flight were seen. Guillemot (including one which crash-landed in the garden at the top end of the cliffs), Razorbill, Fulmar, Shag, Kittiwake, Eider, Rock Pipit and some distant passing Gannets were noted in a 5 minute stop before we headed for the Ythan. Our first stop at the river gave us views of another trio of Spoonbills plus Common Gull, Canada Goose and Cormorant. Another pair of Spoonbills brought our tally of the species for the day to 8 further downriver at a spot where I saw a pair sleeping some years ago (possibly even my first sighting of the species).
Dunlin were seen along the river's edge as we headed into Newburgh with more seen later with Ringed Plovers from beside the "tin hut". The trio of Tern species we hadn't already seen - Arctic, Sandwich and Little were noted easily down near the golf course as were Common and Grey Seal. Linnets flew over and a few Red Breasted Mergansers were seen among the Eider on the river. Another Hooded x Carrion Crow hybrid was seen in almost the exact spot I saw one a few years ago. As we were just about to pack up the rain began and we hurried back to the car. Nothing else new was added on the journey back to Forfar where Ian dropped me off just in time to catch a bus home around 1640.
Weather-wise a far better day than expected and with a total of 8 Spoonbills, 2 Garganey, a Marsh Harrier, 2 Ospreys and at least 5 Little Terns it can hardly be seen as a disappointing day when any of those (except maybe the Osprey, and at a push the Marsh Harrier) would be star birds on a typical day's birding. 71 species of bird, 5 (+1 unseen) species of mammal and 1 butterfly were seen. Incidentally, the Black Stork was relocated at Findhorn Bay on Sunday along with a Spoonbill.
Brown Hare
Spoonbill & Curlew
Jackdaw & Hooded x Carrion Crow hybrid
Carrion Crow, Rook & Hooded x Carrion Crow hybrid
Jackdaw
Osprey
Gadwall, Garganey, Wigeon & Mallard
Gadwall, Garganey, Wigeon & Mallard
Gadwall, Garganey, Wigeon & Mallard
Meadow Pipit
Greylag Goose
Curlew
Marsh Harrier (and Fox)
Marsh Harrier
Marsh Harrier
Marsh Harrier
Marsh Harrier
Marsh Harrier
Mallard, Teal, Gadwall, Jackdaw & Marsh Harrier
Spoonbill
Spoonbill
Spoonbill
Spoonbill
Spoonbill
Spoonbill
Spoonbill
Spoonbill
Spoonbill
Spoonbill
Spoonbill
Spoonbill
Spoonbill, Gadwall, House Martin, Mallard & Sand Martin
