π High Tide ~ 14:55 @4.19m ~ ☀️ Sunrise 8:27am Sunset 3:29pm
It was another beautiful day but before setting off to the Ythan Estuary I spent my breakfast sat at the kitchen window, camera at the ready! My aim over the last few mornings has been to capture one of the many skeins of Pink-footed Geese flying across the now gibbous setting moon, which was just sat like a gorgeous orb floating above the Bennachie hills.
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| Success ~ Pink-footed Geese across the setting moon |
They say patience is a virtue and it finally paid off when at last one large group veered off and across the moon, a wonderful moment but all over in an instant!
The mouth of the Ythan Estuary at Newburgh on my arrival
Half an hour later I was at the Ythan Estuary once more, which was again bathed in the beautiful winter sunshine. Today I parked at Newburgh and decided to head south along the beach and then take my return journey back alongside the sand dunes. It was such a lovely day I did, in fact, spend most of it just enjoying the Estuary before heading off to the Waulkmill Hide to enjoy another magical sunset.
What follows is a pictorial of my day..
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| Newburgh, of course, is famous for its Seal colonies and within minutes of arriving this morning, these lovable characters were already offering some excellent photo opportunities. |
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| Some large numbers of Red-breasted Mergansers winter around the Ythan Estuary and today I counted over 30 birds, with more arriving as the tide came in. |
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| As you walk along the beach you just can't help being mesmerised by Sanderling. The batteries never run low in these charismatic birds and catching one at rest is a task in itself. |
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| Among a varied selection of waders seen today Red Knot could be found feeding along the shallows and there was a good number passing through just prior to high tide. |
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| Dunlin (top) Redshank (middle) and Turnstone (bottom) make up the largest numbers of waders currently around the estuary. |
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| Eider Ducks winter all around the north-east coast of Scotland and breed close by at Forvie. This area holds one of the largest populations in the UK but I could never tire of seeing these colourful sea ducks and they are always the first bird I look for during any visit. |
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| Common Gulls can be found here in large numbers, along with Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull and Great Black-backed Gull. Surprisingly Lesser Black-backed Gulls are rare to the area in winter and I've only managed a couple of sightings since moving here last month. |
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| Whooper Swans at Sunset ~ What a magical place this is! |
On route to the Waulkmill Hide, a large flock of
Golden Plover was on the fields just prior to the turn on the A975. At the hide feeders 20/30
Tree Sparrows,
Coal Tit,
Chaffinch and
Yellowhammer but the large
Linnet flock noted yesterday were across the fields and more distant today. Also of note
Buzzard,
Kestrel and a single
Snipe flew up from the nearby reeds. The icing on the cake of another magical day was the skeins of
Pink-footed Geese overhead and the amazing sight of thirteen
Whoopers Swans heading out of the Ythan around sunset.
