Stops at Inch Point and the 'Snub' car park which both overlook the Ythan Estuary before heading on to the Forvie nature centre for a leisurely stroll around the dunes and along the cliff tops. With nothing initially planed I just got in the car after breakfast today and drove the 30-minutes or so to the coast. It was overcast and a little gloomy to start but dry with not much in the way of wind for a change.
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| Little Tern fishing off Inch Point |
There were a good few fishermen along the Ythan today when I arrived at Inch Point but despite this, lots of young
Eiders and plenty of terns were busy diving for food.
Little Tern,
Common Tern,
Arctic Tern and
Sandwich Tern all nest at Forvie and I would imagine that the ternary is going full tilt at the moment.
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| Redshank ~ Large numbers along the Ythan at present. |
At the 'Snub' car park there was plenty of activity too with more waders now beginning to appear. The majority were
Redshank but (3)
Greenshank and (4) summer plumage
Knot, along with a single
Little Egret, the latter not particularly common for the area.
Curlew numbers are also starting to increase with well over 100 on the sandbank. Plenty of young
Shelduck was noticeable and also a few juvenile
Red-breasted Merganser along the shallows.
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| Record shot of a Puffin ~ always good to see at any distance. |
From the cliff tops at Forvie, the sea was a hive of activity with many
Guillemots,
Razorbills and the odd
Puffin, plus every so often a
Bottlenose Dolphin would break water easily spotted in the almost flat calm. Both
Fulmar and
Kittiwake are still busy nesting and occasionally a
Raven would drift by causing plenty of anxiety amongst them.
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| My 1st Dark-green Fritillary of the year ~ A species I've normally noted well before now! |
Regardless of the dull conditions, a few butterflies were on the wing, mostly
Small Heath but the odd
Common Blue and finally my first
Dark-green Fritillary of the year.
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