Despite the record-breaking temperatures in some parts of Scotland today my morning visit to the Ythan Estuary was draped in cloud. Add to this a strong northwesterly and it was quite a dreary mornings birding with temperatures struggling to reach 14C.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj55MDEnlzm5jgcPT8Dnw9Ip3MW61wDliQ38AHO3I0GP_6uAkJyn4A_KocSz9hCz0YEPNsLzvtCcUBW2K1in-KBsZ4QEbYbo7yhcQpmBQiba8PZ5U1JYv_-zzTrgAmxnPMzk5yOOsUjBYE/w640-h432/IMG_6238.jpg) |
A party group f 14 Ruff from the 'Snub' layby |
That said there's always plenty to see and point the camera at around the Ythan! Having parked up at the 'Snub' layby I managed a count of seven
Little Egret all hunkered up along the opposite bank. A record for the area I'm led to believe. As I counted the Egrets a party group of fourteen
Ruff passed by, thankfully my camera was primed and ready.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYTAD9IxlmlwTBV7qgh9nlpkUbPnQ4nXa8xZcPp9UMs7ZnvUbq1K3H0dw2bdHKWUTbPQX6TX4tUwu5vaS4-5yabMt77yNE958FNHx8ZZ8l2p17EIT6iUC_21TvzTA6FVRm6ch7W-QwMJg/w640-h360/IMG_6309.jpg) |
A single Knot just below the layby during a very brief sunny interlude. |
My normal commute between here and the Waulkmill Hide produced a good selection of waders:
Redshank,
Greenshank,
Ringed Plover,
Knot,
Dunlin,
Black-tailed Godwit,
Bar-tailed Godwit,
Oystercatcher,
Lapwing and
Curlew, some of which are photographed below. A single
Osprey was also noted from the Waulkmill Hide.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji8JABCaI004SjzBFnfPTxfsa7udHUDVV7sbSyBBMFGeQf8YkJAoqOXS3OT7m3CYsCDCzg6Eoq2LRahkSyza3IFwQyjezIYjMA7GeP2fk08V5tHoWMpRl48mabe-kmrJQxhgt1piq4CFk/w640-h360/IMG_6299.jpg) |
Greenshank |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAOSO-BKZORDgbLb95Pcc8VPjmqNVxwmAnfF1TNepL8EebXW9fMy-twJZ4A5_ZVIvoXMbQmlq3HNA7GZ5mwpWXo5Q2f5bZWI1UPXT34_NYx9nuKvrHsyhrG-_-O3AyS_pu4l7Zap3u5RY/w640-h360/IMG_6279.jpg) |
Curlew |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk33bdiPSZZTDZsVl8cMLlkTHxyaJ_Xw0mG8n2QSFUF7qoYANegemp3Pd_YZeYX7purvLtjP9cndQoJAYOhw8hqjEuQUrHAsYxrIsZPkd6tkK7EgkrRjGObGLxqv9D8SH11rL0vNWC8OA/w640-h360/IMG_6269.jpg) |
Dunlin |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIxHn3pIvNvlkkZnFV-1Z4CP8QxWNP_ZJFVRnpbBxmYDECU3Tmnho1zrKfs-FqvuUAyEc5-r3DGdsu5iLWKkJktYNcKa6KI5QOX74P5RosmE7s5pNUHXWvhIoiSAp6SyaUgDrHBNzbHRE/w640-h360/IMG_6260.jpg) |
Ringed Plover |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ6KlVCYog0C4Qa857T5PunfuSba1x96bbUdM45-ygCoUBXkmZBnNdnoKf749BxxHoZ9TAHoAs_jZH02oG7TsBvu6KAGTHFF6BJ6Iifcb09IbBllAxNIFZXb0ic-RD8K-WKK0MtOIxNfA/w640-h360/IMG_6282.jpg) |
1st Wheatear of the Autumn at Cransdale car park. |
A short drive to Collieston for a brief sea watch away from the Ythan produced my first autumn
Wheatear along the rocks from the Cransdale car park. Also while here at least three
Rock Pipits and a passing
Kestrel.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkCC6jF19rkLSKA-XT6B9mKO4UG9cothQlFP355HHBvMbNv3A_DgqVjWqkrGqycg-6wfkHgj6zm-BwuJ0WL2PleRgFBcdnzVL3zHawwGbgIp1ENrhkxKBWcwvCvpi2zT2OUMZuhHPifvc/w640-h360/IMG_6294.jpg) |
Red-throated Diver |
Out to sea four
Red-throated Divers among the many
Razorbill and
Guillemots. Several fish shoales were being bombarded by
Gannets,
Kittiwakes and a selection of
Gulls, plus three
Great Skuas. At one stage a single
Manx Shearwater passed through and while following with the scope a large Cetacea breached briefly, possibly a
Minke Whale but it was away off and unfortunately, I didn't connect again.