📖 ❄2025 Year List Begins 02/01/24

The beginning of the new year brought quite a weather event. Heavy snowfall overnight on the 1st led to challenging conditions on the morning of January 2. Nevertheless, I, along with my neighbour Bob Conder, managed to join the RSPB Aberdeen and Local Group outing along the Ythan Estuary, accompanied by eleven other hardy individuals.

Red-breasted Mergansers along with one of the many Eiders.

As we congregated in the car park before heading off a flock of 22 Whopper Swans flew overhead, a wonderful sight and sound to begin the birding year. We began at the new viewing platform which overlooks the Grey Seal haul-out. Below a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers were happily feeding in the channel along with the many Eiders and a number of Sanderlings were scurrying around alongside the seals.

Little Egret - Becoming a regular feature now throughout Aberdeenshire

We headed off upstream with Turnstone, Knot, Curlew and Redshank amongst the shingle and we noted a single Little Egret over towards the 'tin shack'. We saw the bird a little later battling through a blizzard, likely questioning it's presence this far north! 

Incoming!! Courtesy of Bob Conder

A large skein of Pink-footed Geese flew overhead, and it was a matter of excellent timing as we reached 'tin shack' just as a significant snow shower passed through. 

Bar-tailed Godwit

We added Bar-tailed Godwit, Dunlin and at least four Grey Plover from the shelter, with a flock of a few hundred Golden Plover on the mussel beds looking spectacular in the bright sunshine.

One of possibly five Grey Plovers today

As we moved around to Foveran Burn after the shower Teal, Wigeon and a solitary Shelduck was noted. A few Little Grebes were feeding in the channel and a Grey Heron was on the far bank. 

A couple of Little Grebes today

Several Snipe flew up from the rough grass as we made our way back to the car park heading up to the Snub car park for our lunch and a brief look around. Large numbers of Lapwings on the mud, with a pair of Goosanders on the far bank downstream and a couple of Buzzards overhead. More Bar-tailed Godwits were upstream, along with plentiful Dunlin and Curlews. Despite the conditions, it was a very enjoyable day with a total species count of 43.

Looking over towards the 'tin shack' c/o Paddy Grant