📖 The Great Grey: Why Aberdeenshire Has Forgotten What the Sun Looks Like!

There is a specific kind of "bone-deep damp" that only the Northeast of Scotland can truly achieve. Moving from the crisp, white scenery of January's record-breaking snow into a relentless, grey, soggy void is a tough transition even for the hardiest Aberdonian.

If you’re reading this from a place where the sky is actually blue, count your blessings. Here in Aberdeenshire, we haven't seen the sun in so long that I’m starting to suspect it’s been decommissioned. After the snow, we’ve been plunged into a Groundhog Day of drizzle. It’s not just "a bit of rain"—it is a constant, rhythmic bombardment of showers that has turned the landscape into a giant, over-saturated sponge.

The Science of the "Soggy Wall"

Why is this happening? You can point the finger at our neighbours to the East. We are currently being held hostage by a blocking high over Scandinavia. If this were autumn with birds on the move, who knows what delights we could have expected around the Aberdeenshire coastline.

In meteorological terms, this high-pressure system is acting like a stubborn bouncer at a club door. It’s sitting over Northern Europe and refusing to move, which forces the Atlantic weather fronts to skirt around it. Unfortunately for us, that "detour" funnels a conveyor belt of moisture directly across the North Sea and straight into our back gardens.

The Result: A relentless "on-off" tap of rain and a cloud ceiling so low you could almost touch it.

Despite the flooded fields and roads resembling canals, I’ve still managed to get out and about on the odd occasion. On January 26th, I took a circular walk through my local Fetternear Woodlands, bumping into Rob Leslie, and we enjoyed our first Hawfinch sighting of the year, spotting at least nine of them perched in the treetops. In addition, there was a nice-sized flock of Brambling, with roughly twenty birds or so and five Tree Sparrows.

Brambling at Fetternear

On January 28th, I met up with David and Rob Leslie at Loirston Loch in Aberdeen to track down a drake Ring-necked Duck. We finally spotted it among the Tufted Ducks. From there, we headed to Girdleness to see a Great Northern Diver that’s been hanging around the harbour entrance since before the New Year—after a quick breakfast stop at Tim Hortons. We did try a brief sea watch, but the conditions were horrendous.

Great Northern Diver in the gloom at Aberdeen Harbour entrance

On the 29th, I met up with Ruth Howie at the southern end of Loch of Strathbeg, where we enjoyed great views of a Goshawk in the gloom and rain, but we unfortunately didn't connect with a drake Smew. Also of note were two Great White Egrets and a Little Egret. We then headed over to Cairnbulg, where we were treated to close-up views of a double-digit number of Long-tailed Ducks. 

Long-tailed Duck at Cairnbulg 

On February 9th, I took a walk along the seafront at Girdleness, hoping to spot a reported Glaucous Gull and a Pale-bellied Brent Goose. Unfortunately, there was no sign of the Glaucous, but I did find the Brent Goose feeding on moss on one of the breakers.

Pale-bellied Brent Goose - An unusual visitor to the northeast, we normally get Dark-bellied Brent!

Finally, news from the garden, and it's a hive of activity with a few Brambling still visiting, along with the usual hordes of Chaffinch, minus one after a visit from the local Sparrowhawk and good numbers of House Sparrow. Siskins are now in double figures, and I finally had my first Lesser Redpoll of the year, which was a one-day wonder. Remarkably, no Fieldfares or Redwing thus far, which is a real surprise!

Lesser Redpoll - A one-day wonder at my feeders.

Sparrowhawk in the garden!

Rock Pipit at Girdleness feeding on crab.

Two of many Kittiwakes preening on the breakers at Girdleness.