Friday the 13th: Luck, Light, and Long-tailed Ducks
They say Friday the 13th is a day for bad luck, but in the birding world, "luck" is often just a code word for "the sun finally coming out." Following on from my post on the 11th, the clouds finally parted, and I took full advantage with a run up to Rattray and the surrounding coastline to see what had been stirred up.
St. Mary’s Chapel: A Chilly Masterclass
I arrived at St. Mary's chapel on the south side of the Loch of Strathbeg just after 11:00 am. While the sun was out, the NNW wind was clipping along at 13mph. With the mercury sitting at a crisp 4°C, the windchill was sharp enough to remind me exactly where I was.
The loch was absolutely teeming. Amidst the "usual suspects" (Wigeon, Teal, Tufted Duck, and Goldeneye), I quickly locked onto my first target: two Slavonian Grebes showing quite well close in, bouncing around on the waves.
Further out, the scope revealed: Pochard & Red-breasted Merganser, Long-tailed Duck (a pair out in the centre), Drake Pintail (a single, elegant standout), Marsh Harrier (a female causing a fair bit of chaos among the wildfowl)
However, another target bird proved elusive, but eventually I located the Smew—a drake and two females—feeding near the western reedbeds. They were distant, but unmistakable. Throw in some Great White Egrets, Little Egret and Whooper Swans, and a field full of Lapwings and Skylarks, and the morning was already off to a good start.
Close Encounters at Cairnbulg
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| Long-tailed Duck - Cairnbulg |
My next stop was Cairnbulg Harbour, which turned out to be the photographic highlight of my trip. I spent 45 minutes observing a group of ten Long-tailed Ducks. This is a great time of year for these charismatic ducks, as they often gather in large numbers and various plumages just offshore before heading to their breeding grounds in the Arctic. Occasionally, they forage just inside the harbour wall, like on this occasion, providing some excellent photo opportunities.
The Final Stretch: Foveran Geese
No winter trip in this part of the world is complete without a goose scan. On the way home, I pulled over near Foveran (A975) to check a large flock of Pink-footed Geese. Persistence paid off again, as I managed to pick out:
2 Barnacle Geese * 4 Greater White-fronted Geese. It was a brilliant way to cap off a high-quality day. If this is what "unlucky" Friday the 13th looks like, I’ll take it every week!
Trip Summary
Target Checklist: Slavonian Grebe (Check), Smew (Check), Long-tailed Duck (Photo-op!), White-fronted Geese (Check).
Top Spot: Cairnbulg Harbour for the Long-tailed Ducks.
Weather: Sunny but biting (4°C / 13mph NNW).
