Spring Stirrings at Loch of Strathbeg 08/04/26
It’s been nearly two months since my last visit to RSPB Loch of Strathbeg, and with the transition from winter to spring in full swing, today felt like the perfect moment to return to Britain’s largest dune loch. After a quick breakfast stop in Peterhead, I made my way toward the reserve under the bright morning light.
Red-Listed Treasures in Crimond
Before even reaching the reserve gates, I pulled over at Crimond Cemetery. This spot is a local stronghold for Corn Buntings, and it didn't disappoint. Three were perched on the overhead wires, with one in full, jingling song.
Corn Bunting
Combined with the bustling flock of Tree Sparrows at the visitor centre feeders, it was heartening to see two of our most "at-risk" red-listed species thriving here in Aberdeenshire.
Tree Sparrows
The Symphony of Starnafin
The first thing you notice upon arrival isn't a sight, but a sound—the deafening, chaotic chorus of the Black-headed Gull colony nesting just below the centre.
Starnafin Pools were teeming with life. While the "of unknown origin" Cinnamon Teal was nowhere to be found today, the variety was still impressive:
Wildfowl: Teal, Shoveler, Wigeon, and Gadwall.
Waders: Oystercatchers, Lapwings, a single Dunlin, and two elegant Black-tailed Godwits.
Herons: Both Great White Egret and Little Egret were stalking the fringes.
Hares, Harriers, and Hidden Geese
A walk down to the Dunbar Hide offered a change of pace. Along the path, the air was filled with the songs of Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, and Song Thrush. The real entertainment, however, was terrestrial: several Brown Hares were tearing across the fields in high-speed chases. I waited for the famous "boxing," but today they seemed more interested in the pursuit!
A Brown Hare taking a breather from the chase!
Further on at the Tower Pool hide, I set myself a challenge: finding the reported Taiga Bean Goose. After thirty minutes of scanning the Savoch Pool, I finally picked it out amongst a large flock of Whooper Swans. As a bonus, a male Marsh Harrier provided a majestic display as it drifted low over the reedbeds.
A male Marsh Harrier at Strathbeg
The Changing Landscape
Grazing Herd of Konik Ponies
The RSPB team has been hard at work on the reserve’s low ground, including upgrading sluices. The view from the Dunbar Hide has been transformed by a newly created area of scrape. It’s already paying dividends; I noted:
Snipe: A single bird perfectly camouflaged.
Curlew: A half-dozen feeding, including one leucistic individual whose pale plumage caused a few moments of identity confusion!
A Seasonal Handover
We are currently in that magical window where the winter visitors and spring arrivals overlap. Huge flocks of Pink-footed Geese and Whooper Swans are gathering, refuelling for their impending journey back to Iceland.
As I made my way back to the centre, I caught up with regular visitor Tom Kirkpatrick. As we scanned the pools one last time, a single Barn Swallow drifted overhead—the first of the year for both of us. A true sign that, despite the lingering chill, spring has officially arrived at Strathbeg.
Finally, I headed off to Fraserburgh Harbour for a long-staying Glaucous Gull and found the bird loafing with a group of other gulls on the quayside. A good end to the day.
Glaucous Gull at Fraserburgh quayside
Sightings of the Day: Glaucous Gull, Taiga Bean Goose, Marsh Harrier, Corn Bunting, and the first Barn Swallow of the season.
