A Case of FOMO 30/08/26
What a difference a day makes in birding. Missing yesterday’s Wryneck while out for lunch with friends was a sting that every birder knows all too well, especially after it had already teased us earlier in the week by showing up in the exact same spot at Girdleness. By the time Dazza and I finally made it over, the bird had predictably gone to ground, leaving behind only that familiar mix of FOMO and quiet determination. I consoled myself by remembering I already have a Wryneck on my Aberdeenshire list, but the urge to see this one was still strong.
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| Aberdeen Beach looking across the harbour entrance from the golf course. |
With a decent influx of common migrants dropping onto the coastline alongside local gems like Barred and Greenish Warblers, I couldn't resist setting an early alarm. I headed back out to Girdleness at first light, nursing the quiet hope that the Wryneck might give us a second chance.
It didn't reemerge, but the morning was far from a loss. I ended up spending a fantastic three hours working the site, ultimately logging fifty species. My initial focus was on the shoreline and the coastal scrub, working through the gorse and willow in search of fresh arrivals. The passerine highlight came just below the allotments, where I managed to pick out a single Pied Flycatcher tucked away in the large sycamore. Tucked just behind in the harbour entrance, nine Goosanders were busy feeding, while the allotments themselves were lively, producing three Tree Sparrows and a pair of Common Redstarts. Pushing along the edge of the golf course toward the lighthouse, a check of the gorse yielded a third Common Redstart alongside a single Common Whitethroat. Meanwhile, back down at the shoreline, a couple of Wheatears skipped along the rocks, and plenty of Meadow Pipits were kept on their toes, constantly being chased off by feisty Rock Pipits.
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| Common Redstart at the allotments |
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| One of three Common Redstarts seen today. |
The shoreline and surrounding habitat held a solid variety of waders, including a pair of Whimbrel alongside Oystercatchers, Dunlin, Turnstones, Ringed Plovers, Curlews, and Redshanks. I wrapped up the morning with a half hour of seawatching, which turned out to be remarkably busy. A pair of Common Scoters pushed south, while steady numbers of terns filtered through—mostly Sandwich alongside several Arctics. Guillemots were bobbing about and constantly calling, joined by a few Razorbills. The breakwater held the usual hordes of Eiders and roughly a hundred roosting Kittiwakes, while plenty of Gannets streamed past and Fulmars put on a masterclass in sheer flying enjoyment. The absolute highlight of the seawatch, however, was a pair of Arctic Skuas moving smartly north.
It might not have delivered the elusive Wryneck, but a crisp, productive morning with fifty species on the tally is never a bad way to start the day.
