📖 ❄Forvie NNR 10/01/25

Friday 10th January 2025 ☀️ 1C ~ NW @ 5MPH ~ Today, I embarked on a circular six-mile walk around Forvie NNR, starting at the Waterside car park. It was a beautiful day, though bitterly cold with a low and harsh sun to contend with.

Redwing

As I passed the noisy Rookery situated in the small woodland near the car park, I observed at least eleven Redwings feeding in the leaf litter, which was shaded from the snow by the trees. 

Golden Plover in the harsh low winter sunshine. 

Along the east bank of the estuary a few Meadow Pipits and a single Fieldfare taking advantage of a clear area of grassland. There was a good selection of waders feeding on the ebbing tide and these included Golden Plover, Lapwing, Dunlin, Curlew, Oystercatcher and a single Grey Plover. Wildfowl included Teal, Eider, Wigeon and Red-breasted Mergansers. 

Twite at Forvie. 

At the southern end of the bank, I managed to locate a large flock of Twite that winter here, along with a few Linnet. I then walked back along a deserted beach, but due to the conditions, there was little movement, save for a few passing Cormorants and Herring Gulls.

Greenshank

Just as I got back to the car, news on WhatsApp of two Green-winged Teal on the estuary. When I reached the Snub car park a few minutes later, Mark Sullivan was onsite with one of the birds set up in his scope—an easy tick.!  Too far for a decent image but the two Greenshank just below were more photogenic. 

A few images of a beautiful day...

📖 ❄Cold Snap 06/01/25

After the Ythan estuary outing on the 2nd the weather has deteriorated further with more heavy snow and temperatures as low as -8°C, not rising above -3°C during the daytime yesterday. Consequently my birding has remained local, along with plenty of comfort birding at home.

Northern Lights New Years Eve from the garden.

With the current conditions the night skies when clear have been spectacular with Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and Mars all making an appearance. On New Years Eve we were treated once more to the Northern Lights and I actually welcomed in the new year from the garden watching this amazing display. 

A very weak Northern Lights from the bedroom window.

Bob, my neighbor, and I, equipped with snow clamps managed a walk around Fetternear, our local woodland, on Friday the 3rd. We were hopeful of seeing the Hawfinches' that arrived back in mid December but despite seeing them several times since, we dipped today. Highlights included a couple of Dippers and a pair of Goosanders on the River Don, along with Mistle Thrush and around thirty or so Redwings.

Always a treat to see a Dipper along the River Don

Dazza and I took a local walk over the weekend, but the most activity was observing the garden feeders. In four years, I do not recall seeing as many Chaffinches, with thirty each day vigorously feeding. This was in addition to the numerous House Sparrows and smaller numbers of Greenfinch, Goldfinch, and Siskin. Strangely no Redpolls or Tree Sparrows thus far! Normally a regular during cold snaps.

Female Blackcap on my apples.

Today we were treated to only our second ever winter Blackcap, when suddenly a female appeared on the apples. Not a common bird up here in the winter months but its feeding happily as I post. 

Female Brambling - Ringed

Shortly after another first for the year when a female Brambling, sporting a nice metal ring joined the frenzy. Unfortunately I was unable to get any definition on the ring numbers. 

Also of note a regular Fieldfare taking advantage of my scattered apples. 

A few more local images of the current cold snap...

Bennachie from the house

Bishops' Palace, Fetternear

Entrance to Fetternear Estate.

An eerie River Don looking upstream from Kemnay Bridge

On route to the coast.

📖 ❄2025 Year List Begins 02/01/25

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

📖 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 2024 REVIEW

As we reach the end of another year, it is time to reflect on what has been an interesting twelve months. To be candid, I have grown somewhat disenchanted with social media and to a certain extent blogging during this period, resulting in my fewest ever posts since the inception of my blog in 2009. Consequently, I have left X (formerly Twitter) and joined 'Bluesky', along with one million others since Trump's election victory. I shall reserve my political opinions for another day, but I have not felt comfortable with the X platform since Musk assumed control.

In 2024, Dazza and I decided to postpone our visits to Spain until the autumn and instead explore some of the islands of our homeland, Scotland. With this in mind, we made spring visits to the Orkney Isles, the Isles of Lewis and Harris in the outer Hebrides along with North and South Uist and Benbecula.

Furthermore, we spent a long weekend in Aviemore with the RSPB Aberdeen Local Group, and I added an early summer visit to Shetland to see my friend Theo de Clermont, who was guiding there. This was in addition to my annual visit in October. Dazza and I then finished our travels with a November visit to my friends in Andalusia, Spain.

I ended 2024 with a final total of 225 bird species for Scotland, including the Isles and mainland. I was also fortunate to see three personal lifers Ptarmigan, Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler and Paddyfield Warbler. This in addition to another fifteen Scottish ticks, making my total species since moving to Scotland permanently in October 2020 a creditable 266. 

LIFER- Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler - Shetland 7th October.

LIFER - Ptarmigan - November 3rd Cairnwell, Glenshee Cairngorms. 

Mainland Scotland Highlights included: Firecrest, Short-eared Owls, Shore Lark, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Bittern, Bufflehead, Marsh Warbler, Bluethroat, Red-backed Shrike, Bee-eater, White-winged Scoter, Surf Scoter, Greenish Warbler, Snow Goose, Pectoral Sandpiper, Isabelline Wheatear, Crested Tit, Cattle Egret and Ptarmigan.

Red-breasted Flycatcher - 25th May Ballater. A very rare spring record for mainland Scotland.

Bluethroat - Collieston 24th May.

Pallas's Warbler - Rattray 17th October. 

Isabelline Wheatear - Collieston 19th October.

Surf Scoter - Girdleness, Aberdeen 2nd November.

Bittern - Monikie Country Park Angus 6th February. 

Bufflehead - A short drive over to the Sand Loch at Forvie NNR on March 25th for a Drake Bufflehead which is almost certainly the same bird that spent a brief few hours on the east side of the Irish Sea at Carbeth Loch, Clyde. From here it made its way across to the North Sea coast at Sand Loch, Aberdeenshire, on the 24th becoming the first record for both counties.

Greenish Warbler - Rattray 2nd September.

Orkney Highlights included: Hen Harriers, Short-eared Owls, Great Skuas & Hares

View from our Cottage window overlooking Stromness Harbour, Orkney

We commenced our journey to Orkney on April 20th, with the first stage involving a four-and-a-half-hour drive north, where we stayed near John o'Groats for a few days. Subsequently, we took the ferry from Gills Bay to St. Margaret's Hope, Orkney, where we spent four days exploring the islands.. 

Orkney has a large population of Hares.

Short-eared Owls are a regular feature on Orkney. 

Lewis, Harris (6th-8th May) & Outer Hebrides (9th-12th) Highlights  included: - Little Tern, Corncrake, White-tailed Eagles, Black-throated Diver and Short-eared Owl.

Little Terns at Taransay, Isle of Harris.

White-tailed Eagle - In the gloom at Loch Druidibeg, south Uist.

Corncrake - A feature throughout the Outer Hebrides.

Black-throated Diver - Benbecula.

Shetland Highlights (June & October) included: - Red-necked Phalarope, Blyth's Reed Warbler, Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler, Paddyfield Warbler, Lapland Bunting, Grey Phalarope, Pallas's Warbler, Little Bunting, Arctic Warbler, Barred Warbler, Common Rosefinch, Olive-backed Pipit, Cattle Egret.

Blyth's Reed Warbler - 15th June, Virkie Mainland.

Dark & Light Phase Arctic Skua, Shetland Mainland.

Red-necked Phalarope -13th June, Shetland.

Lapland Bunting - 10th October Mossey Hill, Mainland Shetland

Little Bunting - 5th October, Lerwick, Shetland. 

Barred Warbler - 6th October, Lerwick, Shetland.

Olive-backed Pipit - 6th October, Kergord, Shetland

Common Rosefinch - 7th October, Valyie, Shetland

The final trip of the year was to Andalusia in November, where I spent two weeks at my friend's villa in Mijas. Although it was not primarily a birding break, I managed a few outings, including a trip to the Sierra de las Nieves National Park, one of my favorite places high in the mountains behind Marbella. 

HERE'S TO 2025