Migrants ahoy!

A fair few migrants around the village and Reserve this last few days, though maybe not as many as the weather may have promised. Blackbirds, Redwings and Robins were the most conspicuous arrivals, with smaller numbers of Song Thrushes, Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and Goldcrests, and a single Redstart by the Sand Loch.

Immigrant Blackbird, Forvie Moor

The undoubted highlight was a gorgeous Pallas's Warbler found by Allan P in willows on Forvie on Saturday - thankfully it remained overnight so Rosie and I caught up with it on Sunday morning...

Cuuuuute!!!!!!

Allan also found Ring Ouzel and Woodcock on Forvie Moor on Saturday, while one of the latter nearly flew into me as I was bringing firewood into the house on Friday night!

Finally it's been nice to see our fledgling efforts (pun intended) at establishing a wildlife garden beginning to bear fruit (pun intended), as this Blackcap gladly accepted our offer of apples.

Blackcap at Sam & Rosie's Greasy Spoon

 

New Arrivals

With little time to check at the ends of the daylight hours now, hard to be sure of numbers, but a reasonable arrival of commoner birds overnight. At least 6 Chiff-chaff, and 5 Blackcaps at the Kirkton end of the village. At the Sandloch end a fair mass of Goldcrests. Blackbirds, Song Thrush, Redwing and lots of Robins all over.

Whooper, Smashing, Great.

Up to fourteen Whooper Swans are frequenting Cotehill Loch at the moment, making a fine sight and sound indeed. Even on a grey evening like this.

Wash and brush-up time at Cotehill

Still about half a billion Pink-footed Geese in the area, with a southbound skein of Barnacle Geese over Collieston tonight for good measure.

Not much in the way of landbird migrants, with singles of Goldcrest and Chiffchaff in the gardens at the top of the village. Still, forecast looks promising for some more arrivals in the next few days.

Quieter times?

Despite a good North-easterly breeze, migration seemed slow this weekend, with far less of the visible bird passage that has marked recent weeks. There was only a smattering of arrivals: a few Goldcrest, mixed Thrushes , the occasional Blackcap and Chiff-chaff being the most notable. The week coming look's far better for greater quantities with continuous easterlies and periodic rain.
The drake Ring-necked Duck remains on Meikle loch, whilst there were 11 Ruff there today also.
A Pintail and 2 Scaup were other notable wildfowl there. Just two Barnacle Geese amongst the Pink-foots up to now.
There were half a dozen Whooper Swans  today on Cotehill Loch.
There had been a Slavonian Grebe midweek, for at least one day, on Meikle Loch in addition.
Yesterday a few Sooty Shearwaters were seen off Cransdale (PS)

Weekending

Aside from the birds already reported around Cotehill yesterday, there was still a YB Warbler on the backroad yesterday, and one in the Kirkton area. There was a flava type Wagtail in the Churchyard on Friday night. The main movement seemed to be of Chiff-Chaffs and Blackcaps of which there were many in evidence of the former, especially on Saturday, around the village. At least one showed the possibility of being of more eastern origin.
Yesterday also there was a Hen Harrier seen a number of times in the Sand Loch area, and a Treecreeper, possibly of Scandinavian origin in Craig and Ruth's garden by Sand Loch. The pictures show this bird.
In the area there are at least 2 Merlin's harassing the starling flocks, and the same number of Sparrowhawks.
Meanwhile on Meikle there have been up to 5 Ruff, a Grey Plover on two occasions and the drake Ring-necked duck continues to show intermittently.

Treecreeper, Collieston Village

Cotehill Migs

Bits and pieces around Cotehill today included a tree pipit, yellow wagtail and a yellow browed warbler being very vocal in the front garden.

The loch is fairly quiet with the water levels having risen such that there is now no muddy edges and now no waders... Pity.

Late news

Yesterday there was a Yellow-browed warbler in the 1st plantation on the back road, so maybe a new bird. Also a Chiff-chaff and 2 Blackcaps were seen. (PS) . Blackbird and Robin numbers were increased, with small mobs of them scattered in various locations.
Expect more today and tomorrow as the wind drops and it becomes brighter.

And yet more...

Still at least one Yellow-browed Warbler in the roadside trees at Kirkton yesterday morning, along with a few Redwing and a Brambling. This morning there was a Yellow-browed Warbler calling in the second plantation along the back road, maybe the same one that was seen at the weekend, or maybe not...weather looks amazing for a fresh arrival of migrants over the next 2 days. High pressure firmly embedded over the continent and a low over the Atlantic, SE winds whistling away currently with rain.

Another Yellow-browed...

There was a lovely Yellow-browed Warbler in willows by the Heath Trail on North Forvie this morning, calling frequently when gently encouraged (a soft pssshhhhh pssshhhhh etc did the job!). Also my first Redwings of the autumn. Meanwhile, a lone Whooper Swan remains on Cotehill Loch.