Ring-necked Duck still about

The Ring-necked Duck is showing occasionally on Meikle Loch, with it being present here mid-morning (HEM) and also seen last weekend. A single Long-tailed Duck remains more regular on the Loch. Scattered small flocks of Yellowhammers, and rather larger numbers of Tree Sparrows are in various locations, and there have been some small flocks of Twite in the area, with 14 at Cransdale last weekend, and another 20 in the Cotehill area. Looking further back there have been records of Snow Bunting and 2 Lapland Bunting 2 weeks ago now (Forvie), but no movement of those species noted more recently.
A single Green Sandpiper was a late record for the region , also 2 weeks ago, at Waulkmill hide (MS). There has been a roving flock (s) of Golden Plover in the area for at least a week now, with a maximum of about 1000 birds counted.
A shame to see the wildfowler's  at the Snub today, taking aim at passing wildfowl flying round the corner of the Ythan. Not sure they would have been able to distinguish protected from non-protected species shooting at such a location.

Twite, Cransdale Head, Collieston

Golden Plover, Ythan Estuary

Cransdale Views

A Black Redstart was at the Inches road in Newburgh yesterday (CNG). Today perhaps the same Great Spotted Woodpecker as a few days ago was in the main back road plantation today. There are a few Long-tailed Duck in the area with 2 on Meikle Loch- in fact there for sometime now.
Otherwise it was the fine day that starred, with calm seas and some striking cloud formations.

Once there were more of us...Corn Buntings, Slains

Clouds and Bonfire, Cransdale Head

Poms and Great Spot

Two Pomarine Skuas reported off Cransdale today, one an adult.
A Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen at the Sandloch end of the village yesterday and flew towards Kirkton (Craig, Ruth and Murray)
6 Snow Bunting's flew over Kirkton yesterday afternoon. Relatively good wildfowl numbers on Meikle and the Slains pool's area, with the Teal and Wigeon count being in the few hundreds.
Feels like winter has more or less  arrived.

Late highlights

A short burst of easterly winds yesterday followed by a North-westerly gale today resulted in big groups of thrushes in the area. This was particularly spectacular over and by Newburgh this evening with hundreds of mostly Fieldfare and Redwing ranging over the estuary in the fading light.
Had to discern other movement at times it was difficult to stand straight, though Robin and Blackbird numbers seem particularly high.

Elsewhere a variable number of Whooper swans are frequenting Meikle and Cotehill Lochs. Teal and Wigeon are scattered now over the many re-flooded areas through Slains following the large amount of rain falling in the last few days.
There was a single Snow Bunting seen on the road coming into Collieston last night.

Whooper Swans, Slains Pools

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.