Westerly gales bring a duck

The first real wind of the Autumn arrived today, and with that two Black Terns flew past Cransdale Head in the morning. The same winds probably brought in the eclipse drake Ring-necked duck, the second of that species this year, to Meikle Loch (HM). 2 Little Stints were on Meikle also from at least Saturday. Maybe the same two were seen earlier in the week on Cotehill loch. on the same day a Balearic Shearwater was seen past Cransdale in the morning.
Migrant numbers remain low in the mostly Westerly winds, but there was a Spotted Flycatcher on Friday at Kirkton, and a Whinchat yesterday at Cransdale.
Along the estuary there are still good numbers of Black-tailed Godwit and also a few small groups of Curlew Sandpipers dotted around.
Small groups of Pink-footed Geese have been arriving in the area for the past week, giving that hint of winter round the corner.



Northern Wheatear, Ythan

Curlew Sandpipers

The past week had us in Raptors

A few unexpected delights in the last week with a summer plumaged Curlew Sandpiper on Meikle Loch on the 4th, with a single Dunlin. The next day a ringtail harrier was seen very briefly across Cotehill, flying in from high level back onto the moor. Could possibly have been Sundays bird.This was followed by a Marsh Harrier lurking around Cotehill later afternoon.
The highlight was the late appearance yesterday of a Honey Buzzard, again near Cotehill, which appeared to be keen to go to roost though mobbed much of the time by the local corvids.
Meanwhile, as commented on, Long-tailed Skuas have continued to be sighted along the coast, including from Collieston.

Curlew Sandpiper, Meikle Loch