We're still here... honest!

Well, this is embarrassing, innit? Haven't posted anything on here for many's the long age. Thought it was about time I confirmed that Rosie and I are still wielding the binoculars on the patch, and supplemented the New Year update provided by Collieston Birder.

Stormy is an understatement for what we've endured this winter. Little Auks were a constant feature from 2nd January until the weather settled, with several storm-driven birds appearing in the roads and gardens of the village. Precious little else was moving save for Kittiwakes and a few Gannets, but we did see a Bonxie fighting its way north on 4th. An immature Iceland Gull briefly dropped in at Cransdale on the same day.

Poor little auks!

Bonxie, viewed through a Force 9 and sideways rain

On more settled days there has been a decent showing of Short-eared Owls on the patch, with two together at the Forvie Centre and several singles dotted around elsewhere.

Shortie...

And again.

On the estuary, three Scaup have been present for a few days, with another (perhaps the 'usual' wintering bird?) on the Sand Loch until it was frozen off earlier this week. A couple of Pintail there were also noteworthy last week, but they too were moved on by the ice.

L-R: Scaup, Scaup and Scaup.

Am hoping this cold snap may produce a nice Ross's Gull or similar... wishful thinking, maybe, but watch this space!

Happy New Year!

2016 has brought a storm lasting some days. With it Little Auks have started streaming past with nearly 400 seen in less than 90 minutes watching today. Yesterday one was taken into care by Craig and Ruth by the Sand Loch.  Longer counts were difficult in the atrocious conditions. Otherwise most notable around Collieston was a drake Goosander frequenting Cotehill on New Years day and a Raven in the Kirkton area the same day.
Today there was a Little Gull mid afternoon infant of Waulkmill Hide and a Gannet unusually in the same area.

Little Auks, Cransdale

Little Auk, photo Ruth and Craig Leuchars

Paddyfield departs

No sign of the Paddyfield Warbler today, though a new Blackcap  reported and Whitethroat also apparently fresh in. Otherwise a significant clear-out of migrants, with only one of the previously group of Whinchat in the Kirkton and Slains area being seen.

The local pools continue to hold good numbers of Ruff. There were 2 Little Stint at the Snub Car park  at about 13.30 today and a Spotted Redshank.

Maybe the only pictures of the Paddyfield taken yesterday due to its elusive behaviour were taken by Nick Littlewood. One of these record shots is shown below.

Paddyfield Warbler, Collieston, 29.8.15

Ruff, nr Collieston, 30.8.15

Paddyfield Warbler-Collieston Churchyard

After the good finds of the Forvie Greenish Warbler and supporting cast, it seemed maybe things would turn quieter:
Perhaps birds working down the coast, or maybe the extra cover in Collieston has held more, but new sightings since included a new Reed Warbler on Wednesday at the roadside bushes, and then yesterday 1 + Pied Flycatcher, Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler and Wood Warbler. There was also a very fleeting sighting of an interesting acrocephalus warbler first thing yesterday in the churchyard, but it was not seen in the evening.
 Its identity was sorted this morning as a Paddyfield Warbler- new for the patch, and only the second for the region following the Logie Buchan bird a few years ago, which was only seen by a few.
Mostly extremely elusive , when it does show it seems to be best to view from the road.It does call fairly regularly-a usually quiet "chek". First thing it also gave a couple of "cherr" calls.
It usually frequents more eastern locations in Central Asia and around the Caspian and Black seas.

Bit of cloud appearing outside just now, so maybe some hope it will stay for another day.

There was also Reed Warbler, Pied Flycatcher and Lesser Whitethroat in the nearby roadside trees and bushes.

Driftylicious.

Now at last we've got a quiet evening, it's time to reflect on what's been a stonking few days on the patch. As reported by Collieston Birder, things kicked off last week with a nice selection of common migrants plus PS's rather lovely Arctic Warbler on Forvie - a first for Rosie and I. The Red-backed Shrike that dropped in at Sand Loch Corner last Thursday was a welcome addition to the total as well.

Right on cue, this Shrike was one of several in the North-east last week.

After a weekend away (and predictably dipping CB's Icterine Warblers), we were back into the fray on Monday evening, in lovely conditions of light easterly and drizzle. Two hours around North Forvie at dusk produced a Greenish Warbler (making a nice 'double' after last week's Arctic), two Wrynecks together in one willow, a Wood Warbler, a Reed Warbler, two Pied Flycatchers and yet more common migrants. A champagne session on the patch!

One of two Wrynecks at the Coastguard's Pool, Forvie.

The following morning the Greenish was still present, and showed well if briefly - though its voice was a big giveaway while it remained hidden! Another Wryneck was also present alongside it, and could have been a different bird to the previous night's duo.

Upon returning home after the working day, things then continued with a brace of Reed Warblers performing in the garden throughout the evening.

Reed Warbler loving the scrub in the garden. There's a second one in there somewhere!

Even today, three days after the fall, birds continue to trickle through, with a Whinchat at Sand Loch Corner this morning and a Willow Warbler in the garden at supper time. Why can't the patch be like this all the time?!

One of many Whinchats to pass through in the last few days.

Autumn starts here

The last 2 weeks has seen a big surge in wader numbers on the Ythan, with good numbers of a number of species, though Dunlin seem especially numerous this year. A lot of Ruff are now coming through as well, with a flock of 60 currently just off the estuary south of Meikle Loch. A highlight was the adult White-rumped Sandpiper (CNG) which was present around the Newburgh end for 2 or 3 days last weekend.
The heavy rain on Tuesday of last week, and the persistent easterly winds resulted in a good fall of migrants, with the Forvie sands getting the star bird in the form of an Arctic Warbler (PS) found on Wednesday late afternoon.
 Surprisingly this was the first accepted of this species in the region  since 1979 I think. Interesting to note that bird was on almost exactly the same date as this one, and nearby on the Foveran links.
Wednesday morning also brought a Lesser Whitethroat, Pied and Spotted Flycatcher, and good numbers of Willow Warbler to Kirkton. The number of Butterflies turning up as well was striking, especially Painted Ladies.
The fall continued to turn up interesting birds locally , with a Red-backed Shrike  at the Sandloch, found by a fellow blogger, and then an Icterine Warbler on Saturday 22nd in the Kirkton roadside trees. Willow Warbler numbers were high, and also notable were the number of Whinchats with a count of 8 in and around the village yesterday. The remained a few Pied and Spotted Flycatchers also.
A Marsh Harrier flew over Kirkton yesterday, a Wood Sandpiper is just over the crossroads yesterday and today on the small flood.

There were 3 Little Stint to be seen on the upper Ythan Estuary yesterday, and there were various smaller groups of Ruff on the feilds and the Estuary.

Painted Lady, Forvie Centre

Red-backed Shrike, Sandloch

Ruff

Small Tortiseshell, Forvie Centre

Whinchat, Kirkton

Wood Sandpiper, nr Collieston

Summer days

A hot week was followed, at least on the coast, by a downpour of biblical proportions and the usual haar brought by

Arctic Terns at Inches Point this evening

Sandwich Tern, Cransdale Head

Reed Bunting, Logie Buchan

Skylark, Kirkton

Swallow , Kirkton

Mute Swan, Logie Buchcn

the SE winds.
Local birding variety is provided by the variety of breeding birds on show and the increasing numbers of fledged juveniles. Notable features of this years crop are the number of breeding Lesser Redpolls locally (used to be a scarcity on the patch at any time) , the high numbers of Yellowhammer in and around the village and the gradually recovering Stonechat population.

 More unusual today were 2 Whooper swans in front of Waulkmill hide this morning.