Greenish Warbler on Forvie...Early Autumn Migrants

There is a Greenish Warbler in the bushes on the Rockend track on Forvie NNR. Found yesterday (HAA) it was still present today.
Elsewhere there was a  Red-backed Shrike on the Collieston backroad (Mains of Slains area), with 3 Pied Flycatchers and a Garden warbler. Good numbers of Willow Warblers also.
Garden warbler and Redstart at Kirkton, and a Pied Flycatcher at Kirkton yesterday.
 NB Turns out that there were 2 Red-backed Shrike in the same area of Mains of Slains yesterday.

Pied Flycatcher

Red-backed Shrike, Mains of Slains

Waders on the move

The Ythan is looking increasingly packed with good numbers of a range of species. A Juv Little Stint added to the variety this evening at Inches Point alongside a single Ruff and around 30 Dunlin. The Golden Plover numbers are gradually building with a small flock of a few 10s favouring the Snub.
Meanwhile in Aberdeen , at Girdleness, a very confiding adult White-rumped Sandpiper is giving amazing views....hopefully a taste of more to come on the patch.

White-Rumped Sandpiper, Aberdeen

Seeing double: another White-winged Black tern and the Humpback Whale star

Great summer wildlife on offer in and around the Ythan: The Humpback Whale continues patrolling the sea just off the mouth off the mouth of the estuary, maybe for over 2 weeks now. It is accompanied by a mass of seals, terns, Gannet and varied gull species. Up to 10 Arctic Skuas have been seen in the area. The White-winged Black Tern (2nd Summer bird) re-appeared, once more spotted by Cotehill's birder, on the 29th and 30th of July. It commuted between Cotehill and Meikle Lochs.

Very surprisingly a new bird, an adult, appeared in the morning on Meikle Loch on the 5th August. Pictures below of this individual.

Humpback Whale, Ythan

Arctic Skua, Ythan

Adult White-winged Black Tern, Meikle Loch

White-winged black tern

A nice surprise this morning.  A white-winged black tern briefly graced Cotehill Loch this morning.  It's the first one for the Collision area but unfortunately didn't stay long and was last seen flying south at 10.40.

Pacific Golden Plover on Slains Pools 21.5.16

A cracking Summer plumaged Pacific Golden Plover was showing on the main Slains Pool area today.
A tricky ID (from American Golden) this bird showed all the necessary features with: short primary projection (3 primaries only) beyond the long tertials, bold gold spangling in the upperparts, particularly long bill and legs, small slim bodied with relatively large head. White in flanks intermingled with black, and likewise in the undertail and vent. Heard also to call a number of occasions , giving a distinctive if rather muted "chu-it", reminiscent of a distant Spotted Redshank.

The weekend got off to a good start with yesterday a Glossy Ibis being also in the Slains Pools area for a few hours in the evening before there being an increased count of birds at Strathbeg later in the evening.

Otherwise the patch has had a little passerine movement over the last week with a male Red-backed shrike on the 15th, more or less in the village. A different bird to the one previously at the Forvie Centre. |This one showed more grey in the upper-parts.

A young, or perhaps female Marsh Harrier, is frequenting the patch area on and off over the last 6 days.

More pictures of the much watched southern visitor

Red-backed Shrike

This little cracker popped up on the fence outside the Reserve office late this afternoon. One of the finest spring birds you'll ever see. Exciting times on the patch!


Phwooooaaaaaarrr.