Saturday, 14 June 2025

Week 23 - Scotland Big Year

Week 23

4 – 10 June 2025

During my big year, I will update my blog most weeks. This is the twenty-third week's recap. The number next to the day indicates my year list at the end of that day. Birds written in italics indicate Scottish year ticks.

June 2,3,4,5,6 - Days 153, 154, 155, 156, 157: 178

While at Lochgoilhead, for a week of actives (mostly water sports), I took some time to try to find some new species for my big year. I was hoping for Wood Warbler and Pied Flycatcher, since we would otherwise have to visit Speyside in search of these two species, which are quite scarce in our part of the world - near Aberdeen. Unfortunately, I was unable to find either of these species, however, I saw Common Sandpiper, countless Siskins, a Gannet and a few Ravens, too. Thanks to this trip, I was able to add some summer migrants to my Argyll list, which I didn't yet have, such as Swallow and House Martin. In total, I finished the trip with 50 species, which I think is pretty good, considering that I didn't have much time to spend properly birding.

June 7 - Day 158: 178

Of course, Saturday mornings, mean Girdlenesting, and today was no exception. We arrived at Girdleness, where we immediately started searching for the Grasshopper Warbler nest that we expected to be in some brambles and gorse SE of Torry Battery. We got great views of the female carrying food to her young, but, despite our best efforts, we couldn't locate the nest. We walked down to Greyhope Bay, where we saw a Whimbrel, and a Ringed Plover fledgling. As we were setting up the mist net to try to catch some Sand Martins, we spotted a dark morph Arctic Skua, that came back and forth, stealing fish from the Sandwich Terns. Sadly, we didn't catch any Sand Martin, so we went round the lighthouse, hearing, and then seeing, a Grey Wagtail, on the way. We refound the Whimbrel in Walker Park, and also saw the Ringed Plover pair. We went back to the café, where we had some pastries and watched a pair of Fulmar glide past. We had a quick chat with Andrew Whitehouse, before giving a final shot at the Grasshopper warbler's nest. Soon, however, we went back to the car, empty-handed. On the way back home, Raymond and I stopped at an undisclosed location in search of Lesser Whitethroat. We saw Coot, Reed Bunting, some Mute Swan cygnets, and found a Sedge warbler nest, but no Lesser Whitethroat.

Day 155: https://ebird.org/checklist/S248218397

Day 158: https://ebird.org/checklist/S248222100

Sedge Warbler nest

Week 22 - Scotland Big Year

Week 22

28 May – 3 June 2025

During my big year, I will update my blog most weeks. This is the twenty-second week's recap. Next week (Monday 2nd - Friday 6th), I will be away on a school residential trip to Lochgoilhead therefore, this week's recap will be posted on Sunday evening. Any birds I see at Lochgoilhead will be in next week's update. The number next to the day indicates my year list at the end of that day. Birds written in italics indicate Scottish year ticks.

May 31 - Day 151: 178

Today, due to the rain in the early morning, Girdlnesting was cancelled, but, later in the day, my dad and I went anyway to see what was about, before going shopping. We parked at the seafront car park, where we heard a Sedge Warbler and a Whitethroat. We walked down to Greyhope Bay, seeing a Pied Wagtail in tree. Behind the South Pier was a lovely Razorbill. We walked above the rocks in Greyhope Bay, spotting a flock of terns, including 5 Common Terns and 2 Sandwich Terns. We were walking along the road, adjacent to Walker Park, when I saw one of the Ringed Plover parents in the field, we didn't see any young, so they may have been unsuccessful this year. I did a bit of seawatching at the foghorn before my dad went back to the car while I stayed a bit longer. This turned out to be worth it, since I soon spotted a Puffin flying north, followed by another one, a few minutes later. Scanning the sea, I also saw a Fulmar, Gannets and countless Guillemots. Suddenly, two fulmar-like birds caught my eye. They were dark above and pale below and flew low to the water, flapping occasionally. Manx Shearwaters! This, embarrassingly, was not just a year tick, but a lifer! Despite seawatching from the ferry across the English Channel, I have never seen this species before, having only seen Sooty Shearwater while on the ferry. My dad, who had missed the bird, was quite disappointed.

June 1 - Day 152: 178

Today, we returned to Girdleness for an hour or so, just to see what was about. Highlights were a Painted Lady butterfly, a pale morph Arctic Skua, North, and some fledgling Pied Wagtails. Not to forget some Tunnock's and juice with Raymond and the others!

Day 151: https://ebird.org/checklist/S241853011

Day 152: https://ebird.org/checklist/S245366216

A flock of Eiders
Ringed Plover

Kittiwake

Common Terns

Not winning any photography

competitions! : Manx Shearwater

Shag

Tuesday, 27 May 2025

Week 21 - Scotland Big Year

Week 21

21 – 27 May 2025

During my big year, I will update my blog most weeks. This is the twenty-first week's recap. The number next to the day indicates my year list at the end of that day. Birds written in italics indicate Scottish year ticks.

May 24 - Day 143: 177

Today, since our friend Raymond was doing a ringing demonstration at Glen Tanar for the Deeside Nature Festival 2025, Girdlenesting was not happening. We, therefore, had 9 o'clock brunch, and then got a report of a Marsh Warbler at Girdleness from Andrew Whitehouse on the ABZ Rare Birds WhatsApp group. We exchanged a few messages with Andrew and made our way to Girdleness at about twenty to eleven. When we arrived, at five to, we immediately saw Rob Leslie and Craig Gordon, watching over an area of gorse and brambles, SE of Torry Battery. We joined them, hearing the bird from the reeds. Within seconds of waiting, the Marsh Warbler jumped out of the vegetation and sat up to sing for a brief moment. A lifer! We followed the bird around the bushes, South of Torry Battery. Eventually we said goodbye to Rob, and then Craig, who wanted to check out the Glaucous Gull that Andrew had just reported. We waited around and got some more very brief views of the Marsh Warbler as well as seeing a few Reed Buntings, Dunnocks, Linnets, Goldfinches, and Skylarks. We walked back to the car park, bumping into Ian Broadbent on the way. He said that he had seen three Arctic Skuas off South Pier, so, after telling him where the Marsh Warbler was, we headed that way. We saw Craig again, who had the gull in view, however it looked very long-winged and very small for a Glaucous Gull, and looked more like an Iceland Gull. Later, we found out that Andrew was reporting a different bird, and that the bird that we saw was indeed an Iceland Gull. Sadly, we didn't see the Arctic Skuas, but not a reason to complain, as Marsh Warbler is the 200th bird species I've seen in Scotland. Once we got home, I edited some sound recording that I managed to get and the few very blurry photos that we also got.

May 27 - Day 147: 177

Today, like most Tuesdays and Thursdays, I visit Fittie, to see what's about. With the Iceland Gull being seen relatively frequently, I started by scanning North Pier, seeing many Kittiwakes, Commons Gulls and Herring Gulls but no Iceland Gull. While seawatching, I noticed a pale gull land in front of my telescope. I turned the focus dial to find out that the Iceland Gull had landed right in front of me! I managed to get some great photos as it sat on the pier, within several metres of me! Before long, it flew north, up the beach. I sent a message with a photo to my dad, who had been walking along the beach. I decided to try and re-find the Iceland gull, which didn't take long, since it had landed in a flock of gulls on the South of Aberdeen Beach. I watched it surfing on the waves and slowly drifting away from the Common Gulls and Herring Gull. I was putting the news on RBA and on ABZ Rare Birds, when my dad came over and got the bird. In fact, the Iceland Gull was so pale, that it could be picked out with the naked eye from the other gulls! Luckily, I was already packing up my scope when the heavens opened, and we rushed back to the car.

Day 143: https://ebird.org/checklist/S241853011

Day 147: https://ebird.org/checklist/S241853011