Wednesday, 2 April 2025

Week 13 - Scotland Big Year

Week 13

26 March – 1 April 2025

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

April 01 - Day 91: 136

Today, we went to Girdleness for the first time in ages in search of some spring migrants. As we drove past the new harbour, we bumped into Raymond. Together, we moved over to Greyhope bay, where we saw some Ringed Plovers and Raymond spotted a Wheatear getting chased by a Rock Pipit. After a while, my dad left for a work meeting and my youngest sister, Klara went with him. While Raymond was parking the car, Maya and I saw a Skylark with nesting material in its bill. We gave it some space and watched where it landed. We showed Raymond, and he congratulated us for finding the first nest at Girdleness of the season! After some success with the Skylark nest, we took out our scopes and scanned the Shags on the pier for some colour-ringed birds from the Isle of May. Before going home, we put out some bait to try and do some whoosh netting later in the year.

While driving towards Oxford, I got a year tick in the form of an early House Martin at Bridge of Dee.

Day 91: https://ebird.org/checklist/S222247131

Sunday, 23 March 2025

Week 12 - Birding By Bike - Scotland Big Year

Week 12

19 – 25 March 2025

March 23 - Day 81: 134

This weekend, since our car was due its MOT, we had to stay local. With Saturday being such a miserable and rainy day, we stayed at home, mostly. On Sunday, however, we managed to get out and cycled up to Seaton Park in search of Dippers. After arriving, we saw a couple of hybrid Carrion x Hooded Crows among the Carrion Crows and Jackdaws. As we walked up river, towards Persley, we saw a drake Goldeneye and a Black-headed gull, as well as a singing Chiffchaff, announcing the arrival of warmer temperatures. As we cycled along the River Don, we saw a pair of Stock doves in the trees, along with a pair of Goldeneye and a male Goosander. Further down river, we heard a Greenfinch and several Wrens and counted as many as 14 Black-headed Gulls, feeding on the river. As we cycled, we noticed a Grey Wagtail waging its tail on a fallen branch in the river accompanied by more Goosanders. Approaching Persley Castle and Walled Garden, we got excited by some Dipper droppings on a rock. Sure enough, within a few minutes a Dipper flew past us, calling loudly. #134! We stopped by the bank of the Don, for a short rest, seeing another Grey Wagtail and 3 Stock Doves, flying around. We were amazed by the number of vocalizing Chiffchaffs. On the way back home, we decided to stop at the "Granny's Kitchen, for a well-deserved lunch. My sisters and I had delicious ham & cheese paninis and my dad had a chicken one, along with the soup of the day, to warm up. Unfortunately, my mum was busy working, so she could not join us on this adventure. While racing through Westburn Park, I noticed that the burn had a pair of Mallards on it, my first time seeing them here.

Ps. Congratulations to my sisters (especially Klara) for cycling on many of the busy roads and up several hills.

Day 81: https://ebird.org/checklist/S220237616

Tuesday, 18 March 2025

Week 11 - Scottish Birdwatchers’ Conference - Scotland Big Year

Week 11

12 – 18 March 2025

During my big year, I will update my blog most weeks. This is the tenth week's recap. This weekend I will be in Inverness, at the Scottish Birdwatchers' Conference with my friend Felix. The number next to the day indicates my year list at the end of that day. Birds written in italics indicate year ticks.

March 15 - Day 74: 130

Today, I woke up at quarter to six, got dressed and in the car, with the Satnav set to Inverness. When we arrived, at 8:40, we were in fact some of the first to arrive for the day’s talks. After a little while, my family left and went to explore Inverness, while I started to chat to many of the people at the stalls. At 9:30, Felix and I sat down for the first presentations of the day. After several interesting talks, Felix and I went out to the car park to try to get some early Chiffchaffs for our year lists. Unfortunately, we didn't see much apart from a Hooded Crow between the many Carrion Crows. We settled back and heard from some other young birders, and we even got to say a few words about the Spurn competition we did last September! At lunch, we stuffed ourselves with fruits and chicken. After eating, we went on to take as many of the free, second-hand books as well as a leaflet from each stall. We were given information on a pair of Slavonian Grebes at a nearby loch in breeding plumage. With Felix having never seen them in breeding plumage and me happy about the possibility of a year tick, we managed to convince our parents to go after the end of the talks. As the talks came to a close, we made our way to the exit and to RSPB Loch Ruthven.

Less than half an hour later, we were walking down to the hide at the RSPB's Loch Ruthven reserve. As we passed a small group of birch trees, we heard a calling Chiffchaff, a sure sign of spring. Within another 2 minutes, Felix had spotted two birds on the lake, which were, in fact, Slavonian Grebes. Despite being at a distance, the plumage and behaviour was undeniable. #130! We had to get back quickly, in order to arrive on time to our Italian dinner, which we reserved.

At the restaurant, I devoured the largest pizza I had ever seen. Just then, we got a message from the other finalist from the Spurn competition last year, Milo. He had just see 3 Goshawks, 3 Hawfinches, woodlark, 2 Firecrests, 2 Stone curlews, 3 Cattle egrets and a Marsh tit. Felix and I decided that we needed to get Snow bunting and Crested tit on the outings to Strathspey the day after, to make him jealous.

March 16 - Day 75: 133

Today I woke up, only slightly later than on Saturday, at 6:40. I made the most of this time and looked out the window to see what I could see. It turned out that the trees were full of birdlife. I saw a Goldcrest, Blue tits and Great tits, a Blackbird, another calling Chiffchaff, some Chaffinches, and a Bullfinch.

We met up with Felix, after packing out of our room. Our first stop would be Abernethy woods, at Nethy Bridge. Here, we met up with the other birders and made our way to the feeders. While we waited, he heard a Mistle Thrush, a drumming Great Spotted Woodpeckers, and a Goldcrest. The feeders were also attracting many birds, mainly Blue tits, Great tits and Coal tits as well as a male Siskin. Eventually, we heard the distinctive call of the Crested tit as it approached the feeders, unfortunately, I was the only one of the group to see it and its diagnostic crest and facial pattern. We waited a bit longer, but the bird didn't come back, so I didn't manage to get any photos.

Our next stop was the Cairn Gorm car park, for Snow Bunting. As soon as I got out of the car, I saw the large flock of Snow Buntings flying around the upper car park. A lifer and #132! I managed to get several really close shots of the birds as they fed on the seeds we had put out for them, before having to run from the rain to protect my gear. After the rain eased down, and my gear and I dry, we went out again to get some more pictures. Eventually, both Felix and I had to have a break and some warm drinks at the café. Before long, the others left to RSPB Insh Marshes, so we said goodbye to them, since we could not make it. We stayed about 10 minutes longer at Cairn Gorm, getting EVEN closer to some of the Snow Buntings. We pulled ourselves away from the buntings and got in the car, deciding that we would stop at Fyvie Castle on the way back for the Mandarin Ducks.

After about two hours' drive, we arrived at Fyvie castle. We soon saw many Mallards and a few Tufted Ducks but no Mandarins. As we walked around the lake, we heard some singing Chiffchaffs and Song thrushes. We noted that many of the passerines here, such as Blue tits, Great tits, Coal tits, Chaffinches, Robins, and Dunnocks were very tame, so we got many great photographs. We walked down to the very south side, and back up, seeing more of the same birds as well as a pair of Mute Swans, Little Grebes and two Greylag Geese. We walked back, slightly disappointed, although the sight of a Treecreeper lifted our spirits. Just as we were leaving, my dad looked back towards the lake and saw a weird orange bird under some hanging trees in the water. Mandarin Ducks! As they approached us, looking for something to eat, we got spectacular photos of both the pairs.