Week 2

08 – 14 January 2025

During my big year, I will update my blog most weeks. This is the second 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.

Day 11: 82

Today we had planned to go to Montrose Basin after our weekly karate lesson since a Snow goose and a Green-winged Teal had been seen the day before. We left at around 10:00AM. After the 50-minute drive, we were in Montrose. We quickly stopped to get ourselves some pastries for lunch. When we arrived at the visitor centre, we paid the £5 fee. We were very quickly pointed in the direction of a flock of Pink-footed Geese on the shoreline. As we looked through the scopes, we spotted the Snow Goose standing out with its white plumage. As I turned around, I spotted a Collared Dove in a tree next to the bird feeders. While I was scanning the basin, I saw 2 male Goldeneyes flying across the water. Between some of the gulls, I also found a Shelduck flying over the basin. Soon after, the flock of Pink-footed Geese and the Snow Goose with them, flew off to go foraging in the fields. While I was scanning the shoreline for the Green-winged Teal, I spotted several Greenshanks feeding with a few Redshanks. A decade ago, Greenshanks wouldn't winter in this part of the world. With a warming climate, birds like Greenshanks are wintering as far north as the Ythan Estuary. This became even more apparent when I found a Great White Egret in the SE corner of the basin. While I was searching for the GWT, I saw a small bird diving near the Teal. Under closer inspection, it turned out to be my first Little Grebe of the year. I was enjoying views of a Water Rail and a Snipe in the same scope when I spotted a Sparrowhawk dash across the pools in front of us. It hid for a while behind a fence post, where we could just make out the shape of its head moving around. It soon flew to the top of another fence post and flushed a couple Snipe while doing so. The bird was showing well, and we could identify it as a male because of its size and its barred, orange chest. We kept checking, again and again, every Teal to try to find the scarce American visitor hidden between them. After waiting for another 20 minutes, we gave up and decided to head to the Ythan Estuary for either of the two Green-winged Teals that have been seen there for a few days. While we were driving back towards the main road, we saw a large group of ducks out on the water. We found a place to park and scanned the birds, finding several Grey Herons, a Great Black-backed Gull, Mallards, a Wigeon, tens of Teal but no GWT

We raced against the already fading light to arrive at Inch Geck island before sunset. When we arrived, we saw another birder scanning the island, he told us that the GWT was over at the Snub Lay-by. While we were scanning the island, my sister, Maya, spotted Raymond Duncan (the chairman of the Grampian Ringing Group) driving past in his car! He turned around and parked next to us. After a quick chat, we drove up to the Snub Lay-by and started scanning the many Teal out on the mudflats. I thought I spotted it before they all got spooked by a passing Goshawk! The birds landed again a bit further out, so Raymond took out his scope. Before long, he spotted the Green-winged Teal and got us onto it, too! I got a few digiscoped photos through his scope and found it in my scope as well.

Day 12: A adult male Scaup was seen at Inchgarth Reservoir on the 10th of January and later on the 11th, too. Since we already had plans for the 11th, we decided to maybe go to Inchgarth on the 12th. We arrived in Cults at around 10:30 and started walking towards the reservoir. On the way, spotting a Red Squirrel climbing up a tree. The reservoir was nearly completely frozen, apart from a small area where many gulls were congregating, at first glance we didn't see any ducks but headed across to the south side anyway. When we arrived, we saw a rather large group of Wigeon that were hidden behind the gulls but no sign of the Scaup. As I scanned the gulls, I saw 2 Great Black-backed Gulls, as well as many Common Gulls between the ubiquitous Herring Gulls. While we were watching the many gulls and the Wigeon, two male Goosanders flew overhead. As I scanned the gulls again, I saw that one of them was a bit different. It seemed to be an immature Great Black-backed gull, but the bill was too narrow. It had a grey back, paler than GBBG but darker than Herring. The slate-grey mantle reminded me of LBBG, a rarity in winter in the North-East. The feet were a dark pink. As we walked back to the car, we passed the River Dee, seeing a Little Grebe and a Grey Heron. Over in Cults, we saw a few more Fieldfares, a Bullfinch flew over and I heard a Collared Dove.