Week 4
21 – 28 January 2025
During my big year, I will update my blog most weeks. This is the fourth week's recap. January has nearly ended and February is right around the corner already. The number next to the day indicates my year list at the end of that day. Birds written in italics indicate year ticks.
Day 24:
As I write this post, I can hear the wind blowing outside. Today is a Friday so normally I would be at school, however, due to the winds, both my sisters' school and mine have closed. The Met Office has issued a red alert for the central belt of Scotland and Northern Ireland. Gusts across the British Isles have reached over 115mph. Sadly, even though I missed school, because of the wind, we weren't allowed to go to Sandhaven to see the reported Iceland Gull. Indeed, if not for my physics homework on pressure, I would not have even stepped outside today! With such wind, our bird table fell down, but I still saw a male Blackbird on our bird feeder, hanging on for its life!
Day 25:
Today is the day we have all been waiting for... The RSPB's "Big Garden Birdwatch" has been running since 1979 and over 1 million people from all across the UK participate in one of the largest public wildlife surveys in the world. This survey provides vital information on garden bird populations trends in the UK. Not to forget, today is also Burn's Night 2025. Robert (Rabbie) Burns was a famous Scottish poet born in Ayr. He wrote many much-loved poems such as "a Red, Red Rose" and others. In order to celebrate Burns, every year on January 25, people in Scotland and all over the world, eat Haggis and drink Whisky as well as other Scottish foods and drinks.
We chose the hour between one and two p.m. To seem more appealing to my sisters, we advertised it as a chance to ride our bikes. We spotted many common birds such as Goldfinches, House sparrows, Blue tits, Great tits, Woodpigeons and Blackbirds. I soon also spotted a Wren flying between the bushes. Before long, I found the regular Stock doves of Victoria Park, however, this time a third individual joined. I finally managed to count Herring Gull and Carrion Crow, since I spotted a few on the tops of some houses. Back at the feeders, I saw a Chaffinch and saw 2 Robins have a battle with another one spectating from the sidelines. I also picked out 2 Dunnocks feeding on the ground with a tiny Wood Mouse. After a while, a flock of 16 Redwings landed in the lawned areas with a Pied Wagtail.
Day 26: 94
Today was the RSPB outing to Girdleness. Before that, my dad and I went to drop off my grandparents at the airport to take the plane back to their house in Békéscsaba. In the end, we arrived a few minutes late, but managed to catch up to a part of the group that would be going towards the foghorn and to St Fittick's. Near the lighthouse, we saw large numbers of auks, mostly Guillemots with one Razorbill. In the distance, we spotted a Gannet being harassed by some Herring Gulls. At the foghorn, we found a Red-throated Diver and met Mark Lewis, who had been doing some seawatching in the blistering cold. He hadn't seen much, so we kept walking to keep warm. On the way down to St Fittick's we had a flyover flock of Linnets. Away from the coastal wind, and in between the trees, we were much warmer at St Fittick's. Unfortunately, we didn't manage to spot any Snipe from the reed beds. As we walked down to the concrete bridge, we had a Sparrowhawk fly in front of us and into some trees. At the bridge, we didn't have to wait long before the Water Rail came right out for the mealworms that we had put out. Before long, a second Water Rail came out from another part of the reeds. Despite the large group, these water rails were just as confiding as last time, coming right out into the open. It's a shame we didn't bring the camera! Make sure to check out Keith's blog "Boat Birder " to see some great pics! As we walked back to the car park we found some wader species, with a few Turnstones, a Ringed Plover and a Redshank. Back at the car park, we spotted a large flock of roosting Oystercatchers and Purple Sandpipers.
After warming up and having lunch at a coffee shop, we did our weekly shopping and I managed to convince my dad to take a short detour down to Loirston Loch, in order to find Coot. As we first passed the lake, I scanned as fast as I could, picking up number 93: Tufted Duck. On the way back north past the lake, we stopped in a lay-by, so I got out and started scanning. I saw many Wigeon, Tufted Ducks, Goldeneyes, Mute Swans, Cormorants, and, in the distance, 2 Coots.
Day 25: https://ebird.org/tripreport/S210776703
Day 26: https://ebird.org/checklist/S210752090 ; https://ebird.org/checklist/S210752816
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