13 - JANAURY 2009 BIRD SIGHTINGS (ANGUS)

[HarryB]

Waxwings (25) on A94 Forfar to Glamis Road at the entrance to the Don and Low factory; opposite Orchard Loan, Forfar.
Message from Stuart Green today at 11.50 this morning.

[HarryB]

KUMLIEN'S GULL and 3 ICELAND GULLS.
Kumlien's Gull in field, with other gulls at Checkiefield Farm late this afternoon.
Checkiefield Farm is on the Forfar to Kirriemuir Road (A926) and is about 1 mile east of Kirriemuir. 4 figure reference for farm area is: NO4053. Actual grid reference for Checkiefield Farm is NO 405533.
The 3 imm Iceland Gulls were on the roof of Rembrand Timber, in Orchardbank Industrial Estate, on south side of Forfar Loch.

Message on all of these gulls, came from Stuart Green.

NOTE; These messages went out late, because this web page was down this afternoon.

[HarryB]

Red-necked Grebe at sailing club, Forfar Loch at 11:00 today (Saturday 24 January).
Found and reported by Stuart R Green.

[dave b]

Just for the record, Blackcap sightings in my garden in Dundee lately, feeding on fatblock.
Jan 15th- 1male
Jan19th- 1male
Jan24th- 1male and 1female

[HarryB]

1st winter Kumlien's Gull found today with (3) 1st winter Iceland Gull at east end of Forfar Loch at 15:55 today (Saturday 24/01/09)
Stuart Green has found all four birds on the ice there.

[Dave Adam]

Winter group of c.20 Red Grouse , 2 Peregrine squabbling in flight, Snow Bunt heard, a worrying absence of the usual Ravens at a trad location and other parts of the lower glen (same last year), c.6 Whoopers on Loch, 1 Buzzard at Invermark, c.50 Fieldfare near Colmeallie.

[Bob McCurley]

Jan. 24th 1415P.M. RED NECKED GREBE AT FORFAR LOCH - WESTERN ( MOTORWAY END ) END.

I had left my Mobile phone at home and did not get message till the afternoon - still showing well at 1415pm.

Jan 24th. 1415pm. OTTERS 2 IN SAME AREA AS THE GREBE !

[Grant Balfour]

Female Sparrowhawk - perched next to my birdtable.

I had just sat down to do the Big Garden Birdwatch count and was wondering why there was nothing to be seen at the feeders when I spotted the Sparrowhawk on the hedge.

[Nicola Main]

Has anyone heard of Ravens being seen in towns before? I was sitting outside doing my Birdwatch when 6 crows flew past but 4 of them seemed to be mobbing the first 2 which were slightly larger. I didn't get a good enough view of the head or tail to be 100% about identification and was just wondering what other people thought.

[Neil Mitchell]

There are large numbers of Twite on the reserve c150 in Hawthorns nr the swans at Seacrook there are also a couple of smaller flocks of mostly Linnet with a few Twite and other finches mixed in.

[joncook]

Still present midday today just west of sailing club

Jon

[Bob McCurley]

Jan. 26th / 11-45a.m. CORN BUNTINGS 70 BOGHEAD FARM ( SET ASIDE AREA ) AT N.O. 682466
At same site Hywel Maggs who set up this on behalf of the RSPB. saw 83 on Jan 13th. 2009

Ja n. 26th 12-15p.m. FULMARS 10 On top of Redcastle Ruins , very early return

[HarryB]

Bearded Tits heard this morning (approx 10:00), at RSPB Loch of Kinnordy.
Birds clearly heard calling, opposite the Gullery Hide, by Stuart R Green.

[Dave Adam]

Just to add to Bob's report above, Fulmars were settling on Elephant Rock, Usan on 17th Jan 09.
Nicola - Most Ravens are in the Angus Glens and are not far away from starting to nest, some may visit coastal areas in autumn/ winter, what you may have witnessed were Rooks harassing Carrion Crows.

[Nicola Main]

Thanks very much Dave for the reply to my post :)

[HarryB]

A Mediterranean Gull (Adult) was found by Bob McCurley and others, at Lunan Bay this afternoon about 14:00.
Seen from the hide there.

[Barry Farquharson]

The Dundee City Centre Long Tailed Tit flock was in the willow(?) type tree by the church, next to Dundee High School and the Douglas bus stop at around 1625 this afternoon.

[Bob McCurley]

Jan. 30th 1430hrs. RING BILLED GULL Still present today at Riverside Drive Dundee , this long stayer was
oringinally found on Dec. 2nd 2008

[davew]

By Dave Winter Friday 30th Jan 2009

Saw my first Grey Wagtail of the year yesterday - beside a busy hot dog kiosk in Dundee's Dryburgh Industrial Estate !! - What's going on? e.g. flocks of Long Tailed Tits in Dundee city centre - What next? Peregrine Falcons on Cox's Stack? Pelicans at Broughty Ferry beach?

[Grant Balfour]

One Peregrine just to the west of Craichie. It set up a flock of pigeons from the woods at Moss-side before heading off to the southeast.

Also, a flock of around 30 Fieldfares near the top of Carrot Hill.

[stevendoig]

2 Redwings in my garden at 1130. (Whitehills, Forfar)

[Bob McCurley]

Feb. 1st. 10-45a.m. BLACK REDSTART female AT WESTHAVEN BEACH AT N.O. 569342 .

GO TO CAR PARK OVER THE LEVEL CROSSING AT BOTTOM OF STATION ROAD . CARNOUSTIE , WHICH OVERLOOKS
THE BEACH . TURN LEFT AND WALK EAST ALONG BEACH TOWARDS WESTHAVEN FOR APPROX. 500YARDS , THE BIRD IS AT TIMES KEEPING COMPANY WITH 2 STONECHATS . -- I WAS INFORMED OF THIS BIRD BY RICHARD A'BROOK WHO SAW THE BIRD YESTERDAY