14 - AUGUST 2007 BIRD SIGHTINGS (ANGUS)

[Mark Caunt]

Angus Bird Sightings for AUGUST 2007

[Mark Caunt]

Date & Time: Wednesday 1st August 2007 - 2:40pm
Species: Red Kite
Location: Flying high above the western side of Forfar this afternoon at 2:40pm, was a Red Kite.
It was flying in a North-Westerly direction roughly towards Kirriemuir and flew out of my vision. It was a fly over, so not sure where to tell you to look!

[Bob McCurley]

IST. AUG. 11-45A.M. BLACK TAILED GODWITS 4

At Murton Wildlife Rreserve Forfar , N.O.477519 from Gladstone Hide , in Stonking Full Breeding Plumage , just returned from their breeding grounds , on return Autumn passage .

[Neil Mitchell]

There's been a significant influx of waders onto the reserve today. The flooded field behind the shelduck hide had
2 ruff, 2 snipe, 2 greenshank, 9 Dunlin mostly juveniles
In the slunks 2 more greenshank, 5 common sand,
Also a adult med gull in front of the shelduck hide,
Lots(9) of summer plumage turnstones and 20 Golden Plover in front of the visitor centre.
There's bound to be much more out there its just a case of finding it!!

[HarryB]

There have been 2 Little Egrets on the Montrose Basin on and off for a few weeks now.
Yesterday, one flew from the Lurgies to the point at the west end of Maryton Bay.

[Mark Caunt]

Bonaparte's Gull at Lunan Water reported on Birdguides this afternoon is an erroneous message.

[Neil Mitchell]

Hi all, still lots around on the reserve.
Flooded fields in the NW corner are holding, lots of Godwit mostly Black Tailed, Curlew and Lapwing.
There are also big numbers of mixed gulls feeding in these wet areas including at least one and probably 2 summer plummaged Little Gulls
Also 6+ Golden Plover, 1 Whimbrel, 6+Greenshank, 1 green sandpiper, lots of Common Sandpipers and Snipe.
Kingfisher
2 little Egrets
Female Marsh Harrier
This was just a quick hide round I'm sure theres plenty more good birds waiting to be found.
The downside to all this water is that the repairs which were due to start on the Wigeon Hide (the one on stilts) today are on hold until the contractors can get access to the hide.

[Bob McCurley]

Aug.6th. 1800 hrs. GREAT SKUAS 5

In Carnoustie Bay plus 90 COMMON SCOTER - 1 RED TROATED DIVER , 25 LITTLE GULLS -- 100,s of GANNETS. and TERNS

At Arbroath MEDITTERANEAN GULL ADULT , present on foreshore behind 10 Pin Bowling Alley .

[Alan Leitch]

Red Kites
Message from Ian Francis:
Dear all,
As part of the first year of the RSPB reintroduction project, there are now 30 Red Kites flying free in the vicinity of Aberdeen. It would be extremely helpful if local birders could keep an eye out for them and report any sightings as soon as possible. The birds have purple wing tags on both wings, each bearing the same unique 2-digit white number, from 01-30. All birds are radio-tagged too, but these tags will be virtually invisible.
Please report any sightings to aberdeenredkites@rspb.org.uk or call 01224 624824, with details of date, time, location and activity if possible.
It is possible that other tagged birds from elsewhere in Scotland might occur, so do keep an open mind about tag colours.
Very many thanks for your help.
Ian Francis
Area Manager, RSPB NE Scotland. 10 Albyn Terrace, Aberdeen AB10 1YP. 01224 624824 07 August 2007

[Alan Leitch]

Osprey - Six birds circling over the reserve at around 4pm
Marsh Harrier - Female

also Lapwing (35), Snipe (15), Coot (32+), Moorhen (18+), Little Grebe (3), Swift (3) and Black-headed Gull (5prs with young still remain).

Water Rail - Birds visible from Gullery & East Hide at the moment - Thanks to some strimming from Hannah (Warden).

[keith hendrie]

Bonapartes Gull this morning between Scurdie and Mains of Usan, also flushed a Wood Sandpiper which flew off towards the basin.

[Gordon Anderson]

Glaucous gull at high tide roost this morning 09.30hrs - Mouth of N Esk Kinnaber side. NO743627.

[Neil Mitchell]

Return passage is definitely underway had my first Little Stint of the year on Rossie Spit at high tide this morning also there were
750+ Redshank
45+ Dunlin
750+ Oystercatcher
25 Turnstone
33 Bar T Godwit
25 Black T Godwit
Elsewhere on the reserve 1 greenshank 2 Little Egret and 3 Ruff (Harry B) at the Shelduck hide

[RAB]

Little Gull numbers building up at Arbroath -

75 behind bowling alley (Ad Med Gull also)
100+ at Elliot Mouth
c100 offshore
2-3 at Victoria Park, with more passing at sea.

[Gordon Anderson]

Noted the build-up of little gulls at Arbroath to-day - had hoped for Med gull but dipped on that.

[HarryB]

On the Lurgies and Slunks area of the South Esk at Montrose Basin:
8 Black-tailed Godwits
9 Common Snipe
3 Common Greenshanks
1 Kingfisher
2 Whimbrel
4 Ruff
3 Green Sandpiper
Lots of Common Sandpipers and Dunlin,
1 Little Grebe
2 Little Egret

[Charles Rough]

i was at arbroath today but missed the little,gulls, how far out were they?
i went looking for fulmar chicks but only saw two , a regular kittiwake nest only had one chick and no nest
http://s33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/k ... iwakey.jpg
i saw some gold finches /linnets,yellowhammer/ and the house martins were flying very close but too fast for pics, on the way back to arbroath i spotted what i think is a wheatear

http://s33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/k ... eatear.jpg
it was very windy so most small birds were hugging perches, i spotted a gannet among some feeding herring gulls near the car park

http://s33.photobucket.com/albums/d91/k ... annet1.jpg

i have a few hours spare tomorrow i was thinking of kinnordy but may go looking for those little gulls

[Clive McKay]

Carnoustie 8th Aug

Minimum 310 Little Gulls feeding off-shore between Carnoustie and Arbroath (prob many more, but poor light - sun too bright). Birds distant - scope essential. A handful of much closer birds giving good views perched on rocks at N end of Carnoustie beach.

Small numbers of Swallow and Sand Martin passing through.

1 juv Peregrine hunting waders.

Hatton airfield.
Two very nice wader pools at the moment on the drive round the perimeter of the airfield. One beside track at S end - NO 594 370 in manure heap - 7 juv Dunlin here, and a couple of pools in field with pigs just N of road at Inverpeffer NO 598 380 had 12 juv Dunlin. If they stay wet I'm sure they'll be well worth checking.

[Bob McCurley]

9th Aug. 1300hrs. LITTLE GULLS 24 At Lunan Bay seen from A.D.B.C. Redcastle Hide very close in .
Also seen in Bay , 1 GREAT SKUA , 60 VELVET SCOTER plus 3 species of TERN in large numbers on passage South .

Aty Hatton Airfield Pools beside Piggery -- 1 COMMON SANDPIP[ER , and 1 DUNLIN - Def. worth a chek if Water levels remain

[RAB]

8 Green Sandpiper today at Slunks area of Lurgies, Montrose Basin. Also there 2 Kingfisher, 1 Water Rail.

[Neil Mitchell]

Still at least 2 green sandpiper in pools near Shelduck hide also 4 greenshank, c8 common sandpipers, c12 Snipe, 1 kingfisher.

[Alan Leitch]

Green Sandpiper (1) Gullery Hide on new branch feature

Kingfisher (1) Swamp Hide on new branch feature

Marsh Harrier (Female) Still hunting the willow-less marsh...

Coot (30), Moorhen (15+), Single pair of Black-headed Gulls remain with a newly fledged chick.

[Bob McCurley]

11th. Aug. 1350hrs. RUFF, 1 BLACKTAILED GODWIT 1

From Redcastle A.D.B.C. Hide at Lunan Bay during WEBS count

also present 16 RINGED PLOVER , 11 SANDERLINGS . 1 LITTLE GULL

[Neil Mitchell]

Out on the WeBS today(c2.45) I flushed a common crane from the North side of the Basin it flew towards the NW corner nr the Wigeon hide being mobbed by Buzzards I lost it behind trees in that area but suspect it must have gone into the corner by the Wigeon Hide.
Later I found out one of our counters who lives at Barnhead had seen it earlier that morning fly in from the Lurgies.

Also amongst the species on the WeBS were

40 Heron
248 Mute Swans
189 Mallard, 41 Shelduck, 1442 Eider
30 RB Merg, 32 Goosander
635 Oystercatcher, 1059 Lapwing, 9 Ruff, 12 Snipe, 81 Black T Godwits, 20 Bar T Godwit, 1045 Curlew, 446 Redshank, 17 Greenshank, 7 Common Sandpiper,
2 Little Egret, 1 Whimbrel

[Bob McCurley]

Aug.12th 1500hrs. GREAT NORTHERN DIVER 1

SEEN IN CARNOUSTIE BAY NO. 571332 ON THE ANNUAL BARRY BUDDON OPEN NATURE DAY ,

[Neil Mitchell]

Hi all just to let you know that the work on the exterior and roof of the Wigeon Hide has know been completed and the hide is now open again. It will be shut again in the near future to allow work on the interior.

I have had reports of unauthorised vehicles driving down towards the hides. I'd like to remind everyone that all vehicles must be left at the Old Mill car park. Failure to do so will only jeopardise the good relationship with the farmer.

[Neil Mitchell]

As some of you may be aware there has been some colour ringing of Greenshank on the reserve ( and also on the Ythan) recently. This is part of a project to determine the origins, stop over duration, site fidelity and movements of Greenshank.
Please keep your eyes open for these colour ringed birds. The rings are above the knee two colours each leg.
For birds ringed in NE scotland the right leg will be yellow over blue, The left leg combinations are specific to each individual. Please note both combinations.
Please forward your sightings to Raymond Duncan at Raymond@waxwing.fsnet.co.uk

[Dave Adam]

Pair of Merlins scouting roadside sedge/moorland in an Angus Glen. Sunday at Arbroath cliffs with c40 Oystercatchers c20 Turnstones.

[Bob McCurley]

13TH Aug. MEDITTERANEAN GULL Adult Winter plumage

Close in at high Tide at Arbroath , on foreshore behind 10 Pin Bowling Alley N.O. 641402

Also there 12 KNOT Some in Summer Plumage

[Neil Mitchell]

Cracking views of a female light green wing tagged marsh harrier just in front of the centre from 9.30 this morning.

[Hannah Morton]

A red kite was seen flying over Kinnordy at approx 1300h. Last seen flying west.

[HarryB]

Extremely rare Great Knot report on non-Angus sightings part of this website

[HarryB]

Geat Knot report has been rescinded and the bird has been identified as a first summer Red Knot

[Mark Caunt]

From Harry...

3 Little Egrets found this afternoon by Ken Donald (SWT Volunteer) from SWT Wildlife Centre, Montrose.
Three birds together in south west corner of the Basin.
Possibly highest number ever at the Basin

[HarryB]

There were 32 Greater Scaup on Montrose Basin this afternoon.
These birds normally over-winter on the Basin and they will probably be there untill April/May next year.

[Bob McCurley]

19TH Aug. LITTLE EGRET 1 on Lurgies at Montrose Basin

at 11-30a.m. only 1 seen

19th Aug. LITTLE GULLS 25 PLUS 2 JUVENILES 1500hrs. at

Arbroath Foreshore behind 10 Pin Bowling Alley

[Bob McCurley]

Aug. 14th or 15th last week, - I have been given a report of a sighting

of a WHITE TAILED SEA EAGLE AT RESCOBIE LOCH N.O.515516

Near Forfar . the Bird was seen eating a MUTE SWAN on the banks of the Loch , it flew off showing a wing span of 6to 8ft. reports the observer. This Report and opinion of Species seen was given in good faith .--------- A Sea Eagle was seen in Fife today near Kilrenny Common today 20th Aug. by reliable observers and reported to the R.S.P.B. If any sightings are seen in Angus please post them to the Website and alert the A,D.B.C. Grapevine system - Thanks

[Dave Adam]

15 Norwegian imports were released last week in Fife. Report sightings to eastscotlandseaeagles@rspb.org.uk

[Hannah Morton]

Each of the released birds has a wing tag with a letter or a number on. When you report sightings of birds it would be really useful if you could include the details of the tag to help the project officer know which bird is where. Thanks.

[Mark Caunt]

Female Wheatear in Auchmithie Gully this morning. (Wednesday 22nd Aug)
Great Skua lingering in Auchmithie Bay yesterday afternoon for 2nd time this week. (Tuesday 21st Aug)