5 - MAY 2010 BIRD SIGHTINGS (ANGUS)

[Mickey Mellon]

17/05/2009 RM Condor West 616439 first returning Swifts (9), pair of Kestrels nesting in ski slope

[Charles Rough]

2 female marsh harriers hunting together were reported on the 14th,one bird was tagged,i saw the untagged bird today,17th,i also saw a kittiwake turning eggs on arbroath cliffs,this particular nest barely existed last mon they must be fast workers

[Grant Balfour]

May 17th, 8:30pm
Grasshopper Warbler at the north end of the Millburn Reed Bed (NO675584). It was staying near the edge of the reed bed so could be seen for a few minutes at a time.

[Clive McKay]

Boghead-Dunkendub 18 May

Influx of Greenland Wheatears - 1in each of 5 fields that I wsa walking around looking for Corn Buntings. CB numbers maybe down on last year - due to this winter's snow? But still time for numbers to pick up.

CRM

[Clive McKay]

Does anyone have any details of the White Stork reported at Forfar Loch 12 May?

CRM

[Barry Farquharson]

Spotted Flycatcher in Glen Doll , in trees at beginning of path by burn from picnic area northwards (2pm). Also Common Sandpiper and Dipper.

Female Black Grouse by the side of the road at Backwater Reservoir (6.45pm). Managed a quick photo from the car before it flew over the fence and away into trees.

[Mickey Mellon]

19/05/2010 Easthaven grid 592362. Quiet stroll from the car park to Hatton water works. 3 Whimbrell, Stonechat, Swallows,Sedge, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Starlings and House Sparrows collecting food and gointo nearby houses, Meadow Pippit, Yellow Hammer, normal gulls but no Black Headed

[stevendoig]

Good look in woodland/scrub at new hide at Tayock.

Loads of birds, esp warblers

Willow, Sedge, Garden & Whitethroat all present.

Also nice surprise - a Female Crossbill showing V well in the conifers at the car park.

Definite potential there!

[burnie]

[quote="stevendoig"]Good look in woodland/scrub at new hide at Tayock.

Loads of birds, esp warblers

Willow, Sedge, Garden & Whitethroat all present.

Also nice surprise - a Female Crossbill showing V well in the conifers at the car park.

Definite potential there![/quote]
Whose hide is this? Is it SWT?

[stevendoig]

Yes, the new one at the north east corner!

Didn't see much from the hide itself, but the walk in (ten minutes) is full of wee birds!

[Michael Morphy]

Flock of c.40 Pink Feet flying north over Langley Park, Montrose this evening. Are these late leavers?

[balbridie]

Kingfisher on Angus side of N Esk between Edzell andd Gannochy

[joncook]

From Birdguides today: One on pool north of B9113 750m east of Balgavies crossroads. Please view only from the road,on no account approach the pool (either by entering the field or by going down the field edge) as waders are nesting around both the pool and the field edge. Bird still present at 17:30.
Jon

[joncook]

Perhaps this is not the right place for this, but it will be seen here.

Date: Sunday, 13 June 2010
Time: 10:30AM - 5:00PM
Location: Montrose Basin
Contact: Caroline Hendry 01674 676 336 (SWT)

Join BTO and SWT for a day of birdwatching and ID skills at Montrose Basin. Learn how to record your bird sightings on birdtrack and more about the Wetlands Bird Survey.

Booking required

Jon

[gus guthrie]

wood sandpiper still present in field at Balgavies crossroads at 5.30am . Lapwing,ringed plover,redshank and shelduck also present. View from roadside.

[srgreen]

Little Stint this evening on the flood pool to the south east of Auchendorie Farm, on the south side of the Kirriemuir to Meigle road at approx NO370 512, Please view only from the road and do not enter the field, cheers, SRG

[Capercaillie]

Saturday 22nd May 12-3.30pm Glen Clova and Loch Brandy

Red legged partridge, pheasant, lapwing, oystercatcher, house martins, swallow, mallard, black headed gull, buzzard in Glen Clova.

Walk up to Loch Brandy
Breeding Common Gull, Red Grouse, Meadow pipit, Raven.

Heard a cuckoo on way back and also saw plenty of mountain hare ( see mammal sightings page).

[Mickey Mellon]

24/05/2010 Arbilot nature trail Elliot mouth end. Swallows, House Martins, Whitethroat, Sedge, Wren, Blackbird, Woodies, Starlings, Chaffinch, Pied Wagtails, Songthrush, Mistlethrush, Grey Wagtails, Dipper with silver ring on right leg, Crows, walked upto the weir but no sign of Kingfisher

[mike.nicoll]

Belated arrivals of migrants in Glen Esk.
Common Sand - 11/04/10
Tree Pipit - 25/04/10
Whinchat - 26/04/10
Cuckoo - 02/05/10
Spotted Fly - 16/05/10, ( 10+ by 18/05/10)
Pied Fly - 22/05/10, a singing male,my first here for several years.

[John Paul Allon]

Many thanks to George Rodger for organising a great day out to the Isle of May on Sunday. The weather went from terrible to wonderful & the views of the birds were stunning - we have never seen so many Puffins so close!
Regards,
John Paul & Christina

P.S. Have posted info re a new Sand Martin colony in Gourdon/Bervie in the Non Angus page which could be of interest to those living north of the Esk.

[Mickey Mellon]

25 May 2010 Letham Grange. A lovely sight at 0630 this morning on one of the ponds pair of Moorhens feeding 8 chicks. RM Condor east grid 626430 pair of Sedge Warblers turned up in poss breeding habitat. RM Condor west 616439 4 Oystercatcher's with a total of 9 chicks. Bad news on the Condor front is that I found a Grey Squirrel on the camp in an area where there were 2 Reds. So hopefully we can find it and shoot it before it does any real damamge to the few Reds we have.

[Grant Balfour]

Some recent sightings when doing my breeding birds records:
Grey Wagtails - two adults feeding three recently fledged young.
Dipper - adults carrying food to nest.
Coot - feeding recently fledged young.

Also had a young Greenfinch outside my garage last night.

[stevendoig]

Walk & drive around Backwater.

1 Whinchat
1 Osprey
2 male Cuckoo & 1 female trying in vain to get near Meadow Pipits nest and getting chased away.
3 Common Sandpipers
1 Grey Wagtail
1 Kestrel
1 Buzzard
Single Wigeon, & pair of Tufted Duck all the wildfowl I could find!
2 Mistle Thrush
Loads of Willow Warblers.
1 Magpie

[srgreen]

Wood Sandpiper 4pm Wed 26th May on the flood pool to the south east of Auchendorie Farm, on the south side of the Kirriemuir to Meigle road at approx NO370 512, Please view only from the road and do not enter the field, cheers, SRG

[Grant Balfour]

The field with the floodpool at Balgavies Crossroads had 17 Lapwing fledglings last night.

As mentioned before, please view from the roadside as there are still several Lapwings on nests.

[Mickey Mellon]

28/05/2010 RM Condor east Spotted Flycatcher has returned, am hoping for another to get the breeding back on track

[Ed Thomson]

sat 29 at 9.30 nuthatch behind Strathmore arms inGlamis and on nearby peanut feeder

[Mickey Mellon]

29/05/2010 RM Condor west grid 616439 25 Swifts flyng around water tower with plenty of nesting holes. East grid 626430 found Songthrush on nest in hut used as part of Afghan villiage

[gus guthrie]

Kinnordy loch. 7.30am. 2 water rail in front of Gullery hide. Also seen were ; 2 spotted flycatcher, garden warbler, blackcap, whitethroat, GS woodpecker.
At least one nest of B-H Gulls have young in .
Backwater dam at 8pm.
Went for a walk along the back of the dam with my dog, birds seen were;
kestrel, bullfinch, red grouse, raven, buzzard, common sandpiper, mistle thrush, willow warbler , skylark, meadow pipit and a pair of cuckoo which flew across the loch and landed in a tree next to me.

[gus guthrie]

Went on the RSPB outing to Glen Esk today and despite the appalling weather we managed to find the following;
Ring Ouzel, Redstart, Tree pipit, Cuckoo, Kestrel, Common sandpiper with chicks, Snipe, Wheatear and Spotted flycatcher. The sun came out eventually in the middle of the afternoon, giving us all a chance to dry off before returning home.
After tea I couldn't resist taking the dog for a walk along the shore from Carnoustie to Easthaven after being told that Whimbrel were present.This has long been a bogie bird for me so I was well chuffed to finally find a small group of them among the rocks about 5ooyds past the burn.

[joncook]

4 Whimbrel still in West Haven area tonight, initially opposite last house to East of West Haven, then spooked by a train, 2 relocated by Carnoustie Coastguard Station. Thanks for your post Gus.
Jon