14 - FEBRUARY 2009 BIRD SIGHTINGS (ANGUS)

[Mark Caunt]

Angus Bird Sightings for FEBRUARY 2009

[srgreen]

1st-winter Kumlien's and three 1st-winter Iceland Gulls off the Sailing Club at Forfar Loch tonight, though gulls very flighty, again. SRG

[HarryB]

A Red-necked Grebe was at Montrose Basin, almost straight out from the viewing windows at SWT Montrose. The bird was seen from about 15:00 until dusk.
Bird was about mid-Basin: effectively in the middle of the Basin.

[Neil Mitchell]

Thanks to all those who have helped with tree planting at Tayock. The planting has progressed much faster than expected despite the best efforts of local vandals.
As a result I am planning NO more planting days during February however more trees are due to be delivered March which I'll need volunteers for again.

[HarryB]

A Glaucous Gull (2nd Winter), with two Iceland Gulls (1st Winter) at Forfar Loch gull roost this evening.
Birds were reported at 15:35 this evening, in the vicinity of the sailing club.
All found and reported by Stuart R Green.

[Barbara Grimmond]

Quite a busy day.

Two male and a female yellowhammer (first we have seen this winter in our garden)
two female blackcaps
one male siskin
treecreeper
female great spotted woodpecker
long tailed tits
goldfinches
dunnock
the largest flock of starlings we have ever had in the garden, no idea how many
plenty housesparrows, chaffinches, blackbirds, 2 robins, bluetits, coaltits and great tits, 2 collared doves and pigeons

[Bob McCurley]

Feb. 5th. 1500hrs. BARNACLE GOOSE 1 IN COMPANY WITH 1000 PINKFEET AT GRID N.O. 654508
BETWEEN HILTON FARM AND NORTH MAINS

Feb. 5th. 1605hrs. HEN HARRIER Male Seen on Rossie Moor by Allan Burnett

[Bob McCurley]

Feb. 7th 11am. Ring-billed Gull; still present at Riverside Drive this am.

Feb. 7th 11-05am. Bonaparte's Gull; reported seen at Ferryden Montrose by Keith Hendrie.

[HarryB]

An apology all round, for not passing this message down the grapevine.
I've been by my computer all day, but was wearing headphones and didn't hear my phone and only discovered the text message (from Bob) at 17:05.
My sincere apologies to all who should have had this message earlier from me.

[KevH]

Feb 7th 15:00hrs Male and female stonechats at Kingoodie Bay on the rocks in front of the sea wall.

[Barry Farquharson]

Wander along the northshide of the loch to the far end and back today produced some nice variety including Iceland Gull, Grey Wagtail, Stonechat, Yellowhammer, Magpie, Reed Bunting, Buzzard, Mistle Thrush, Goosander, Gadwall and lots of Tufted Duck.
Very good views of an otter in front of the first viewpoint.

A few photos can be seen here....
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonefaction

[Roy Adamson]

Water Rail again in my garden around the bird feeders and onto the decking just a couple of feet from the window

[KevH]

Feb 8th PM. Tay Marshes. 40+ Fieldfare, 18 Reed Buntings, 8 Long-tailed Tits, 3 Yellowhammers and a Marsh Harrier.

[barry shaw]

FEB 7th DRUMGEITH PARK DUNDEE
Watched 2 sparrowhawks displaying to each other,the male and female flying together then the male plummeting to earth then pulling up at the last second. He did this about 8 times in the space of 5 minutes,very nice. Spring's just around the corner..I hope.

[stevendoig]

WAXWINGS
Forfar

3 at Strathmore Woollen mill around 1430 today

15 on Old Brechin Road on trees slighly down and opposite from Whitehills Hospital.

Very bold.

[HarryB]

2nd winter Glaucous Gull and a 1st winter Iceland Gull at Forfar Loch Gull roost, at sailing club, this evening (17:50)
Found by Stuart R Green.




Possibly of interest, but not in Angus: An adult Glaucus Gull over the A92 at Kinneff (South Aberdeenshire) at mid day today.
There is a piggery inland from there (at Barrass), which often turns up 'white-winged' gulls in winter.

[gus guthrie]

9.2.09. 9.50pm
BARN OWL AT PADANARM, FLEW TOWARDS FIELDS ON OPPOSITE SIDE OF VILLAGE.
YESTERDAY IN OUR GARDEN IN NORTHMUIR, 6 YELLOWHAMMERS, MIXED FLOCK OF FIELDFARE WITH SEVERAL REDWINGS (30+ BIRDS IN TOTAL ), SEVERAL SISKINS AND A BULLFINCH.

[Dave Adam]

Winter group of c100 Red Grouse- increasing no's?, Snow Bunting heard, pair of Ravens displaying-excellent show and lovely song !, Peregrine, 10 Whoopers on icy Loch Lee.

[juliegeorge13]

Yesterdays sightings at Montreathmont. Map ref 577558 c 1000 mixed flock mainly Twite also Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Bullfinch and Linnets.
Sorry could not post last night.
Julie George

[HarryB]

A message this morning, from Douglas Hutchieson, to tell me he is pretty sure he had a White's Thrush this morning at a point NW of Little Brechin (NO 555645).
This is in a triangle contained within Tigerton, White Caterthun and Mill of Balrownie.
Bird was in a field with a small iced-over puddle and there was a Greylag there when he stopped.
Bird was seen with binoculars, but by the time he got the scope out and set up, it flew off.

[Mickey Mellon]

Hi there. 8 Feb Elliot; 2 Grey Wagtails,unfortunately not ringed, across from golf course 1 jack Snipe 4 common snipe,
RM Condor still has winter visiting Snipe 5 in total. Also on Condor pair of Great Spotted wookpeckers chasing each other around treees. Doing tetrad today 10th at Letham Grange 4 Great Spotted Wood Peckers, 1 Dipper and for me find of the day 1 Jay. It's the first time have seen one in the 16 years I have been going to Letham Grange

[HarryB]

Wednesday 11 February: Forfar Loch. (evening)
Forfar Loch continues it's place as best in Angus for 'white-winged' gulls.
Tonight, at the Forfar Loch gull roost, Stuart R Green found a total of:
One Kumlien's Gull
One 2nd winter Glaucous Gull
Four1st winter Iceland Gulls
All of these birds were at the sailing club area, which is where the gull roost is.

[GYarnell]

On sea railings and other structures west of children's play area, been seen here on several days in the last week.

[Charles Rough]

Buzzard on lampost in Dundee city.

[Richard Maurins]

There was a buzzard perched on a lampost at the side of the very busy Drumgeith road in Dundee saturday 5.00pm,this is the first time I have seen this species perched on a lampost
One sat on my neighbours chimney pot the other day, probably getting it's toes warm.

[HarryB]

A 1st winter Kumlien's Gull
A 2nd winter Glaucous Gull
A 1st winter Iceland Gull
All of the above, found by Stuart R Green at Powmyre Farm pig pools this morning.
Main Powmyre buildings at NO 361507.
From Stuart's reports on 'white-winged' gulls at Forfar Loch, it appears he also found one of the places these birds can be found during the day, with better lighting.

[Bob McCurley]

FEB. 15TH. 1330HRS. HEN HARRIER Female Lunan Bay from Redcastle Hide , it came from Redhead direction , flew towards Boddin and turned Left and flew inland , very close in .

[Nicola Main]

Yesterday at Easthaven heard at least three Skylarks singing high above the fields.

[HarryB]

Rob Noble-Nesbitt told me he was up at the Backwater Reservoir yesterday and there is a very large (about 500) flock of Chaffinches up there, with at least 3 Bramblings and also Goldfinches and Linnets within the flock.

[RAB]

c15 Waxwing in the grounds of Woodlands Primary School, Carnoustie, this morning (Sat).

[HarryB]

Red-necked Grebe at The Slunks yesterday.
Just before high tide yesterday (at the WeBS count), a Red-necked Grebe was found, in the company of two Little Grebes just inside the mouth of The Slunks.
It seemed keen to enter the Old Mill Burn, which is the burn which forms The Slunks as it enters the North Esk.
Bird was seen at approx 13.00

[Kevin Thomson]

For anyone who still hasn't seen it:

Ring-billed Gull still present at Riverside in Dundee - Yesterday 22.02.09 circa 1500 hrs.

Happy birding,

Kev T

[stevendoig]

Pintail at Crombie this morning.

Also two grey wagtails, amongst other things!

[Bob McCurley]

Feb. 25th. 1350 PINTAILS 3 ( 2 Male 1 Female ) from Swamp Hide at RSPB. Loch of Kinnordy Reserve
Unusual inland sightings

Feb. 25th. 11-30 RAVEN 2 RED GROUSE 2 40 REDWING FLOCK IN GLEN PROSEN

[HarryB]

EXTREMELY IMPORTANT MEETING
My apology for the mis-use of this sightings page.
MEMBERS AND FRIENDS of ADBC are invited to a special meeting at the SWT Montrose Wildlife Centre next week (THURSDAY MARCH 5) at 7pm.
1) We need to see and be shown, how to enter bird records on the SOC database. This is so we can present the information in the format required by Stuart R Green, who has very kindly offered to produce the 2008 Angus Bird Report.
We will need volunteers, to transfer the card and paper records of those who do not have access to entering data on Excel, on to the database for them.
If we all do a little, this will be a much lighter load than it presently appears to be.
2) Your committee has now had returned, all of the data for the (as yet unpublished) 2006 and 2007 Angus Bird Reports.
This requires a MAJOR effort by all of us and not just a few, to take a share of this work.
The second part of the meeting, will be exclusively about sorting all the material we now have, into something useable, with the aim of producing either a joint 2006/7 Bird Report, or two separate reports.
All apparently boring stuff and we don't expect a rush of volunteers!
However, if you have a computer and will follow the process Clive McKay of the SOC will demonstrate to us that night and are prepared to donate a FEW hours of your time for the club, we can get this data recorded and also get the bird reports finished.
I am asking for a wee bit of a sacrifice, of your time.
The rest is up to you, but we'd really, really love to have ANY kind of help you may be prepared to offer.

[RAB]

c15 Waxwing still around Woodlands Primary School, Carnoustie today (Thursday).

[HarryB]

Waxwings (15) at Kirriemuir.
Stuart R Green has reported another group of Waxwings, this time back at Kirriemuir this morning (10.00).
The birds were at Lindsay Street; 400 yards to the south east of the BP garage, by the corner of Muir Street.

For information: Harry Scott of Aboyne, colour-ringed a flock of about 30 Waxwings ay Aboyne!
There have been various colour-ringing efforts made over the years and very few, if any, are 'returned'.
Please check any Waxwings for colour rings as well as enjoying them, as this kind of information is very very helpful.