3 - MARCH 2010 BIRD SIGHTINGS (ANGUS)

Post by **Mark Caunt** » Fri Mar 05, 2010 2:30 pm

Angus Bird Sightings for MARCH 2010

Post by **Mark Caunt** » Fri Mar 05, 2010 2:31 pm

Apologies but some March Sightings slipped onto the February thread now in Archive News Section.
Was a little late in getting this months thread on! Sorry!
Anyway check "Archive News" for the first few days of March 2010.

Anne Tee · Post by **Anne Tee** » Fri Mar 05, 2010 3:45 pm

Tuesday March 2nd,
12.30pm At Auchmithy beach, the rotting seaweed on the strand-line was buzzing with thousands of flies, probably newly emerged into the first warm day for months. At least 40 rock pipits were feeding on them.
2.30pm a raft of 138 guillemots with 17 razorbills below Gaylet Pot. They were bobbing gently up and down in the sunshine, growling conversationally. 4 shags with crests and several cormorants with white thigh patches were nearby.

One month ago (8thFeb) on the cliffs between Auchmithie and Arbroath there were 60 pairs of fulmar sitting in apparent nest sites. Today they were gone. There was one pair on a cliff and a few airborne.

Mickey Mellon · Post by **Mickey Mellon** » Fri Mar 05, 2010 4:02 pm

05/03/2010 RM Condor west grid 616439 1st SongThrush sitting on fence post singing, large flock of Linnets along with Juv Goldfinches in trees, Oystercatchers now gathering near their nesting areas 9 so far

davew · Post by **davew** » Fri Mar 05, 2010 11:22 pm

Fri 5th March 2010, 10am
Davew - Scone Palace.

Hawfinch (5), GS woodpecker, siskins, treecreeper, mistle thrushes (3), song thrush.

Allan Hall · Post by **Allan Hall** » Sat Mar 06, 2010 1:15 pm

Forfar Loch this morning; Kingfisher showing well at the southeast corner. Lesser Black-backed gull and Great Crested Grebe back. Interestingly there was an unusually large flock of 49 Goosanders at the west end with some very tired looking Greylags - clearly migration is well under way.

Mickey Mellon · Post by **Mickey Mellon** » Sat Mar 06, 2010 5:58 pm

Arbirlot 609408 06/03/2010 took a stroll down the nature trail today - Rooks very busy building/repairing 3 rookeries, noisy Jackdaws close by, Collard Doves, Hedge Sparrow, Bluetits, Chaffinches, Robins, Woodpigeons, Great Tits, Mistles Thrushes, Buzzard, Bullfinch(F), Skylark, Goldfinches, Godcrest, Longtailed Tit, Wren, Greenfinch, Dippers (4), and 1 Phesant

Grant Balfour · Post by **Grant Balfour** » Sat Mar 06, 2010 7:53 pm

At the hide - Great Tit, Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Chaffinch, Dunnock, Great Spotted Woodpecker (3), Green Woodpecker (2), Jay (1), Carrion Crow (1).

Near the (very muddy) path about 1/2 mile to the north of the hide - Crossbill (7).

Bob McCurley · Post by **Bob McCurley** » Sat Mar 06, 2010 11:34 pm

March 6th. 11-30am. RED THROATED DIVERES 18 -- LONG TAILED DUCK 15 COMMON SCOTER 40

RINGED PLOVER 13 SANDERLINGS 11 STOCK DOVE 2 LESSER BLACK BACK GULL 1
ALL SEEN FROM REDCASTLE HIDE LUNAN BAY

March 6th. 3-30pm. TAWNy OWL Seen on Barry Buddon T.A.

Nicola Main · Post by **Nicola Main** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 11:09 am

Has there been any sightings of Goshawks in the Carnoustie/Barry Buddon area recently? I'm sure I saw one fly above the house yesterday afternoon. It looked exactly like a Sparrowhawk but it was more the size of a Buzzard. I'm pretty sure it wasn't a Buzzard as it had a longer tail and shorter, rounder wings. We have Sparrowhawks fly over the garden regularly and this was a giant! It didn't circle as it flew which Buzzards normally do but would do a flap-flap-glide and was headed in a south-westerly direction towards the Buddon.

Richard Maurins · Post by **Richard Maurins** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 2:54 pm

Birds of prey do migrate and even the residents will displace birds now it's breeding season time,I have found Gos in the strangest of places,including inside the factory where I work in Montrose.

Mickey Mellon · Post by **Mickey Mellon** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 3:10 pm

07/03/2009 RM Condor east grid 626430 3 Songthrushes turned up this morning, hope they stay, Peregrine came swooping over the pond area frightening all and sundry before moving west

Richard Maurins · Post by **Richard Maurins** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 5:09 pm

Spent half an hour in the redcastle hide 14.00 ish on sunday.Lots of people including kite flyers,so little on the shore.Lots of longtailed duck displaying and chasing each other about,estimate over a dozen,but they keep moving about.Fulmars on the castle ruins,yellowhammer singing close by.Quite foggy,scoters further out ? x2 shags displaying , spring about to be sprung?

Bob McCurley · Post by **Bob McCurley** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 8:38 pm

March 7th 10-15a.m. BLACK COCK GROUSE 4 In Glen Isla area - Exact site withheld -

March 7th 13oohrs,. BITTERN 1 Seen from Gullery Hide R.S.P.B. Loch of Kinnordy Reserve Kirriemuir

Above seen by RSPB Members on their March Field Outing .

Mickey Mellon · Post by **Mickey Mellon** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 1:44 pm

After finding a strange looking bird at back of gayfield had no idea what it was so went home and got the scope then went back to find which took a while . Eventually found it at West Links grid 641 402 and it turned out to be a Gooseander which its the first time i have seen one at sea. Spoke to Bob and he says that is very strange. Tried to get photo but s...s law camera up low battery, oh well...

DK · Post by DK » Tue Mar 09, 2010 12:36 pm

Mickey, over the last three years I have on a number of occasions (20-30) seen a solitary male Gooseander swimming in the narrow gulches at the Arbroath cliffs between Doo Cave and The Rut.

I have only seen it/this there on calm sea days between the end of October and early May, always during late morning, always swimming towards Arbroath and prefering to dive for small fish in areas where steep cliffs enter the sea. The last times I noticed this were on the 8th and 9th of December 09.

I have also twice in the last couple of years also seen a solitary male Gooseander fly along the edge of the dunes at Elliot from the direction Arbroath and set down the the first area of intertidal rock opposite Course Hill at approx NO612373.

Mickey Mellon · Post by **Mickey Mellon** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 8:10 am

To DK many thanks now I won't be surprised next time

Bob McCurley · Post by **Bob McCurley** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 5:33 pm

March 10th 1600 hrs. ICELAND GULL 1st Winter at Stannergate Dundee Grid. Ref NO. 434 308

At the bottom of Strips of Craigie Road , you come to a round about , go straight on which takes you down to the shorline , the bird is on show at the official small car park right at shoreline . the Birds is on show real close , giving excellent photo opportunities . Good luck

jcooper · Post by **jcooper** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 9:40 am

Nicola wrote:Has there been any sightings of Goshawks in the Carnoustie/Barry Buddon area recently? I'm sure I saw one fly above the house yesterday afternoon. It looked exactly like a Sparrowhawk but it was more the size of a Buzzard. I'm pretty sure it wasn't a Buzzard as it had a longer tail and shorter, rounder wings. We have Sparrowhawks fly over the garden regularly and this was a giant! It didn't circle as it flew which Buzzards normally do but would do a flap-flap-glide and was headed in a south-westerly direction towards the Buddon.

Nicola- I posted the same question in Feb. I'm sure I saw a goshawk at Barry Buddon. It wasn't a buzzard and I'm sure it wasn't a female sparrowhawk. I'm glad someone else has seen it.

Mickey Mellon · Post by **Mickey Mellon** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 6:09 pm

11 Mar 2010 RM Condor East grid 626430 How nice to see 18 Skylarks up and singing in the sunshine over the nesting areas

barry shaw · Post by **barry shaw** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 9:01 pm

young tawny owls
11/3/10
Had a wander today not far from the dighty burn and couldnt believe my eyes 3 young tawny owls sitting huddled on a branch,they looked about 2-3 weeks old but still had alot of down on them,this is the first time i have seen young owls so early in the year,has anyone else encounterd young owls this early in the year.

Charles Rough · Post by **Charles Rough** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 11:51 pm

the iceland gull is still at the stannergate

Mickey Mellon · Post by **Mickey Mellon** » Fri Mar 12, 2010 10:07 am

12/03/2010 Crudies farm area grid 616415, took dog for quick walk and nice to see spring is here had 2 Blackbirds carrying nesting material into local bushy area

cliff.davies · Post by **cliff.davies** » Sat Mar 13, 2010 2:52 pm

Barry, have you entered this record into the BTO atlas survey as a roving record? If not, you should.

[quote="barry shaw"]young tawny owls
11/3/10
Had a wander today not far from the dighty burn and couldnt believe my eyes 3 young tawny owls sitting huddled on a branch,they looked about 2-3 weeks old but still had alot of down on them,this is the first time i have seen young owls so early in the year,has anyone else encounterd young owls this early in the year.[/quote]

Richard Maurins · Post by **Richard Maurins** » Sun Mar 14, 2010 8:45 pm

Red Castle hide at high tide at midday sunday,quiet:-odd black headed gull,x2 lesser blackbacks,dozen sanderlings and a few gannets well out.Still a few long tailed ducks and a dozen mergansers.

Bob McCurley · Post by **Bob McCurley** » Sun Mar 14, 2010 9:32 pm

MARCH 14TH. 10AM - 11-30 P.M. -- KITTIEWAKES. 2 - GANNET 1- RED THROATED DIVER 3 LONG TAILED TIT
KESTREL . BUZZARDS - GREAT TIT - SPARROW HAWK -SKYLARKS
above all seen at Kinnaber Links Area on the ADBC Field Outing today -- First Stop --

March 14TH. 1200 MONTROSE BASIN - LURGIES - WIGEON HIDE AREAS- 3 GREENSHANK - 24 TWITE - 1500 PINKFEET - 25 GREYLAG. REDWING -----Second stop

March 14th. 1400HRS. Montreathmont Forest - GREEN WOODPECKER - GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER - JAY - SISKINS - SPARROW HAWK, BUZZARDS,
In Total 72 species were recorded during the outing .

Bob McCurley · Post by **Bob McCurley** » Sun Mar 14, 2010 9:39 pm

March 14th 11-30AM. WHITE TAILED SEA EAGLE JUV. reported at Loch of Kinnordy RSPB Reserve . Observed for 15mins . and then seen flying off in Easterly direction towards Montrose Basin - this was reported to me by Davie Stein and Gordon Maxwell.

March 14th. 3-45 pm . SLAVONIAN GREBE - Redcastle ADBC / Hide Lunan Bay Bird observed and reported by Cliff Davies

cliff.davies · Post by **cliff.davies** » Sun Mar 14, 2010 10:17 pm

Slav Grebe out in front of the hide at about 17.45 this afternoon, associating with a group of mergansers. Also 30+ Long-tailed Ducks.

Clive McKay · Post by **Clive McKay** » Mon Mar 15, 2010 12:41 pm

Dear all

News of an interesting website cataloguing raptor persecution has been doing the rounds on other newsgroups in Scotland. The link is http://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/

Crossbills very notiveable in the plantation around here at the moment. PLease keep an eye open for colour-rings on any birds that you get close enough to.

Cheers

Clive

Bob McCurley · Post by **Bob McCurley** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 4:58 pm

March 16th. 1245hrs. pm SMEW female - 1 still present at Forfar Loch - West end of Loch

March 16th. 1300hrs. GOOSEANDERS 45 AT FORFAR LOCH WEST END

mARCH 16TH. 1215PM KINGFISHER 1 AT EAST ( COMMUNITY CENTRE ) END

Nicola Main · Post by **Nicola Main** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 7:28 pm

1 Kingfisher at Barry Mill.

Bob McCurley · Post by **Bob McCurley** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 2:33 pm

March 17th. 11a.m. MAGPIES 3 BARRY BUDDON At Moniefieth entrance end - normally only 1to 2 seen

stevendoig · Post by **stevendoig** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 5:26 pm

49 Species seen at Kinnordy this morning. Record for me!

Nothing overly unusual except a single BRAMBLING at the car park, hanging around with three or four chaffinch.

Also 2 Red Squirrel, Otter, Hare and Roe Deer.

Roy Adamson · Post by **Roy Adamson** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 7:25 pm

I found the well decomposed remains of our resident water rail in the engine compartment of our Landrover today. It would seem that the Kingfishers have not survived the winter either- no sign for months. The good news is that the tree sparrows have returned to the nest box in the garden this week.

Bob McCurley · Post by **Bob McCurley** » Thu Mar 18, 2010 6:27 pm

March 18th. 1400 hrs. SLAVONIAN GREBE 1 Seen by Graham from Redcastle Hide at Lunan Bay N.O. 689509
VELVET SCOTER 2 seen in flight at same site

March 18th 1300hrs. PUFFIN 1 only - Seen by Graham at Castle Sea Bay - N.O.381436 First record this Spring ?

Mickey Mellon · Post by **Mickey Mellon** » Fri Mar 19, 2010 11:23 am

19 Mar 2010 condor East grid 626430 1st returning Lapwings,(2) hopefully breeders

Grant Balfour · Post by **Grant Balfour** » Sat Mar 20, 2010 9:08 pm

Three Dippers at different locations today:
1 - River Southesk at Powmouth
1 - Lade at Scotston
1 - River Southesk at River Street, Brechin.

Also - Kingfisher (1) at Powmouth and flock of around 120 Chaffinches in a grass/weed field at NO651571.

Mickey Mellon · Post by **Mickey Mellon** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 12:10 pm

RM Condor West grid 616439. Found the only breeding male Great Spotted Woodpecker on the camp dead. It had hit the conservatory window on officers mess. Hope another turns up

Richard Maurins · Post by **Richard Maurins** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 5:53 pm

Went for a drive over the Cairn 'o' mount,little near the road due to the heather having been recently burnt.Walk along a woodland track near Bridge of Dye gave some great views of a dozen Crossbills,some on the ground drinking from a pool about 20 feet away,pity no camera with me.

joncook · Post by **joncook** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 7:06 pm

3 Sand Martins at Balgavies this pm, also 1 White -fronted Goose
Jon