10 - OCTOBER 2012 BIRD SIGHTINGS (ANGUS)

Post by **Mark Caunt** » Sun Sep 30, 2012 3:33 pm

Angus Bird Sightings for OCTOBER 2012

joncook · Post by **joncook** » Mon Oct 01, 2012 7:31 pm

Three Purple Sandpipers on Arbroath Harbour wall at high tide this afternoon.
Jon

Bob McCurley · Post by **Bob McCurley** » Mon Oct 01, 2012 8:42 pm

OCTOBER 1ST 10-30AM. SPOTTED FLYCATCHERS 2 - BLACKCAP Male 1 GOLDCREST 1
All seen in Craig Mill Den NO.578355 - otherwise pretty quiet

Charles Rough · Post by **Charles Rough** » Mon Oct 01, 2012 9:33 pm

4 magpies at riverside nature parkcar park (1 little grebe on the lochan here)1 magpie flying over the road as i aproached arbroath,on saturday i had another magpie on a lampost at the caird park filling station dundee,1 lesser whitethroat at auchmithie,1 spotted flycatcher/yellowhammer/dunnock/goldfinch in the orchard,3 house martins at seaton den,130+goldfinches just around from here

Colin Black · Post by **Colin Black** » Mon Oct 01, 2012 10:08 pm

Montrose Basin Kingfisher showing well in front of the SWT Visitor Centre, it was flying between pond in front of Sand Martin wall and adjacent pond for at least 20mins.
Wheatear, Twites, Rock Pipits, Pied and White Wags at Vicky Park, Arbroath yesterday.

Post by **Mark Caunt** » Tue Oct 02, 2012 5:47 pm

Date & Time: Tuesday 2nd October 2012 - 8:00am
Species: Lesser Whitethroat
Details: With blurry eyes (before coffee) at 8:00 this morning, looked out of my kitchen window at our garden in Auchmithie to see a nice surprise. A Lesser Whitethroat amongst our Honey Suckle. Probably the bird from the adjacent football pitch that has been reported over the last week or so? Anyway a new bird for my "from/in my garden list." (now 70 species). Great views down to 8 feet through window! Of course it went in to thicker shrubbery when I got my camera...

Also there are still Swallows in the village feeding just fledged youngsters which seems a little late in the year.

Dave Adam · Post by **Dave Adam** » Tue Oct 02, 2012 6:32 pm

So amusing watching pigeons run the gauntlet past our Peregrine as they settle to roost, literally skiffing its head to get by to an old building. No sign of nesting yet in the town with only this single bird showing.

Bob McCurley · Post by **Bob McCurley** » Tue Oct 02, 2012 6:33 pm

OCTOBER 2ND. 12-30PM DIPPER 1 - KINGFISHER 1- Seen in Craig Mill Den Carnoustie - Nice to see Dipper back , been absent for a good while -

Allan Hall · Post by **Allan Hall** » Wed Oct 03, 2012 11:39 am

At Kinnordy this morning a juv long-tailed duck seen from East Hide. Also 7 whoopers.

Mickey Mellon · Post by **Mickey Mellon** » Wed Oct 03, 2012 2:54 pm

03/10/2012 Elliot 100 + Gold Finches mixture of ad and juv feeding on seeds along railway line, lots of Pippits also moving around. Arbroath harbour in the yacht marine 5 Guillemot swimming around. Swallows still coming through.
Non birding the road from golf club to railway crossing is closed for 2 weeks. The car park and road, at long last, is being resurface by the council.

Grant Balfour · Post by **Grant Balfour** » Thu Oct 04, 2012 8:14 am

3 Oct, 05:30pm
Two Curlew Sandpipers at Rossie Spit, Montrose Basin.

simonbusuttil · Post by **simonbusuttil** » Thu Oct 04, 2012 8:31 am

No panic as this is one that got away. A small bird (a warbler) at dusk in trees at the bottom of my garden with a loud "sweeet" call as dusk fell last night. Nothing this morning. I'll stick to seawatching......

Bob McCurley · Post by **Bob McCurley** » Thu Oct 04, 2012 9:27 pm

October 4th. 10-20am BLACKCAP MALE 1 Male - 4 GOLDCRESTS - 1 WILLOW WARBLER - SISKIN 1

at Auchmithie in Garden Area --

October 4th. 12-15pm - LONG TAILED DUCKS 3 all Males ( First of the Autumn ) ARCTIC SKUA 1 Dk. Phase
GREAT SKUA 1 > N. KITTIWAKES 400 plus - RED THROATED DIVERS 6 RINGED PLOVER 6 - SANDERLINGS 3 - ALL SEEN FROM ADBC CLUB HIDE AT LUNAN BAY - ERIC . JON - GRAHAM , & BOB

Mickey Mellon · Post by **Mickey Mellon** » Sat Oct 06, 2012 11:52 am

06/10/2012 Easthaven nothing out of the ordinary but in the short time I was there counted 51 Swallows moving south

Graham Smith · Post by **Graham Smith** » Sat Oct 06, 2012 3:53 pm

By Graham Smith - Sat 6th October. GLEN DOLL visit. Mixed flock of c30 mistle thrushes and fieldfare on rowans just north of Cullow Market. 2 golden eagles in the Winter Corrie on Dreish. Still some wheatears and meadow pipits on the way up the Kilbo Path. Red deer rutting and making a fantastic noise. 3 ptarmigan on south side of Mayer summit. Fantastic views on a very clear day. Lots of red-legged partridge along the roadside on the way up to Glen Doll car park.

Barry Farquharson · Post by **Barry Farquharson** » Sat Oct 06, 2012 7:45 pm

Tried my hand at a spot of vis-miging this morning from the hill at Riverside Nature Park, Dundee. Mistle Thrush, Skylarks, Siskin, Pied Wagtail, Swallows, Meadow Pipits and Tree Sparrows all seen moving through west in small groups. Other birds seen/heard but unidentified. Also a couple of hundred Pink Footed Geese in the bay when I arrived before 8am, with probably in the region of 1000 further out in the Tay. 3 Greylags went over too.
Later sightings at the park included Grey Wagtail, 4 Buzzards, 2 Sparrowhawks, Kestrel, 6 Bar Tailed Godwits, 1 Dunlin, Little Grebe (juvenile) still on the lochan, 2 Reed Buntings and a Song Thrush. 42 species seen in total. A Jay was seen also (but I missed it).

If anyone is visiting the park, I would be very grateful if you could please forward your sightings to me via here by PM or email (both accessible via the right hand side of this post), as I am trying to keep a record of what is around. Any past records since the park officially opened on June 18th 2011 gratefully received too. If you've not yet visited, it is worth a look (take your time, you'll see more - it can appear very quiet but the birds are there).

The list for the park since it opened (including birds seen from within the park but out on the river etc) is currently at 109 species (including Mediterranean Gull, Ruff, Spotted Redshank, Curlew Sandpiper, Red Kite, Osprey, Lesser Whitethroat, Spotted Flycatcher to name a few) and I suspect could go quite a bit higher, especially as more and more birders are beginning to visit the park. The more eyes looking, the less birds go unseen.

I have an ongoing thread devoted to the Park on BirdForum, which can be seen here....
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=213067

Thanks (in advance).

Dave Adam · Post by **Dave Adam** » Sun Oct 07, 2012 6:11 pm

1 x Red Kite, 8 x Ravens, 1 x White Tailed Eagle, 2 x Golden Eagle, >2 Common Buzzard, 1 x Kestrel.

Bob McCurley · Post by **Bob McCurley** » Sun Oct 07, 2012 6:49 pm

October 7th 11am CHIFFCHAFF 1 - WILLOW WARBLER 1 - DIPPER 1 REDPOLL 1 ( Unusual here )

All seen plus usual suspects in Craig Mill Den Carnoustie on short walk

Bob McCurley · Post by **Bob McCurley** » Sun Oct 07, 2012 6:54 pm

OCTOBER 7TH 10-30 AM. BEARDED TITS 20 at Kingoodie Reed Bed - 100 yards West from where Reed Bed

begins in Kingoodie Village - Seen by Club member Philip Cohen this am and reported to me .

Grant Balfour · Post by **Grant Balfour** » Mon Oct 08, 2012 8:17 am

7-10-2012 16:00
Spotted Redshank (1) was at the Lurgies.
Kingfisher (2) around the area of the old pier.

Colin Black · Post by **Colin Black** » Mon Oct 08, 2012 9:30 am

Magpie, Cliffburn area of Arbroath.

L. Thomson · Post by **L. Thomson** » Mon Oct 08, 2012 7:55 pm

Monday 8th October : Went up Mount Keen this morning. One female snow bunting seen. No ptarmigan. A month ago I went up Broad Cairn and again no ptarmigan seen. My impressions are that Angus is losing it's ptarmigan. Does anyone have any information that disagrees ?

Michael Morphy · Post by **Michael Morphy** » Mon Oct 08, 2012 8:50 pm

8 October

Blackbirds & Fuchsia

For several weeks we have watched young blackbirds feed on the berries of Fuchsia riccartonii in our garden in Montrose. Has anyone else observed this? That other species, like Kakas and certain parakeets, use this as a food source is well documented.

Mickey Mellon · Post by **Mickey Mellon** » Tue Oct 09, 2012 12:09 pm

09/10/2012 Arbroath. During a winter Thrush survey on Condor west 616439 had a surprise sight of 4 House Martins flying around. Is this normal considering the time of year ??

Roy Adamson · Post by **Roy Adamson** » Tue Oct 09, 2012 5:21 pm

Kingfisher, Goldcrest, Spotted Flycatcher, Coal Tit from our bedroom window, Newmill, Lunan Bay at 0720 this morning

joncook · Post by **joncook** » Tue Oct 09, 2012 7:58 pm

Ptarmigan: The BTO did a survey of this species in 2006, a report on the Angus findings was in the 2006 Bird Report. Annual total counts were compared from 1996 to 2006 and varied from 10 in 1997 to 99 in 1999. There was no clear pattern discernable. More recent totals are: 2007 - 20, 2008 - 19, 2009 - 35, 2010 - 24, 2011 - 32, 2012 to date - 8. It is still difficult to draw any conclusion because the totals depend on not only the number of birds but also the number of observers present and whether they record their sightings. I have heard it suggested by an upland gamekeeper that the increasing number of hillwalkers and their dogs has led to the Ptarmigan moving to less trodden areas. There is also the concern that climate change will cause the eventual extinction of upland species like Ptarmigan in Britain. Will enquire if the BTO plan to repeat the survey.

Blackbirds & Fuschia berries: Have never seen Blackbirds eating my Fuscia berries, but that may be because the Fuscias are out of sight of the windows. Interestingly John Stoa in his gardening column in Saturdays Courier recommended eating the fruit of Fuscia Mrs Popple. This is the first time in 40 years of gardening I have heard this. When I went to see if I had any berries on my Fuscias I couldnt find any - maybe the Blackies have had them?

House Martins: The last date for Angus tends to be about this time, so a good sighting. The latest recorded is 20/11/2003.

Jon

Dave Adam · Post by **Dave Adam** » Tue Oct 09, 2012 8:51 pm

[quote="L. Thomson"]Monday 8th October : Went up Mount Keen this morning. One female snow bunting seen. No ptarmigan. A month ago I went up Broad Cairn and again no ptarmigan seen. My impressions are that Angus is losing it's ptarmigan. Does anyone have any information that disagrees ?[/quote]
I spotted a couple on Dreish in March this year, there is usually a couple on the high parts of Jock's Road - Fafernie. A couple were seen on Mt Keen in March 2011, I remember them on Mount Battock many years ago. Their winter stronghold is Lochnagar's north east corrie and I can't remember spotting them near Broad Cairn although I have found their snow holes full of droppings in spring there. A previous post here records them on Mayer this month. I think there are too many dogs being taken on the hills that disturb Ptarmigan, this bothers Dotterels on the North Angus marches as well. They are certainly not as common as they used to be, hope this helps.

Dave Adam · Post by **Dave Adam** » Wed Oct 10, 2012 7:22 am

Joy of joys - watching the Brechin Peregrine preen itself from my living room with a big scope, it must have roosted on the tower opposite.

Mickey Mellon · Post by **Mickey Mellon** » Wed Oct 10, 2012 8:02 am

10/10/2012 05.30 Cuffley Farm near Arbirlot Barn Owl, screeched, flew towards me then veered off, 0715 Letham Grange 632460 2 Tawny Owls calling.

Allan Hall · Post by **Allan Hall** » Wed Oct 10, 2012 1:28 pm

Kingfisher at West end of Forfar Loch this morning. Also a few swallows with one late sand martin flying through. Nearby, 5100 Pink-foots near Ballindarg Farm.

Mickey Mellon · Post by **Mickey Mellon** » Fri Oct 12, 2012 7:13 am

12/10/2012 late yesterday 11th Arbroath just outside harbour 2 Purple Sandpipers among the rocks on incoming tide. Lots of Oyster Catchers, Curlew, Turstones and Red Shanks all sleeping waiting for the hight tide.

Michael Morphy · Post by **Michael Morphy** » Fri Oct 12, 2012 4:29 pm

Tayock, Montrose

Large influx of blackbirds and redwings.

Post by **Mark Caunt** » Fri Oct 12, 2012 6:21 pm

Date & Time: Friday 12th October 2012 - 4:30-6:00pm
Species: Great Grey Shrike, Woodcock, Tree Pipit, Goldcrests, Warblers
Details: Seeing 6 Goldcrests in my back garden at Auchmithie prompted neglecting work and searching briefly the gully, churchyard and surrounding gardens.
There was quite a fall of migrants with literally hundreds of Goldcrests calling a flitting about anywhere there was a shrub or tree.

From the gardens at the top of Auchmithie gully (track leading to the sea) a Woodcock was flushed. And then a Great Grey Shrike landed briefly in one of the 2 pine trees in those private gardens. It then flew into the sycamores in the Churchyard.
A search in the churchyard didn't produce the shrike again but a presumed Tree Pipit was seen in one of the trees but all too briefly... Amongst the churchyard cresties, a male blackcap, 3 willow warblers and 2 "brown warblers" in fading light which could be Garden Warblers? (but wouldn't want to stake my life on it!)

Shame light was fading. Got to be something good out there... Windyhills Farm got to be worth checking out.

A blurry record shot of todays Shrike in low light...

Bob McCurley · Post by **Bob McCurley** » Fri Oct 12, 2012 7:01 pm

OCT. 12TH. 12-30PM HOOPOE At the Main Lighthouse - I took a record shot of the bird and then started sending out texts .when I returned to the Bird it had done a runner ! Graham and Jon joined me and we searched the surrounding area around the Lighthouse and nearby but no luck , it just disapperaed . Also at Lighthouse were COMMON REDSTART , BLACK REDSTART , LOTS OF GOLDCRESTS , BLACKBIRDS , PLUS ALONG NORTH ROAD / SPION KOP ROAD , REDWINGS , SONG THRUSHS , and a flock of 20 REDPOLLS - The text I sent to Mark he did not receive as my provider Tesco has had a fault with their line which I was not aware of .
Should be good out their tomorrow

Post by **Mark Caunt** » Fri Oct 12, 2012 7:26 pm

From AGV Hugh Bell - Friday 12th October 2012

Reed warbler in garden at Mains of Usan fam, near double red/brown gate loads of cresties, song thush, blackcap. Per Hugh Bell

Reed warbler at Fishtown of Usan near tin shed in willows. Per Hugh Bell

Post by **Mark Caunt** » Fri Oct 12, 2012 10:12 pm

I mentioned in my previous post....

Amongst the churchyard cresties, a male blackcap, 3 willow warblers and 2 "brown warblers" in fading light which could be Garden Warblers? (but wouldn't want to stake my life on it!)

Regarding the Garden warblers....ahem...
Attached is a pic I have just had time to look at more closely. Conferring with another experienced birder and comparing photos on Birdguides it is possible that it was a Siberian Chiffchaff. It was fading light...pic taken with camera flash. But worth checking again anyway. It was in the private gardens easily visible from Auchmithie Church yard. Please be discreet if looking. I am by no means an expert in warblers and I throw it out there and welcome opinions as I cannot be certain! email to MarkCaunt@hotmail.com

Also check out these Birdguides photos...
http://www.birdguides.com/iris/pictures ... 1&f=334164
http://www.birdguides.com/iris/pictures ... 1&f=334087

mike.nicoll · Post by **mike.nicoll** » Sat Oct 13, 2012 9:44 am

13/10/2012, Tayport, by gate to Tentsmuir. ( Not far from Angus!)
1 Swallow, 4 Redwing, 6 Fieldfare, 1 Ring Ousel and 1 Chiffchaff

Post by **Mark Caunt** » Sat Oct 13, 2012 1:25 pm

Saturday 13th October 2012 - AGV Messages From Today (if you were the observer and wish to post, please feel free and I will delete the sighting off this post)

AGV Richards Pipit at Fish Town of Usan per Chris McGuigan

AGV Lesser WThroat briefly Craigmill den 11.30. Per Jon cook

AGV Yellow Browed Warbler at Fish Town of Usan in Sycamores at top of track per bob McCurley

AGV A bit late but the GG Shrike was at Auchmithie at 9 this am. Flew towards churchyard by not seen after. Per Andrew Whewell

AGV Great grey shrike castle sea bay at 12.15. per Toby green

AGV Bearded tits, whinchat, reed warbler & 2 YBWarblers mains Usan. Per Chris Mcguigan

AGV Lesser white throat auchmithie gulley per mickey Mellon

AGV 2 reed warbler cliffburn gully top end towards hotel. Per David Douglas.

AGV Pallas's Warbler, Yellow-browed warbler and Black Redstart at Hatton Sewage Works. Per David Douglas.

Allan Hall · Post by **Allan Hall** » Sat Oct 13, 2012 4:24 pm

Roundyhill,
Fieldfare, Redwing, Brambling and Crossbills all turned up after the gales.

Post by **Mark Caunt** » Sat Oct 13, 2012 5:38 pm

Date & Time: Saturday 13th October 2012 - From 3pm
Species: Black Redstart, Pied Flycatcher
Details: This afternoon at Ethie Mains...2x Black Redstart, 3x Common Redstart, Pied Flycatcher, Ring Ouzel, Brambling, female Blackcap, 2x Chiffchaffs and lots of Goldcrests.