24 - DECEMBER 2013 BIRD SIGHTINGS (ANGUS)

Post by **Mark Caunt** » Fri Nov 29, 2013 10:44 am

Angus Bird Sightings for DECEMBER 2013

Post by **Mark Caunt** » Fri Nov 29, 2013 10:47 am

Angus & Dundee 2010 Annual Bird Report Now Available!
The Angus & Dundee Bird Report records the number of Species of Birds throughout the year in Angus & Dundee!
The 2010 Angus and Dundee Bird Report is now available in the attractive 'perfect binding' format and has full colour front and back pages with a map of the area. Inside it contains colour photographs, a systematic list of the species recorded, Tay Ringing Group Report and an updated listing of he Rarer Birds of Angus.

Angus & Dundee Bird Club members get a copy Automatically and benefit from the Angus Grapevine Texting Service! So why not join!

Details of how to obtain a copy and how to join the Angus & Dundee Bird Club are posted on http://www.angusbirding.com/ADBC.html

Ian Bell · Post by **Ian Bell** » Sun Dec 01, 2013 5:19 pm

Male Bearded Tit at the Swamp Hide and drake Smew from the East Hide on Kinnordy this morning.Sadly,no sign of the Green winged Teal but I am sure It was hidden away somewhere.Probably showed Itself,once I left..!

gus guthrie · Post by **gus guthrie** » Sun Dec 01, 2013 5:47 pm

Drake Smew showing at east of loch today, also Bittern seen by visitors at 12.40 from Gullery Hide.
Drake Pintail still at loch, around 15 Whooper Swans too.
Quite a few Bullfinches along the paths and had my 1st Brambling of the winter here.

srgreen · Post by **srgreen** » Sun Dec 01, 2013 10:23 pm

Inside the advent calendar today -
the Blue morph Snow Goose from Kinnordy yesterday had relocated to fields approx 2 miles south east of Kirriemuir, just to the east of Mains of Ballindarg at approx NO411515. It was feeding in a flock of Pink-feet in winter cereal from about noon onwards. The flock were still in the field well after dark, at 4.45pm, so presume it was still there with them.
Forfar Loch - 1st winter Iceland Gull appeared about 4.20pm in the roost, just to west of sailing club. It appeared quite dull along the wings, and may yet turn out to be a Kumlein's-type, but it was just too dark by then to get enough detail, and could just as easily be a bog-standard Iceland.
srg

Alex Shepherd · Post by **Alex Shepherd** » Mon Dec 02, 2013 9:01 pm

Snow Goose still in field as described by Stuart at 12.30 pm Monday. Couldn't be seen from the Ballindarg road but eventually located from the A926, Forfar to Kirrie road near to Woodhead farm road where there is just enough room to park. The field has a blind spot from Ballindarg but viewable with a scope from the A926.

joncook · Post by **joncook** » Wed Dec 04, 2013 7:06 pm

Green-winged Teal and Pintail drakes from Gullery Hide at Lunchtime, Drake Smew at East Hide.
Barnacle Goose among Greylags in roadside field just NW of Kinnordy c.NO349544 at sunset
Jon

Mickey Mellon · Post by **Mickey Mellon** » Fri Dec 06, 2013 4:05 pm

06/12/2013 Elliot Grey plover, Bar Tailed Godwit, Snipe all the usual gulls. Balcathie field 2,000 pinkies nothing in among them.

Alex Shepherd · Post by **Alex Shepherd** » Sat Dec 07, 2013 12:25 pm

Date & Time: Friday 6th December 2013 - 1200 - 1500

Species: Fieldfare, Goldcrest, Peregrine, Mistle Thrush

Details: Sleepyhillock Cemetery, Tayock, Montrose. A mixed flock of Fieldfares, Mistle Thrush and Blackbirds, couldn't find Waxwings reported in Upper Craigo Street.

Lurgies very quiet nearer dusk, Fieldfares towards Bridge of Dun, 12 Goldeneye, 1 Peregrine, 1 Merganser, 1 Whooper, 15 Redshank, Common Gulls and Mute Swans. Adult Common Seal and juvenile above the Slunks, the adult with a salmon perhaps 12-15 lbs!

gus guthrie · Post by **gus guthrie** » Sat Dec 07, 2013 11:40 pm

mute swan with a white ring on its left leg , has 3 letters/numerals....YD0 ?
if anyone can get a better picture of it I'd be interested to know.

barry shaw · Post by **barry shaw** » Sun Dec 08, 2013 9:51 pm

Tealing to auchterhouse rd tonight what I first thought to be a plastic bag blowing in the wind was actually a hunting Barnowl,this is the first one I have seen alive here all the rest have been road casualtys.

Mickey Mellon · Post by **Mickey Mellon** » Mon Dec 09, 2013 8:22 am

09/12/2013 Thrush count yesterday only found 6 Blackbirds in Condor grid. Lack of anything else. Curlew on west side of camp, never seen one here before they tend to stick to the east side on airfield.

srgreen · Post by **srgreen** » Tue Dec 10, 2013 9:23 pm

Hi all, dont know where the report originates from, but Birdguides is showing the Bittern still at Kinnordy noon today.................
SRG

gus guthrie · Post by **gus guthrie** » Fri Dec 13, 2013 10:07 pm

green-winged teal & drake smew both showing from gullery hide today.
also bittern reported from earlier this week too.

Alex Shepherd · Post by **Alex Shepherd** » Sat Dec 14, 2013 8:46 pm

Saturday December 14th.

Should anyone be interested in covering the Webs Surveys for Monikie here is the count I recorded for December which I agreed to do hoping that a club member would take this count on in 2014. I've been given two other sites and hadn't asked for Monikie and can't envisage being able to cover Monikie as well.

Coot 1, Cormorant 7, Goldeneye 48, Grey Heron 1, Mallard 64, Moorhen 6, Mute Swan 12, Pochard 2, Tufted Duck 14, Wigeon 54, Black-headed Gull 44, Common Gull 117, Herring Gull 4. Also seen looking out of the park towards the coast, 7 Grey Partridge confirmed when I looked at a photo I'd taken on spec.

Mike Fenton · Post by **Mike Fenton** » Sat Dec 14, 2013 11:22 pm

saw the green winged teal and the drake smew from gullery hide at kinnordy lunchtime today.
was good to meet gus and put a face to a name.

Mickey Mellon · Post by **Mickey Mellon** » Sun Dec 15, 2013 12:53 pm

15 Dec 2013 Quiet walk along St. Vigeans nat trail. Gold Finch, Herring gull, Wren,Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Green finch, Long Tailed Tits, House Sparrow, Black Bird, Moorhen, Curlew, Jackdaw, Rook, Robin, Great Tit, Crow, Buzzard, Wood Pigeons, Jays, Yellow Hammer, Coal tits,,Bullfinches, Collard Doves.

Mike Fenton · Post by **Mike Fenton** » Sun Dec 15, 2013 6:16 pm

kinnordy this afternoon. my first sighting of the bittern :-)
also smew still showing and a pintail.

Allan Hall · Post by **Allan Hall** » Mon Dec 16, 2013 12:57 pm

Bittern seen in flight at Kinnordy this morning at 11.30.

Post by **Mark Caunt** » Mon Dec 16, 2013 10:03 pm

Date & Time: Monday 16th December 2013 -
Species: Green Winged Teal, Smew, Red Kite
Details: Brief visit to Gullery Hide, Kinnordy 12:00 to 12:30pm and saw the Green Winged Teal on the bogbean island opposite the Gullery Hide.
Drake Smew was visible distantly from Gullery hide also.
3x Red Kites seen in the "Noranside area" at 11am.

Charles Rough · Post by **Charles Rough** » Mon Dec 16, 2013 10:13 pm

1 sea eagle flying about on the tay at 2.35 pm today,i saw it from the tentsmuir side bit it would have been better viewed from the Dundee side,it had a blue wing tag but I couldn,t get the lettering on it ,it landed on the east side of the island just offshore of tentsmuir beach

Bob McCurley · Post by **Bob McCurley** » Tue Dec 17, 2013 11:26 pm

DEC. 17TH 1350HRS. WAXWINGS 17 AT BOTTOM OF GREENDYKES ROAD WHERE IT JOINS MAIN ROAD - BIRDS WERE SITTING IN TALL TREE ABOVE THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS

simonbusuttil · Post by **simonbusuttil** » Fri Dec 20, 2013 11:32 am

I know I'm making a habit of posting these links. But it's a quiet time

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-t ... l-25455234

gus guthrie · Post by **gus guthrie** » Fri Dec 20, 2013 5:33 pm

kinnordy loch, drake smew still present.

Bob McCurley · Post by **Bob McCurley** » Fri Dec 20, 2013 9:58 pm

December 20th 9-20am BLACKCAP Female in my garden at Kinnordy Terrace , 1st for Ages -

barry shaw · Post by **barry shaw** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 12:02 am

Sorry if this is a bit of topic but been reading about the latest eagle to be poisoned on an area in angus that seems to be a black hole for birds of prey wonder how long it will be until every golden eagle has been wiped out from the angus area.

Alex Shepherd · Post by **Alex Shepherd** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 9:14 pm

Date & Time: Saturday 21st December 2013 - 2.20 pm

Species: Purple Sandpiper

Details: If anyone still needs Purple Sandpiper for their list, there is a regular gathering at high tide at Inchcape Park, Arbroath. Drive down to the sewage works north of Gayfield and walk up to the third seat and they'll be there, 22 today the most I've counted. Also 24 Linnets, 20 Turnstones, 16 Oystercatchers and 14 Curlews. South at the paddling pool, 6 Rock Pipits, 2 Meadow Pipits and Pied Wagtails. There are 2 Shags in or around the harbour and will approach you to get their photo taken! Golden Plovers are at Victoria Park most days, I've also recently found the sandpipers at Westhaven (1) and Ferryden (6).

Bob McCurley · Post by **Bob McCurley** » Sun Dec 22, 2013 7:00 pm

DECEMBER 22ND 12OO HRS --1345 HRS A.D.B.C HIDE -LUNAN BAY - 1 SLAVONIAN GREBE - 1 ARCTIC SKUA DH. PHASE - 1 LONG TAILED DUCK - 3 GANNETS - 1 VELVET SCOTER - 23 COMMON SCOTER - 1 HERON - 23 SANDERLINGS - 6 RINGED PLOVER - 2 HERRING GULLS Bearing Yellow Darvick Rings - will be reported on
Above seen by Bob - Graham - Keith and new member Neil Black - Stormy conditions and cold !

gus guthrie · Post by **gus guthrie** » Sun Dec 22, 2013 7:02 pm

Kinnordy Loch today;
drake smew showing off and on alll day, bittern flew into reeds near the owl box at around 11am and promptly disappeared for the rest of the day.
300+ teal, 23 whooper swans.
also goosander, mallard, wigeon, goldeneye, shoveler, tufted duck and a couple of gadwall.

Dave Adam · Post by **Dave Adam** » Sun Dec 22, 2013 11:44 pm

1 x Red Kite
5 x Common Buzzard
1 x Golden Eagle sub adult
1 x Snow Bunting female
1 x White-tailed Eagle adult
2 x Raven
20+ Red Grouse

gus guthrie · Post by **gus guthrie** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 2:59 pm

Kinnordy Loch;
drake Smew showing well from Gullery hide, also Peregrine, Sparrowhawk and a Kingfisher.

simonbusuttil · Post by **simonbusuttil** » Tue Dec 24, 2013 5:27 pm

There were at least 6,000 jackdaws tonight between Fern and Noranside, roosting nearer the latter but very few rooks in amongst them. I suspect numbers are far greater but the birds were going down into various woods across a wide area. If anyone else is going stir crazy it's an atmospheric experience and maybe we can get some higher counts. The Alford, Aberdeenshire corvid roost recently made it onto national news with ca 20,000 birds.

srgreen · Post by **srgreen** » Thu Dec 26, 2013 10:44 am

There was a 1st-winter Iceland Gull in amongst a feeding flock yesterday in the first field on the left as you head south out of Kirriemuir on the A928 yesterday lunchtime. Drake Smew was still Kinnordy, but nowt else there. I put a text out about the gull on the AGV, but dont know if anyone got it or not? Cheers, SRG

Dave Adam · Post by **Dave Adam** » Thu Dec 26, 2013 9:16 pm

Barn Owl - Forfar-Coupar Angus road, 1 mile from Forfar 7.20pm

Barry Farquharson · Post by **Barry Farquharson** » Thu Dec 26, 2013 9:34 pm

Boxing Day.

Had a wee run around Angus to try and see a selection of species in the limited daylight. Managed 65 species with the highlights being - "Dave" the Red Throated Diver still in City Quay in Dundee (first spotted December 25th last year, so he's been in there for at least a year now), Stock Dove in Craigmill Den, nice mixed flock of Tree Sparrows, Corn Buntings, Reed Buntings, Linnets, Yellowhammers and the odd Chaffinch at Boghead Farm, drake Smew (distant) and Pink Footed Goose (1 very close in front of east hide) along with a small flock of Greylags right in front of the east hide at Kinnordy. Also Whooper Swans too.

Nice additional bonus of a pod of Bottlenosed Dolphins heading north past Arbroath cliffs at lunchtime. Very unexpected. Also a Fox at Barry Buddon.

gus guthrie · Post by **gus guthrie** » Fri Dec 27, 2013 7:35 pm

Green-winged Teal was showing well this morning , feeding with a big group of Teal within 50 metres of the Gullery Hide.
Also had an otter, spotted by Stuart Green and later on I had a Kingfisher too.
The drake Smew spent most of the day down at the east end of the loch.
Plenty Teal & Wigeon around as well as Goldeneye, Goosander, Tufties,Mallard, some shoveler and a couple of Gadwall.
Also around 34 Whoopers here, mainly at the west end among the rushes.
The drake Pintail was around there yesterday too.

short video-clip of the otter today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0TNtbm4nII

gus guthrie · Post by **gus guthrie** » Sat Dec 28, 2013 7:34 pm

A flying visit to Kinnordy Loch today , Smew was showing on and off and a Kingfisher landed on a branch briefly at the Gullery Hide before heading west.

Mike Fenton · Post by **Mike Fenton** » Sat Dec 28, 2013 7:51 pm

millenium forest carnoustie, mid morning/early afternoon
two brambling, two tree creepers, buzzard, chaffinches, goldfinches, siskins, bullfinches, robins, blackbirds, yellowhammers, blue tits, coal tits, great tits, two goldcrest, wrens, song thrush, great spotted woodpecker, rooks, carrion crows, jackdaws and wood pigeons.
plus two damn grey squirrels!

Dave Adam · Post by **Dave Adam** » Sat Dec 28, 2013 9:14 pm

2 x Red Kite
2 x C.Buzzard
2 x Raven
1 x Bullfinch at 650 m
1 x Peregrine male
3 x Whooper Swan
1 x Goosander female
1 x Woodcock
20 x Red Grouse

joncook · Post by **joncook** » Sun Dec 29, 2013 6:43 pm

Nice mixed flock of 200+ finches and buntings late afternoon in winter bird feed crop on path from Auchmithie to Windyhills just past the old schoolhouse cNO678440. Mainly Linnets & Goldfinches with Corn Buntings, Reed Buntings & Yellowhammer. Nothing else of note during walk from Auchmithie to Seaton Den and back via cliffs.
Jon