Leader: Mary Galloway plus 10 participants on Friday, 11 on Saturday & Sunday
I am not going to dwell on individual sightings but highlight the special ones.
Day 1: our trip started at Cullen, then to Portsoy (did someone suggest ice-creams?)
- no White-billed Divers at either site but the conditions were testing with a very strong off-shore wind. A walk at the stream showed Sand Martins investigating the holes in the cliff. At RSPB Troup Head it was heart-lifting to see good numbers of Gannets on the cliffs, ditto the Kittiwakes. A calling Peregrine was spotted on our return walk to the carpark. Too little time and too much to do! Our accommodation at a Marston Inn, Harbour Springs, Peterhead - was cheap and cheerful with a very attentive and helpful staff and we enjoyed a social evening meal together. Our species list for the day numbered: 51
I am not going to dwell on individual sightings but highlight the special ones.
Day 1: our trip started at Cullen, then to Portsoy (did someone suggest ice-creams?)
- no White-billed Divers at either site but the conditions were testing with a very strong off-shore wind. A walk at the stream showed Sand Martins investigating the holes in the cliff. At RSPB Troup Head it was heart-lifting to see good numbers of Gannets on the cliffs, ditto the Kittiwakes. A calling Peregrine was spotted on our return walk to the carpark. Too little time and too much to do! Our accommodation at a Marston Inn, Harbour Springs, Peterhead - was cheap and cheerful with a very attentive and helpful staff and we enjoyed a social evening meal together. Our species list for the day numbered: 51
Day 2: Bullers of Buchan seacliffs – good numbers of Kittiwakes and rafts of auks. Again, very windy and about 10c colder than the 16c of yesterday! Cruden Bay gave us our first waders. Most of the day was then spent at the Ythan estuary – visiting the shore where a group from NatureScot was on the beach with telescopes encouraging visitors to view the huge number of hauled-out seals. Walking the beach to the wooden hut by the golf course good numbers of Sandwich Terns, Black-headed Gulls, seaducks and waders were spotted. With a rising tide, the various laybys and hide were visited. Waders aplenty and ducks with Pintail and Gadwall included. The fresh water lochan at Collieston gave us Reed Bunting, Coot and Tufted Duck. After Collieston village and Forvie Sands Nature reserve carpark, we returned to Cruden Bay to take advantage of the sheltered woodland walk leading up to Slains Castle ruins. Our running total now stood at 79. A second night at Marston Inn.
Our target of 100 for the trip seemed a score too far!
Our target of 100 for the trip seemed a score too far!
Day 3: gentler winds and dry. A brief stop at the Ugie river mouth, on the north side of Peterhead, as one waitress had said she often saw multiple Cranes there! Unlikely but…..? Saw 3 Grey Herons! But also our only pair of Lesser Black-backed Gulls for the trip.
Grey Heron (Phil Wilson)
Our final venue was the Loch of Strathbeg - hoping for Cranes but were informed that they were elsewhere in their breeding spots. However, a Great White Egret in breeding plumage – dark bill and rose-orange legs - was one of our birds of the day.
Great White Egret (Sue Seright)
We were probably a week too early for migrants (the weather has been very cold), but a Willow Warbler was spotted and heard. Two Corn Buntings sat briefly on wires and one called faintly. A close flypast of a male Marsh Harrier, with the sun full on its spectacular plumage, was a memorable sighting. Still hoping for Cranes we took a circular, inland route to places Simon thought looked suitable habitat – but none seen. Then we stopped on the south side of Loch of Strathbeg and, with good hearing and good spotting, Greenshank, Barnacle Geese and Scaup were added to our total. We separated there to make our treks home – going various routes. Driving along the A98 between Fraserburgh and Macduff – David spotted a single Crane in a stubble field. I put out a dropped pin and most of the group had a good view – plus excellent photos from Sue.
There was a final stop for some at Cullen and with a calmer sea a Great Northern Diver was spotted but no White-billed.
Total number of species for the trip was 104.
There was a final stop for some at Cullen and with a calmer sea a Great Northern Diver was spotted but no White-billed.
Total number of species for the trip was 104.
Crane (Sue Seright)
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