We were both awake at 5.00, car packed and away at 5.45.The sun is directly in front when driving east - as we were - which was not comfortable.
Waulkmill Hide is as dilapidated as ever, only one flap would open. Not much variety either but three Black-tailed Godwits in breeding plumage were welcome. We’d read that the road was closed at Forvie Bridge but didn’t know where this was.....Right outside Waulkmill Hide! It would have meant a return trip adding over 10 miles to our journey. It’s Saturday, no sign of any workmen, just loads of cones, we carried on. Apart from half the road being unsurfaced, it was a smooth journey through to Newburgh.
Entering the car parking area at the end of Inch Road, a man was scoping the far bank. By the time we’d stopped, the King Eider had flown off over the dunes towards Forvie. Bother. Maybe it will be there in the morning.
Meikle Loch had a workman at the edge, the ducks were distant but mostly Tufted. Best was a Merlin swooping through, perching on a post for a little while before disappearing fast.
Bullars of Buchan is the most accessible site for Auks and Gulls - and they’ve improved the footpath.Many raucous Kittiwakes festoon the first cliffs, a mixture of Kittis, Fulmar , Guillemots and Razorbills on the next tenement.
We didn’t walk any further, a single Puffin on the sea was a full house for the day - and enough for my legs after yesterday.
A less than welcome start to the Starnafin Farm, Loch of Strathbeg Centre. We parked at the same time as four cars of oldies led by a man with a very loud voice. They filled the car park wuth noise and laughter whilst viewing the increasingly less occupied feeders. I took a photo of one of the resident Tree Sparrows before they disappeared.
The best plan seemed to be to sit and wait until they vacated the small viewing area in the centre. They had done so after half an hour BUT....there were four local birders doing a ‘Big Sit’ We eventually found a couple of chairs, adding Gadwall to the trip list. I’ve never known the area to be so lacking in variety,the only wader a single Ringed Plover. The big sit team was complaining too.
A few miles further north at St Combs, south of the Tufted Duck (we stayed the night there when we flew up for a Black Stork)a very large and undulating field held 16 Dotterel, we saw 8. All were bright females. Two Corn Buntings perched nearby.
We lunched overlooking the small beach at St Combs which is a small 19C fishing village with a completely unspoilt sandy bay. No sign of any shops etc at all, just cottages right up to the edge. Another look at the Dotterel, another visit to the Strathbeg Centre, a drive to the Crimond airfield hide and it was time to drive to our B and B.
It’s a long story... In brief, we couldn’t find it, the sddress had been left at Fairwinds. We eventually did so and settled in for the night - with internet access in our comfortable room.
The Big Sit team finished with 73 species - about 9 less than recent years. We had a quick scout around the rest of the reserve though and got the 'day list' up to 94 - despite inexplicably missing Dunnock. A few other species that we know will have been present (Grey Partridge etc) also evaded us, so hopefully next year we'll make the 100 species. It was indeed quite a quiet time on the reserve, although Yellow Wagtail and 3 Wood Sandpipers were worthy of note.
ReplyDeleteDo say hello next time you visit.
Best wishes
David Parnaby