My first chance to get away for the White-winged Scoter off Murcar golf course, Aberdeen. Very busy at work and didn't get away until 8pm meaning I arrived at dawn having not slept, but (unlike the other birders present who were sound asleep in their cars) decided to try to find it despite the heavy rain that had accompanied me for much of the journey. A couple of hours later there were about ten other birders present, but no White-winged Scoter. Just lots of Scoters...
Most of these were Common Scoter with a few Velvet Scoters thrown in. I was actually enjoying the views despite not seeing the target bird as they were probably the best views of either species I'd ever had. Normally I see them distantly off the North Norfolk coast (had reasonably close views off Vancouver a few years ago), but here they were really close, with some almost on the shore line. A summer plumaged Red-throated Diver was also present and lots of Eider. Eventually I found it and got other birders on it and then watched it on and off for the next few hours.
I then went to the nearby Ythan Estuary to try for the King Eider and American Wigeon. The Eider took a couple of visits as I didn't know the exact location of it. I'd actually scanned the flock it was with the first time, but not seen it. This wasn't surprising as it was asleep at the back of the flock and from where I'd been looking I wouldn't have seen it. It was asleep for the nearly the whole time I watched it. I really wanted to see it's head as I'd never seen a male at reasonably close range before. I waited and waited and waited. I gave myself a cut off time of 1pm as I'd been watching a sleeping bird for nearly 45 minutes! At 12:57, it got up and went for a quick walk and I saw the bird in all it's glory! Excellent. I moved on.
I drove into the Cairngorms. I was pretty tired by now and pulled over at a layby. This just happened to be overlooking Deeside Gliding Club and I watched a couple of planes take off before falling to sleep for an hour. When I woke up the two planes were coming into land which was quite exciting.
My eventual stop was at Linn O' Dee. This was supposed to be a good site for Scottish Crossbill with an outside chance of Cappercaillie and Black Grouse. Not at 4pm in July it wasn't. I hardly saw a bird, with the best sighting being of a Common Sandpiper on the river. However, I was also on the lookout for Orchids too, though I had no specific information. After a long walk through some stunning scenery I stumbled upon Heath Fragrant (a new one for me!) and Heath Spotted.
I'd thoroughly enjoyed the walk and had spent way longer here than what I'd originally intended, meaning that I didn't have time to do a planned walk at Glenshee to look for Ptarmigan. Instead I had a look from the car-park for an hour. Of course I didn't see any of bogie species (one flight view of one bird at Aviemore in 1995 and numerous dips since, including missing White-tailed at the "can't miss" sight in Jasper, Alberta). However, I did get good views of Mountain Hare, my first ever sightings outside of Ireland and so a potential new mammal species if Irish Hare is split. Red Grouse were present with young.
I'd planned to spend the night and look for Dragonflies if the weather improved (there were sunny spells but it was mostly cool). So I began the long drive home.
Murcar
01 July 2016 04:30 - 09:39
Heavy rain followed by sunshine 12C 7W
Eider, Common Scoter, Velvet Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Red-breasted Merganser, Pheasant, Red-throated Diver, Fulmar, Cormorant, Great Crested Grebe, Oystercatcher, Whimbrel, Guillemot, Arctic Tern, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Swift, Carrion Crow, Skylark, Sand Martin, Swallow, House Martin, Starling, Dunnock, Pied Wagtail, Tree Pipit, Grey Seal
Ythan Estuary
01 July 2016 10:15 - 13:20
Sunny with heavy rain and hail showers 14C 7W
Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Shelduck, Wigeon, American Wigeon, Mallard, Eider, King Eider, Goosander, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Curlew, Redshank, Little Tern, Sandwich Tern, Arctic Tern, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Swift, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Skylark, Sand Martin, Swallow, House Martin,
Linn O' Dee
01 July 2016 16:30 - 19:05
Sunny with showers 14C 7W
Glenshee
01 July 2016 19:35 - 20:30
Sunny 8C 8W
Red Grouse, Peregrine,
Edit (06/07/2016): Some pictures and video of birds I saw taken by others (from RBA) can be found here:
White-winged Scoter video
White-winged Scoter photo
King Eider photo
American Wigeon photo
