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Home , Balmedie, Blackdog, Bullers of Buchan, Collieston, Foveran, St Combs

BIRDING . . . North-East part one; Cairnbulg () to Girdleness ()

H. I. ScoTT ET AL .

ith a recording area of nearly 7,000 km 2, north-east scotland offers a Wrange of excellent birding opportunities. during migration times, most local birders efforts are likely to be concentrated along the north and east coasts of the region which extend for more than 170 kilometres. every area of cover is worth checking during spring and autumn when there is a wind from the north-east, east or south-east, especially when it’s accompanied by rain. the better known coast from Fraserburgh to aberdeen receives the most attention from local birders, whilst the southern stretch from aberdeen to st. Cyrus and the north coast from Fraserburgh to Cullen must offer equal potential but as yet have received very little coverage at optimum times. this, together with the small number of active birders in the region, creates great opportunities for anyone visiting this area to find their own migrants.

Cullen Fraserburgh Banff Cairnbulg Area over Buckie St. Combs 500m

Loch of Strathbeg Annachie Lagoon Area over 100m Keith y pe Boddam . S R ron Regional eve . D R R . boundary Y Meikle th a Ellon Loch n Rhynie Newburgh Tomintoul Corby Loch R. Don Loch of Skene ABERDEEN e Girdleness Loch Davan De & Kinord R. Cove

Loch Muick N R. N orth Esk Edzell

St. Cyrus 01530 Montrose Scale in kilometres

170 Birding Scotland 4:4 in part one of this article i have chosen to cover the most popular stretch of coast which covers most of the regularly watched coastal areas as well as highlighting a few lesser known sites that would repay exploration. a total of 355 species have been recorded in the region to date. this total, together with the absolute megas of the past few years and the glaring omissions from the regional list, suggest that the area has the potential to be one of the best in scotland.

Cairnbulg to girdleness - (c. 70km): The coastline from Fraserburgh to Aberdeen provides a limited variety of habitats, the main feature being sandy beaches backed by sand . These provide very little cover for migrants so any area with some bushes, trees or gardens acts as a magnet for birds in the spring and autumn.

Cairnbulg, inverallochy (nK040655): st. Combs (nK055634): Location & access: Cairnbulg and Location & access: St. Combs is a small Inverallochy are two adjoining, coastal villages seaside village situated halfway between the situated on the east side of Fraserburgh Bay. well-watched birding sites of Rattray Head Coming from Peterhead, just before you reach and Kinnaird Head (Fraserburgh). The area the village of St. Combs (see next account) around St. Combs is under-watched but turn left at the crossroads to stay on the B9033 potentially could produce good birds at any to Fraserburgh. After about two kilometres time of the year. Approaching from Peterhead turn right onto the B9107 which takes you on the A952, take the right turn along the into the two villages. The best point to head B9033 (two kilometres past the village of for is the car park at Cairnbulg Harbour, , sign-posted St. Combs). Follow this which you will easily reach if you remain on road all the way through the village towards the road you came in on, negotiating the the sea. Just after a sharp right-hand bend in roundabout and sleeping policemen en route. the road, turn left onto a rough track that runs The shoreline towards Inverallochy can then along the side of a playing field and park in be explored either by car or on foot. the car park by the litterbin. The beach can be Habitat & best conditions: The reached by taking the path down what is an extensive rocky foreshore attracts large old fossil cliff and across the dunes. A walk numbers of waders from late summer and north along the beach towards Inverallochy through the winter. A good diversity of can be very pleasant given a nice day. species has been recorded including Curlew Habitat & best conditions: St. Combs is Sandpiper, Little Stint and Jack Snipe. A situated on an extensive system that considerable number of gulls collect at the extends south to Peterhead and north (albeit mouth of the Water of Philorth just to the mostly in the form of golf courses) to west of the harbour and, during the winter, Fraserburgh. The shoreline is made up of sandy regularly includes Glaucous and Iceland beach interspersed with rocky outcrops that Gulls. Attracted by the feast of waders, are exposed at low tide and attract good Peregrines and Merlins can often be seen numbers of waders. Scanning the sea from the darting through the feeding flocks. car park can be particularly productive in Past records: Storm Petrel, Little Egret, winter with Red-throated and Great Rough-legged Buzzard, Lesser Yellowlegs, Northern Divers, Scaup, Common Scoter, Little Gull, Ross’s Gull, Ivory Gull (taken into Long-tailed Duck, Red-breasted Merganser care), Black Redstart and Snow Bunting. and Little Auk all possible. Skuas, shearwaters and petrels can be seen in small numbers in late summer. The surrounding fields attract large numbers of wintering passerines with flocks of

Birding Scotland 4:4 171 100+ Corn Buntings having been recorded in Gorse covered mound by the houses looking the past. There are small patches of scrubby southwards. It is reached by walking along the vegetation and trees around the village which, fence line behind the dunes, a telescope is given its close proximity to the migrant needed as it is difficult to approach closely hotspot of Rattray, must attract migrants without flushing the birds. The ‘flashes’ are although its potential is yet to be realised. also good for waders, and ducks such as Past records: Black-throated Diver, Little Garganey are regular in spring. The ‘floods’ Gull, Glaucous Gull and Black Guillemot. adjacent to the parking area are very good for waders; Little Stints, Temminck’s Stints, rsPb nature Curlew Sandpipers and Ruff are regular reserve (nK057582): visitors, while Green-winged Teal, Little Gull, (see detailed account in Birding Scotland 1(4)). White-winged Black Tern and Garganey have Past records: Pied-billed Grebe, Bittern also been seen. (7), Great White Egret, Purple Heron, Glossy In spring there is very little cover and if Ibis (2), Red-breasted Goose, American there are no birds to be seen around the Gorse Wigeon (3), Green-winged Teal (6), Red- covered mound or in the gardens then further crested Pochard (3), Ring-necked Duck, investigation is unlikely to produce much. The Ferruginous Duck, Honey Buzzard, Black lack of cover means that if migrants are present Kite, White-tailed Eagle, Crane, Avocet, they are easy to see. The best time for migrants Black-winged Pratincole, Killdeer, White- is around the first two weeks of May when rumped Sandpiper, Baird’s Sandpiper, Bluethroats, Red-backed Shrikes and Pectoral Sandpiper (11), Buff-breasted Wrynecks are almost annual. Sandpiper (2), Lesser Yellowlegs, Terek In autumn, nettles, burdock and dock etc. Sandpiper, Red-necked Phalarope (2), Grey provide more cover especially in the field Phalarope, Ring-billed Gull, Caspian Tern, south of the houses. September and October White-winged Black Tern, Little Owl, Bee- are the best months with Yellow-browed eater, Pallas’s Warbler, Bearded Tit and Golden Warbler, Barred Warbler and Red-breasted Oriole (2). Flycatcher being almost annual. Rattray is also a good seawatching site, rattray head (nK104577): although it is a little exposed. In autumn Manx Location & access: Rattray Head is one Shearwaters, Arctic Skuas and Bonxies are of North-East Scotlands best known sites and regular while Long-tailed Skua, Pomarine is reached by turning off the A952 Peterhead Skuas and Sooty Shearwaters can be seen most to Fraserburgh road, just north of St. Fergus, years. During the winter there are sometimes sign-posted to Rattray. The road passes the over 5,000 Eiders with good numbers of southern end of the Loch of Strathbeg where Long-tailed Ducks and some Common there is a parking area by the ruined church, Scoters. Little Auks may also be seen in the this allows good views over the Loch and is winter. Late winter and early spring is a good also a good place to see Corn Buntings. time to look for Great Northern Diver, Beyond this car park the road gets very another Rattray special which can sometimes rough, so proceed with caution. Follow the be present in good numbers. road until it ends by the houses at the coast. Past records: White-billed Diver, Cory’s Habitat & best conditions: Rattray Shearwater (3), Blue-winged Teal, Steller’s consists of a sandy beach with some rocky Eider, Honey Buzzard, White-tailed Eagle, outcrops; there are also extensive sand dunes Montagu’s Harrier, Kentish Plover, White- behind and then grass fields. From autumn to rumped Sandpiper, Baird’s Sandpiper, Broad- spring there are some areas of open water, one billed Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs, Sabine’s of which, the ‘floods’, is in the field adjacent Gull, White-winged Black Tern, Brünnich’s to the parking area by the houses. The other Guillemot (found dead), Alpine Swift, Short- pool, (the ‘flashes’) is between Rattray and St. toed Lark, Richard’s Pipit (3), Siberian Fergus gas terminal and can be seen from the Stonechat, Marsh Warbler, Icterine Warbler,

172 Birding Scotland 4:4 Subalpine Warbler (2), Greenish Warbler (2), Peterhead (nK130455): Pallas’s Warbler, Dusky Warbler (2), Woodchat Location & access: Peterhead is known Shrike, Arctic Redpoll (2), Common for its winter gulls, attracted by the towns Rosefinch, Rustic Bunting and Little fishing fleet. The harbour area is quite large Bunting. and perhaps best explored by car; simply drive around looking for gulls. annachie lagoon (nK106533): Habitat & best conditions: Birds often Location & access: Annachie Lagoon is gather on the large roofs at NK137458 or, at between St. Fergus Gas Terminal and the sea. low tide, in the rocks at NK127456. Glaucous It is reached by taking the road signposted to and Iceland Gulls are regularly encountered Scotstown, off the A952 at the southern edge during the winter, with birds occasionally of St. Fergus village. There is a car park and summering. picnic area at the sand dunes. To reach the Past records: White-billed Diver (2), lagoon walk north (either along the beach or Cory’s Shearwater, Great Shearwater, Leach’s at the back of the dunes) for about one mile. Petrel, Sabine’s Gull (4), Roller, Yellow- Habitat & best conditions: The lagoon browed Warbler and Radde’s Warbler. is situated within dunes with little to no vegetation around it apart from the well sandford bay (nK135435): vegetated burn that runs into it. During the Location & access: An excellent sewage summer there are good numbers of terns, outfall discharges into Sandford Bay. The bay mainly Sandwich, Common and Arctic is just south of Peterhead by the power while Roseate, Black and White-winged station and is best viewed by turning right at Black have all been seen here. The burn is the roundabout on the A952 as you approach always worth a check for Green Sandpiper. Peterhead from the south. There is a parking In the winter Glaucous and Iceland Gulls area on the right opposite the prison. This are regular visitors. gives a view across the bay to the sewage Past records: White-rumped Sandpiper outlet, marked by a large yellow buoy in the (2), Baird’s Sandpiper (two together), Pectoral middle of the bay. Sandpiper and White-winged Black Tern. Habitat & best conditions: A telescope The surrounding area has produced Snowy is vital to identify the hundreds of gulls Owl and Pechora Pipit. attracted to the site. It has proved very attractive to Iceland and Glaucous Gulls river ugie (nK121473): which are both regular. Location & access: The estuary of the Past records: Ross’s Gull. During 2000, River Ugie is quite small and is easily checked up to eight Iceland Gull and two Glaucous from a car park on the northern edge of Gull were together on the outfall. Peterhead where the river enters the sea. Habitat & best conditions: From the boddam (nK137423): car park, a footpath extends upriver for c. 500 Location & access: A small coastal m and provides an excellent vantage for village south of Peterhead at the southern viewing gulls and passage waders. The end of Sandford Bay. Turn off the A952 two footpath also extends seaward and joins the miles south of Peterhead and drive down to promenade at NK123473. From here it is the harbour. possible to check the gulls and terns on the Habitat & best conditions: The offshore beach. It is only in the last couple of years rocks provide a resting place for hundreds of that the Ugie has received regular attention gulls. The lighthouse garden and surrounding and its full potential is yet to be realised. bushes and gardens are well worth checking Past records: Mediterranean Gull, Ring- for migrants during suitable conditions. billed Gull and Yellow-legged Gull (2) have Past records: Montagu’s Harrier. Iceland been found so far, while Glaucous Gull and Gull and Glaucous Gull are seen here most Iceland Gull are regularly present in winter. winters.

Birding Scotland 4:4 173 bullers of (nK108383): down the valley there is a brick tower on the Location & access: Situated between left, in this area there is a variety of trees and Peterhead and Cruden Bay, ‘the Bullers’ are bushes with the burn running through them. reached by taking the A975 signposted to This general area can be productive for Cruden Bay about five miles south of migrants (has included Long-eared Owls Peterhead. Just under a mile along this road roosting in the trees). Continuing up the path there is a car park next to the road. To view towards Slains Castle, it is worth checking the the birds take the path by the houses and stubble fields as this is one of the North-East walk north along the clifftop. Scotlands more regular sites for Lapland Habitat & best conditions: The Bullers Buntings. of Buchan is one of the best and easiest places Past records: Wryneck, Olive-backed to see nesting seabirds (May - July) in North- Pipit, Nightingale, Bluethroat, Barred East Scotland. There are thousands of Warbler, Pallas’s Warbler (7), Yellow-browed Guillemots and Kittiwakes with smaller Warbler, Radde’s Warbler, Firecrest, Red- numbers of Razorbills, Puffins, Shags and backed Shrike, Arctic Redpoll (3), Ortolan Fulmars. In the spring and autumn the Bunting and Little Bunting. gardens around the houses often have small numbers of migrants with Pied Flycatchers gully (nK076343): and Redstarts being seen annually. Location & access: Whinnyfold Gully Past records: Nightingale, Bluethroat and lies between Cruden Bay and Collieston Hume’s (Yellow-browed) Warbler. along the unclassified coastal road signposted off the A975 just south of Cruden Bay. Cruden bay (nK094364): About one and a half kilometres along this Location & access: Cruden Bay is on the road there is a wider area to park just before A975 between Peterhead and Newburgh. the Gorse filled gully. Most of the gully is The woods are reached by taking the harbour visible from the road where there is also a road opposite the Kilmarnock Arms Hotel small patch of Willows. (excellent bar meals). Past the shops, there is a Habitat & best conditions: In the car park by a church on the left. From the spring and autumn the site attracts good carpark walk down the path through the numbers of migrants including Red-backed woods. Shrike which is almost annual. In autumn, Continue past the woodland carpark to Long-eared Owls can often be seen roosting Port Errol. Park by the harbour and check in the Gorse while the fields in this area can the bushes and gardens bordering the road. hold large flocks of Golden Plover. Migrants including Wryneck and Barred Past records: Buff-breasted Sandpiper Warbler have been found here. (two together), Richard’s Pipit, Icterine Habitat & best conditions: Cruden Warbler and Pallas’s Warbler. Bay has the most extensive area of cover on this stretch of coast, with a mature Sycamore slains Pools (nK040310): woodland and Willows running alongside Location & access: The pools lie either the burn. side of the A975, approximately one This area is easiest in early spring or late kilometre north-east of Meikle Loch. As you autumn because in between there is so much head north, the main pool lies close to the foliage it is very difficult to see the birds! road on the right and allows excellent views Migrants may be seen anywhere in the of waders and wildfowl. To the left, further woods but they are usually present in good from the road, are two smaller pools for which numbers beyond the footbridge over the you need a scope. The main pool can easily be burn. The patch of Willows just after the viewed from the car without disturbing the bridge can be very productive, especially for birds. Please park very carefully and as far off Pallas’s Warbler and Yellow-browed Warbler, the road as possible. which have been seen many times. Further

174 Birding Scotland 4:4 Habitat & best conditions: Since they kilometres north of the . When first appeared in the mid 1990s they have visiting Collieston, parking can be tricky and become one of the regions best non-estuarine it is best to park down at Cransdale car park, wader sites. There’s usually small flocks of on your left as you enter the village. Local wildfowl present with Garganey being a birders are on good terms with the villagers regular spring migrant. The small wintering but please respect the residents who’s gardens flock of Wigeon were recently accompanied you peer into, and of course, the church yard. by one of their American cousins. The pools Habitat & best conditions: The village are excellent for migrant waders in both is primarily known as an area for coastal spring and autumn with Ruff, Little Stint and migrants during the spring and autumn and Curlew Sandpipers being regular. has over the years been a favoured site by the Past records: Temminck’s Stint, White- local birders who have found many local and rumped Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper (4), some national rarities. Some of the best Hudsonian Godwit (see Birding Scotland 2(2)) known areas are; as you enter the village, the and Pied Wheatear (see Birding Scotland 3(1)). willows and sycamores by the church yard, as well as in the church yard itself. However, just Meikle loch (nK029308): about any sheltered garden or patch of rank Location & access: Seven kilometres vegetation is worth checking in the right north of Newburgh and about 200 metres conditions and nearly all are easily viewable before reaching Slains Primary School, there from public paths. is an unmarked track to your left. At the end Just south of the village is Sand Loch of the short track lies Miekle Loch, the which is easy to walk around. Throughout largest loch in the area. Access to the loch is the year it holds small numbers of common not restricted but it is on private estate land duck and occasional migrants. However, and the site is extremely sensitive where during most winters it is an excellent site to problems with birders have arisen in the see Short-eared Owl hunting around the past. Birders should, as always, park sensibly, edges most afternoons. not disturb the wildfowl and not walk Although Collieston is primarily a migrant around the loch edge. site, seawatching from the Cransdale Habitat & best conditions: The loch viewpoint can also be productive with Skuas supports a good variety of wildfowl and Shearwaters regularly recorded. throughout the year and impressive numbers Past records: Cory’s Shearwater (2), of Pink-footed Geese roost there in the Rough-legged Buzzard, Crane, Grey autumn. The loch is always worth a visit as Phalarope, a well watched Olivaceous there’s always changes in the wildfowl Warbler (see Birding Scotland 4(1)), Booted present. Unusual grebes and wildfowl occur Warbler, Icterine Warbler, Barred Warbler, and although there are sometimes waders Greenish Warbler (3), Pallas’s Warbler (2), around the edge, the loch is currently not as Yellow-browed Warbler, Firecrest, Red- good for them as it used to be. breasted Flycatcher, Red-backed Shrike and Past records: Snow Goose, American Common Rosefinch. Wigeon, Ring-necked Duck (2), Black- winged Stilt, Pratincole sp., Pectoral Cotehill loch (nK027293): Sandpiper (3), Long-billed Dowitcher, Red- Location & access: Turn right off the necked Phalarope (3), Whiskered Tern (see A975 about five kilometres north of Birding Scotland 4(3)), Black Tern and White- Newburgh onto the B9003 road signposted to winged Black Tern (4). Collieston. The loch is visible from the road where you can pull into the margins or farm Collieston (nK043287) & sand entrance to view from. Please park sensibly. loch (nK034284): Habitat & best conditions: This Loch is Location & access: The small coastal smaller than Miekle Loch and does not get village of Collieston lies approximately four the same numbers, or variety, of wildfowl.

Birding Scotland 4:4 175 However, it is always worth a quick scan when Waulkmill hide (NK004290) provides in the area as it has turned up a few goodies good views across the upper estuary. Large over the years. Like Miekle Loch, it used to be numbers of waders and gulls can be present good for waders but these days the water levels in front of the hide; more than 80 Curlew are usually too high to attract them. Sandpipers were present in August 1999. The Past records: American Wigeon, estuary and surrounding fields hold large Garganey, Black-winged Stilt, Marsh numbers of grey geese during passage times, Sandpiper, Wilson’s Phalarope and White- with smaller numbers during winter. winged Black Tern. Habitat & best conditions: This National Nature Reserve covers just over 1,000 Forvie nnr and the ythan estuary hectares and is managed by Scottish Natural (nK003270): Heritage. The reserve includes a significant Location & access: A visitor centre is part of the Ythan Estuary as well as dune, heath located at NK034289 (Tel: 01358 751330) and moorland areas. The reserve is of and can be accessed off the B9003 between significant botanical interest and supports Cotehill Loch and Collieston. From here, internationally important numbers of footpaths extend southward into the reserve breeding terns and a nationally significant and to Sand and Cotehill Lochs. Eider colony. The estuary itself is too large to cover on Although most notable for its breeding foot. However, there are a number of access birds, other species can be found during the and viewing points between the mouth and year on Forvie. Snow Buntings are present in Waulkmill hide and probably the best winter, often commuting between the sands strategy is to drive between these, then and the dunes around bushes. Short- explore each on foot. eared Owls are regularly seen around the From the car park at NK002247 it is Forvie Centre in winter. The areas of the possible to walk to Foveran Bushes reserve that are dotted with bushes can hold (NK002237) or the fishing huts at migrant passerines in spring and autumn, NK004247 from where it is possible to view though these are rarely checked. the estuary mouth. Newburgh golf course is The Ythan estuary is arguably one of the accessible from this car park and can be good best birding locations in the region. Good for migrants as are the gardens and bushes in birds can be found throughout the year, but and around Newburgh village. the estuary is particularly exciting in the early A car park (NK004270) by the road- autumn (waders) and during the winter bridge over the Ythan (Waterside Bridge), (wildfowl) when the number of birds on the provides access to the central and southern Ythan can be daunting. However, the list of parts of the reserve. From the car park, rarities found on the estuary illustrates the signed footpaths extend alongside the reward for patient scrutiny. estuary and across the dune and heathland The fishing huts at NK004247 are a good areas. The breeding areas are out of bounds area to look for terns during the summer and during the summer but a footpath system sea-ducks during the winter. A tin hut provides access to other parts of the reserve. located on the edge of the golf course Moving up river, the mouth of the Tarty (NK005251) is a good vantage point to look Burn, an area which is particularly good for for waders and gulls. The base of Inches Road freshwater waders, can be accessed via the car (NK002256) is a convenient place to check park at NK001268. This middle section of the mouth of Foveran Burn while Inches the estuary is also viewable from lay-bys at Point (NK005256) provides good views of NK003281 and NK006283. Inch Geck the mudflats up and downstream. From the Island (NK998278) attracts roosting spring to late summer, the points star waterbirds at high tide and many of the attraction has been the King Eider, which estuarys rarities have been seen on the island was present for well over 15 years until its at one time or another. absence this year.

176 Birding Scotland 4:4 Plates 125-127. Forster’s Tern (top left), ythan, May 1995 ( Mark Sullivan ), King Eider (bottom left), ythan, april 1993 ( Sam Alexander ), Black Stork (above), ythan, July 1998 ( Jim Pattinson ). Past records: Frigatebird sp., Night drums (nJ997221): Heron, Little Egret, Great White Egret, Black Location & access: Heading south from Stork (see Birding Scotland 1(4)), Glossy Ibis, Newburgh along the A975, after almost two Spoonbill, Snow Goose, Canada Goose (small kilometres Drums is signposted off to the left. race), Green-winged Teal, Montagu’s Harrier Access is very sensitive at this site, and visiting (4), Crane (4), Black-winged Stilt, Avocet (8), birders are urged to follow these instructions Kentish Plover (2), American Golden Plover whilst being courteous to the local residents. (2), White-rumped Sandpiper, Pectoral Do not park at Drums farm, instead follow Sandpiper, Broad-billed Sandpiper (4), Buff- the tarmac road, turning right, around the breasted Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, corner of the farm garden, heading back Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs (2), Red- towards the A92. After 50 metres there is a necked Phalarope, Grey Phalarope (2), Sabine’s layby which can be used to park in. On foot, Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Caspian Tern (2), walk from the farm buildings, heading south Forster’s Tern, Bridled Tern, White-winged along the dirt track, which after c. 50 metres, Black Tern, Nightjar, Bee-eater, Wryneck, goes past a cottage on the left then turns left Short-toed Lark (see Birding Scotland 2(3)), towards the sea. Follow this track between the Richard’s Pipit, Tawny Pipit (2), Thrush fields to its end at a shooting range. Nightingale, Red-flanked Bluetail (see Birding Habitat & best conditions: A few Scotland 2(1)), Siberian Stonechat, Eye-browed scattered bushes and trees with an understory Thrush, Barred Warbler, Arctic Warbler, Pallas’s of Willowherb scrub in the autumn provide Warbler (including five together), Yellow- cover for migrant birds. Following the burn browed Warbler, Firecrest, Red-breasted inland checking the Willow and the Gorse Flycatcher, Rose-coloured Starling and covered banks can often produce good Common Rosefinch. numbers of birds in the right conditions. Past records: Richard’s Pipit, Barred Warbler, Pallas’s Warbler (2), Bonelli’s Warbler, Firecrest, Red-breasted Flycatcher and Rustic Bunting.

Birding Scotland 4:4 177 hatterseat (nJ988207): blackdog rock (nJ965141): Location & access: Located just south of Location & access: Best accessed by Drums, Hatterseat is signposted off the A92 turning off the A92, signposted to Blackdog about three kilometres north of Balmedie. (not the industrial estate) and park at the end Turn off the main road and follow the track of the road where it bends north (beyond taking the right hand fork after about one this, access is for fishing only). Walk straight kilometre. Continue along this track until it ahead for a good view over the sea where splits (200m) at a farm building, take the left scoter are usually found offshore from June track and park sensibly next to the building until September. before proceeding on foot to the cottages and Habitat & best conditions: This is a then down the steep slope to the grassy/scrub good area to check for Surf Scoter (July- dunes area. September) and can sometimes also produce Habitat & best conditions: The cottage a rare sighting of Red-necked Grebe. The gardens have great potential but beware the rubbish tip beside the road down to Blackdog residents of the first one are not totally ‘birder is worth checking for white-winged gulls – friendly’. Down the slope is a large area of March and April is best time. The bushes scrub and grass covered dunes with the odd around the houses on the way down to small pool/marsh. Blackdog are always worth checking during Past records: Nothing particularly fall conditions. notable to date. This reflects the lack of Past records: Surf Scoter (maximum of coverage this site has received over the years. six together) Glaucous Gull and Hobby. Like many others, it has untapped potential. Murcar golf Course (nJ957123): balmedie Country Park (nJ977181): Location & access: At the last round- Location & access: Turn off the A92 about, heading north from Aberdeen (one about ten kilometres north of Aberdeen into after the Exhibition Centre round-about), Balmedie. Follow the signs through the take the small road to the right (signposted village to the beach and country park where Golf Course). This takes you down to the golf parking and toilets are available. course club house and car park. Although Habitat & best conditions: A pleasant many do, you shouldn’t use the golf course area to visit at any time of year with its vast car park. Walk southwards from the dunes and beach. During spring and clubhouse, down the track past the salmon autumn though, this area has plenty to offer fishermans bothy and turn right towards the the visiting birder. The whole car park dunes. There is a bench here which gives a complex is well vegetated (too dense in good view over the sea. places) and the southern car park provides Habitat & best conditions: These areas of long grass with a long line of dunes are reminiscent of those at Aberlady Willow to work your way through. One Bay (Lothian). Don’t wander far from the and a half kilometres north of the main car bench along the dunes if you’re easily park between the dunes and fields is a great shocked! Plenty of Eider and seaduck can be area of wet Willow scrub which, although seen off here, as well as seabirds, including extensive, is not too dense to work properly. occasional sub-rarities. Large areas of gorse scrub also back the Past records: Red-necked Grebe, King dunes, giving birders plenty of ground to Eider and Surf Scoter (six together). cover in the right conditions. Past records: Red-footed Falcon, aberdeen exhibition Centre Corncrake, Bee-eater, Shorelark, Richard’s overspill car parks (nJ952105): Pipit, Nightingale, Siberian Stonechat, Pallas’s Location & access: On the north side of Warbler, Radde’s Warbler, Firecrest, Red- the Exhibition Centre, behind the Balgownie breasted Flycatcher and Little Bunting. Links are some overspill car parks which have

178 Birding Scotland 4:4 a number of bushes separating parking bays Note that Donmouth Road can only be and industrial units. accessed from the southbound carrageway i.e. Habitat & best conditions: The bushes can’t turn right off the northbound are now becoming quite mature and hold carrageway after the bridge. migrants during fall conditions. The problem Habitat & best conditions: The estuary here is too much cover; the area is likely to tends to get disturbed during the day, be most productive if two people cover this especially at weekends, so an early visit is area together. usually best. During the day at low tide, Past records: Nothing rare has been seen waders can usually be found at the mouth of in this recently discovered area, but it’s just a the river on the beach or on the Kings Links, matter of time. although some use the mud flats by the hide (usually locked these days). At high water, if balgownie links (nJ950096): undisturbed, waders roost on a small peninsula Location & access: As you cross the on the south side of the estuary, which is best River Don road bridge heading north, take looked at from the north side car park. Check the second road to your right. When the road upstream of the bridge too, where Kingfisher splits, take the left fork towards the club- is seen occasionally. The bushes flanking the house car park. south side of the estuary are worth checking Habitat & best conditions: Gorse (by walking on the river-side) in a fall. At the bushes here tend not to be too productive, mouth on the south side there is a small hump although a few small trees will attract and with rough ground and a few bushes. These hold migrants in the right conditions. It’s are among the best migrant bushes, but do not always worth checking the gardens which hold birds for long. It is always worth flank the course and rough ground nearby in seawatching for seabirds in easterly winds, and fall conditions. Offshore can be good for ducks in spring. Eider in late summer including the odd King Past records: Green-winged Teal, Ring- Eider. In spring, there are large numbers of necked Duck, Ferruginous Duck, Greater Red-throated Divers offshore. Toward the Sand Plover, Temminck’s Stint, Pectoral north end of the links there is a bench where Sandpiper, Red-necked Phalarope (2), it is possible to look out over the beach and Mediterranean Gull, Ring-billed Gull (3), sea. This is one of the better spots to look for Yellow-legged Gull, Richard’s Pipit, Pied seaduck. A number of duck species use the Wheatear, Icterine Warbler, Pallas’s Warbler, area offshore, but this is one of the better Yellow-browed Warbler, Firecrest, Red- spots for scoter, which start to form large backed Shrike and Lapland Bunting. moulting flocks from June onwards and usually include at least one Surf Scoter. seaton Park (nJ940092): Past records: Sooty Shearwater, King Location & access: Accessible from Eider, Surf Scoter, Little Auk, Hoopoe (2), behind the Lidl supermarket or by walking Richard’s Pipit, Pied Wheatear and Yellow- up river from the River Don road bridge. browed Warbler. Habitat & best conditions: Mostly open parkland, with mature vegetation and trees, don estuary (nJ953095): which has the river Don running through it. Location & access: The estuary mouth is Check above the weir for grebes, Dipper and located at the northern end of Aberdeen riparian bird species. Walk along the river Beach Esplanade where parking on the around the north side of Hillhead Halls of roadside allows easy access to the southern Residence to see woodland birds, including side of the estuary, its hide and beach. Just singing warblers in spring. The area around over the road bridge, take the first right along the Brig o’ Balgownie is good for Blackcap in Donmouth Road (junction with Donview spring, Kingfisher and Stock Dove. pub on corner), to find the car park and Past records: Orphean Warbler (trapped) footpath to the beach on the northern side. (see Birding Scotland 3(1)) and Golden Oriole.

Birding Scotland 4:4 179 180 Birding Scotland 4:4 Birding Scotland 4:4 181 Plates 128-139 (left page) . Greater Sand Plover (top left), donmouth, august 1991 ( Sam Alexander ), Glossy Ibis (top right), Strathbeg, November 1986 ( Sam Alexander ), Snowy owl (mid-left), St. Fergus, May 1991 ( Andy Webb ), Pied wheatear (mid-right), Slains, october 1999 ( John Harrison ), Lesser yellowlegs (bottom left), cults, May 1992 ( Stuart Reeves ), Black-winged Stilt (bottom right), Meikle Loch, october 1984 (Mark Tasker ). (right page) red-flanked Bluetail (top left), Foveran Bushes, September 1998 ( Peter Cosgrove ), Pallas’s warbler (top right), Balmedie, November 1994 ( Raymond Duncan ), Short-toed Lark (mid-left), Newburgh, May 1999 ( Paul Baxter ), olivaceous warbler (mid-right), collieston, September 2000 (Jim Pattinson ), common crane (bottom left), June 1994 ( Sam Alexander ), Isabelline wheatear (bottom right), Girdleness, october 1979 ( Sam Alexander ). Kings links and aberdeen beach had. Continue along the river bank (nJ953075): downstream watching for Kingfisher, then Location & access: Accessed from turn left through mixed woodland, and follow Aberdeen Beach Esplanade which runs from an old flood protection dyke northwards with the harbours side of the River Dee to the the Inchgarth reserve on your left. This track road bridge over the River Don to the north. leads towards a Beech wood. Turn left and Habitat & best conditions: Looking for follow the track westwards back to the migrants in poor weather around the gorse reservoir and the start of the walk. This walk bushes behind the beach front can be will take upwards of an hour, depending on productive. The line of bushes along the north the amount of time spent birding. Some of the side of dog kennels in the middle of the links walk is a bit of a scramble, but most, depending by the Seaton flats may also be productive. on the river level, is straight forward. Look offshore in winter and spring for Habitat & best conditions: A concrete seaduck and other seabirds - this area is partic - and granite block lined reservoir on the bank ularly good for Long-tailed Duck. of the river Dee. It has mixed woodland and Past records: Icterine Warbler and Wood wet pasture bounding the northern and Warbler have been the best birds to date due eastern sides respectively. mostly to low coverage. From September onwards increasing numbers of duck, over 100 Wigeon, 50-100 inchgarth (Cults) reservoir Goldeneye, and up to 150 Goosander have (nJ902027): been noted. Smaller numbers of Tufted Duck, Location & access: From the A90 Bridge Mallard, Teal and Red-breasted Merganser are of Dee roundabout, take the minor seen regularly. Red and Black-throated (Garthdee) road westwards past Asda and Divers, Little, Slavonian, Great Crested and B&Q. Continue along this road as it climbs, Red-necked Grebe have also been recorded. levels out and then as it starts to descend, look There are often large numbers of gulls seen for the entrance to the reservoir on the left, here with occasional white-winged gulls just past the turn-off signposted to Cults. Park among them. carefully at the entrance of the reservoir, do During spring and autumn, Ospreys are not block the access gates. seen through here, but they rarely stop and Enter through the small gate to the right of waders such as Green Sandpiper and the main, locked gates, and scope the reservoir Greenshank are seen in small numbers. from the boundary fence. Along the paved In summer, the mixed Beech wood holds track on the eastern edge of the reservoir, the breeding Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Garden and duck and gulls can often be observed at closer Willow Warblers. On the river Dipper, quarters. A muddy path then heads southwards Common Sandpiper and Grey Wagtail can be (before reaching the pumping station) towards seen, whilst the whin bushes hold Whitethroat the river Dee. Follow the river downstream for and Sedge Warblers in good numbers. a hundred metres or so, then head north, Past records: Little Egret, Scaup, Smew, through the scrub to a large ash tree. From Avocet, Jack Snipe, Lesser Yellowlegs, Iceland here, a good view of the small pool and wet Gull and Glaucous Gull. pasture of Inchgarth Local Nature Reserve (managed as grazed fields by the SOC) can be

182 Birding Scotland 4:4 girdleness (nJ965055): dump just south of Nigg Bay. Girdleness is Location & access: Girdleness is the also a local stronghold for Purple headland immediately to the south of Sandpiper, with peak numbers usually Aberdeen harbour. The road runs round the exceeding the 100 mark in winter. perimeter offering various areas to park and Past records: Cory’s Shearwater (9), Great explore from. Shearwater (7), King Eider, Honey Buzzard, Habitat & best conditions: Most of Red-footed Falcon, Quail, Avocet (three the area is a golf course with a lighthouse together), Grey Phalarope, Sabine’s Gull (4), on the headland, the rocky Greyhope Bay Ross’s Gull, Alpine Swift, Hoopoe, Woodlark, to the north, and the stony beach of Nigg Red-rumped Swallow (2), Richard’s Pipit (5), Bay to the south. The best times to check Citrine Wagtail, Nightingale (3), Isabelline the area are spring and autumn when the Wheatear, Desert Wheatear, Great Reed wind is in the south-east, preferably after Warbler, Icterine Warbler, Melodious Warbler, light drizzle. Given such classic conditions, Subalpine Warbler, Greenish Warbler, Pallas’s anything is possible. Warbler (3), Radde’s Warbler, Firecrest, Red- The best areas for migrants at Girdleness breasted Flycatcher, Woodchat Shrike, Rose- are the gorse and shrubs around Torry coloured Starling, Arctic Redpoll and Little Battery (ruined fort on hilltop), and the Bunting. Sycamore tree below the allotments near the However, perhaps more striking is the harbour mouth. To the south, there is another consistency with which sub-rarities are area of gorse and scrub, known as the ‘South found. For instance in the classic fall Bank’ situated on the golf course by the conditions that prevailed during mid- northern edge of Nigg Bay. In the right September 2000, the site recorded Richard’s conditions almost any patch of cover can Pipit, Icterine Warbler, Barred Warbler, hold birds, for example, the fall in September Yellow-browed Warbler, Common 2000 demonstrated, even the weeds close to Rosefinch, Lapland Bunting and Ortolan the shoreline held birds. Bunting. Although not all these species were There are however a few sites around the present at the same time, this tally is still surely ‘Ness which seem to be particularly attractive without rival on the Scottish mainland. to certain species. If the wind turns to the south-east during the second half of May, aCKnoWledgMents then the chance of a Bluethroat appearing on Many thanks are due to the core of active North- East Scotlands birders, all of who supplied written the Battery are pretty good, and if there are accounts of their ‘patches’ for inclusion in the first Yellow-browed Warblers around in Autumn, part of this article. Thanks especially are due to: then check the Sycamore. The long grass Philip Bloor, robert coleman, Margaret cowie, Ian around the Battery has now produced three Francis, chris Gibbins, John Harrison, Tim Marshall, Ortolan Buntings in the last two Septembers. Stuart reeves, Mark Sullivan and andy webb. Passerines are not the whole story at when visiting North-East Scotland, please send Girdleness, as the horn by the lighthouse is all bird records to; andy Thorpe, 30 Monearn also an established sea-watching point. The Gardens, aberdeen aB13 0Ea. commoner skuas and shearwaters are regular during late summer – early autumn, and reFerenCes buCKland et al . (1990). The Birds of North-East there is always the chance of something rarer; Scotland, North East Scotland Bird club Cory’s Shearwater has proved to be almost ian PhilliPs (1997). rare and Scarce Birds in annual in recent years. Among the moult North East Scotland (privately published) flock of Eider at this time of year a King north-east scotland bird reports. contact dave Gill on [email protected] Eider can sometimes be found. the Wildlife Web. (www.wildlifeweb.f9.co.uk) The winter months at Girdleness usually produce a few records of Glaucous and Harry I. Scott, 51 Charlton Cresent, Aboyne, Iceland Gulls which frequent the rubbish AB34 5GN.

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