Short But Sweet

Joe Robertson, Moi + Malcolm Brand

It was considered the King Eider of yesterday was a fitting and perfect finalé to our adventure, but unbeknown to us there was more to come. Having returned the hire car we then decamped to the Speedbird Inn at Dyce (Aberdeen) Airport, which was where I would stay the nights prior to going off-shore. Mid-evening Dave and I went to the bar for what was to be a quiet pint, but then met 2 of my mates from the Buchan Alpha. Malcolm Brand, Joe Robertson and I were in the same shift together and as we all flew south on the same crew change we got to know each other very well, unlike those who simply went in other directions not enjoying a beer or two as we did.

It was a real pleasure to see you both again Malcolm and Joe - take care off-shore!

and as today has been taken up by travel a few photos from the archive to fill in until tomorrow when, it may surprise you to know I plan to go 'birding' hopefully to get species number 220 on the Year List. 'Till then keep reading! CHEERS.

To late for photos, and as Lorne and Sheila have left me a few cans of cider I'll drink a couple of them and talk to you again tomorrow - Asta la Vista!

The 'KING' Will Come - Wishbone Ash

It was to be a 'single pronged' attack today with blinkered vision and only one target. Pulling the curtains back in the St Olaf Hotel, Cruden Bay the sun came pouring in, there was not a cloud in the sky and the trees were still as night, not a breath of wind, all set for a good day. A full Scottish breakfast is also guaranteed to kick you off on the right foot, but as we stepped out of the hotel the rain started and in a nutshell lasted for the rest of the day.

Driving north, we stopped to look at the Peterhead Lighthouse (another shot for The Lighthouse People) before turning down the track that led us back to Rattray Head. Once again the were a few Corn Bunting and loads of Pink-footed Geese and we also managed to get a shot or two of

Yellowhammer

Similarly to yesterday we searched the sea area close to the lighthouse and the rocky outcrops to the north for the King Eider but again without success, but quite a few 'Divers' seemed to have move in since our previous visit with at least 10 Great Northern, 13 Black-throated and a single summer plumage Red-throated. After this we moved back to

where there was just one addition to the Trip List, a spoonbill feeding in the Tower Pool and I caught my first sight of Coot, Gadwall and Moorhen, leveling the score with Dave.

There was also this unusual looking Pheasant

which will need to be looked up at a later date.

The view out of the Visitor's Centre window looks directly onto the Black-headed Gull colony

and beyond to the Tower Pool,

Loch of Strathbeg in the far distance and

the stone built Windmill that once drained this whole area.

A Grey Heron patrolling the reeds. Our last ditch chance to see the King Eider would be to return to Newburgh where the tide was rapidly falling, but optimistic as ever I had a strong feeling that we were going to get lucky. Time was running out as the hire car had to be returned by 16:30 but we did stop briefly at the second lay-by to try once again for the Bonaparte's Gull, then as quickly as you like to Inch Point overlooking the River Ythan.

Within minutes of arrival, I had the little bugger sat preening on an exposed rock with a few of its close cousins the Common Eider.

What a moment of elation and what a way to finish our trip that had also been a great success to watch this beautiful

male King Eider slip into the water not really bothering about our approach.

We must have got to within 40 yards which made for reasonable photographic range, but to look at one of the smartest ducks in the world through the telescope was astounding!

We did decide to end our advance there, as the bird and its companions started to look a little edgy,

but just to clap eyes on it was privilege enough.

It wasn't until returning to the car that it was realised I had the camera setting on 'landscape' and so doubtless the images could have been better, but hey who's complaining?

It was hoped that I might get to see the North Sea Bird Club Recorder and his assistant Alma Frazer at the Culterty (Cooterty) Field Station which is now incorporated in the brand new Oceanographic complex here but they were both away. Over my years off-shore I had sent 13,000 records of wildlife seen from various rigs I have served on and so it would have been great to see my old friends again - maybe next time guys?

We returned to the Ythan for our final hour where we found the Long-tailed Ducks just a little closer to the shore,

and although we would have loved to have seen the King Eider again it was not relocated.

Finally, the sight of a Bristow's 'Oil Rig Crew Change' helicopter flying high above the river quite put the wind up me as I thought they may be looking for me, so I dived for cover. While I loved every aspect of the off-shore life, especially on the Buchan Alpha, it made me realise even more how good it feels to have the shackles shaken off as I am enjoying life so much in retirement.

A quick word about our trip in general to the 'magic country' which is Scotland, for Dave and I has been a resounding success. We only 'dipped' on 2 potential species, Parrot Crossbill (not a sniff) and Glaucous Gull (which had been reported while we have been here but luck was simply not on our side). Besides this, the Pied-billed Grebe on Mull was just a 'bridge too far', while the Green-winged Teal (Loch of Strathbeg) and Snow Geese (various locations) seemed to be long gone. Once again there were no Pine Martens for me but we did record 8 species of mammal with the bird list for the trip concluding at 112.

For anyone who has not been here and loves the countryside Scotland must not be missed, and if as we your interests stretch to 'birding' particularly there is much to see that England cannot provide, so in the words of the Bard remember:-

Growing Old is Compulsory
Growing Up is Optional

From the 2 youngsters in Jockville, see some of you in the next few days!

Day of the Eider, But Not The 'King'

There was method in our madness when we chose to stay in Fraserborough last night, it being just a 15 minute run to the Loch of Strathbeg Nature Reserve where I had all but promised Dave Tree Sparrow. The small colony there has always been a 'banker' and as he seemed a little less than convinced there was a pint for him if we 'dipped'!

The Abervale Guest House is a mid-range B&B, comfortable and warm with a hearty breakfast and while there are no frills, the landlady could not have been more welcoming or helpful. The early morning was already warm as we first headed for the fish docks in the hope of a Glaucous Gull, and while luck didn't shine on us there was the sight

of several 'deep sea' trawlers plus

a few of the near pelagic fishers.

Arriving at the village of Crimond it is only a 5 minute drive down the dirt track to the visitors centre where we saw Yellowhammer and this

Great Tit

before recording our first Tree Sparrow.

A 'year tick' for both of us, which is just as well

because these days there are few, if any, in Dorset

and connecting with a migrant could prove difficult. It took quite some time to gain these shots, which are not of the best, but joining Dave in the centre there was a Garganey feeding some distance away with a group of Teal - a second 'year tick' all round. A good job we asked the only other birder there if anything of significance was about as he had just seen the King Eider close to the

Rattray Head Lighthouse (another one for the Lighthouse People). On our way there, we encountered 2 large fields covered in

Pink-footed Geese which we gave a good deal of time to looking for a Snow Goose.

Unfortunately, that also was not to be, but leaving the car for the beach there was this amasing sight of many hundreds of birds flying over the Rattray Hotel. We spent over 2 hours there searching through the Common Eider flocks without result but that may have been due to the sea conditions which were not rough but enough to obscure the Ducks more than we could view them. This place has always been good over the years for

Corn Bunting

and we were not disappointed today as there were at least half a dozen present. Giving up on the King Eider, at least for now, we decided to cut our losses and head for the River Ythan where there had been a 'rare' Gull lingering for the past few days.

Now, any self respecting Birder would easily pick out the Bonaparte's Gull in this photograph, but those not familiar with this 'first winter' bird

here's one I blagged from Wikipedia. A 'lifer' for Dave and and a 'year tick' for me that was our 'hat trick' for the day but I should say that the view of this excellent little Gull was far better than the photo portrays when seen through a 60X telescope!

Crossing the bridge and reaching the golf course, we first took a walk to the mouth of the river with the Seal colony just viewable on the left hand side,

before turning and walking up=river and back towards the road bridge.

This is only about a quarter of the Seal colony and although we 'scoped' them all we could only find Grey Seal.

There were as usual many 'hundreds' of Common Eider and as this is such a scarce bird in our part of the world it was thought worthy of publishing a pictorial.

An adult male

Adult male displaying

adult female

an 'eclipse' bird

More Grey Seals

adult male Common Eider wing stretching.

We've never known a night like it, what a storm!

One of probably 50 or 60 Sandwich Terns.

2 of 6 very distant flying Long-tailed Duck

A flock of Sanderling flew in to feed before the rising tide

and were quite approachable

allowing a few close ups.

A sitting male Common Eider

and a standing bird

with this small group retreating at my presence.

and finally flight shots of both male

and female.

Despite not seeing the King Eider this has been a fantastic days 'birding' as the River Ythan is never still, you never know what will turn up next. In addition to those already mentioned we recorded Red-breasted Merganser, Smew (redhead / female), Teal, Shelduck, Guillemot, Linnet etc, etc and the Trip List now stands at 109.