Aberdeenshire Bird Tours (2025)

12/08/2025

After a couple of weeks away on holiday I arrived back and was lucky enough to get a last minute booking with a client for a day trip based around Brechin. A nice opportunity to go and see some areas a little further afield and show Lisa some of the species and habitats of NE Scotland.

We started by heading to Montrose Basin where the tide was well out. There were dozens of Curlews on the mud, amazingly camouflaged, along with Oystercatcher, Redshank and a Black-tailed Godwit. Eiders, Goosander and Red-breasted Mergansers were all feeding in the channels, and there were plenty of Mute Swans on the mud further out. A group of about 13 Grey Heron were resting on the shore opposite the railway bridge and Common Terns were seen above the tern raft, although most looked to have moved onto the shingle/mud in the distance. Linnet, Whitethroat, Starling, Wren and House Sparrow were around the car park.

We then moved round to the Lurgies area where there were hundreds of geese on the mud banks. A fairly even split between Canada and Greylag, but there were around 6 Pink-footed Geese, perhaps a few that have over-summered here. Upstream were more geese, and a couple of Little Egret, and we also saw Ringed Plover, Lapwing and Buzzard. An Osprey was also seen flying upstream with a fish, but we topped that later on.

Next stop was Murton Farm near Forfar. It was pretty quiet overall, with the ponds very low on water. A couple of Teal and Mallard were on one pond, with a family of Grey Wagtails along the shore. The main highlight was watching the Sand Martins at the artificial colony, with some youngsters sitting at the entrance to the holes waiting for the adults to return with food. A Common Sandpiper was briefly seen on one of the other pools.

After a stop to grab sandwiches we ate them at Loch of Kinnordy. The Loch itself was relatively quiet with a few Mallard, Mute Swan and Moorhen about. A distant Raven was pointed out to us, which was soon disturbed by a fly-by Osprey. The Osprey perched on a couple of trees before treating us to a fishing display right in the front of the hide. It dived into the water 3-4 times, each time getting closer to the hide, before catching a fish and flying off with it towards its nest. Quite a spectacle. We got a brief view of a Marsh Harrier over the reeds, which flushed a flock of Lapwing and a few Snipe, and outside the side of the hide we saw a great variety of small birds, including Willow Warbler, Treecreeper, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit and a juvenile Blue Tit trying to eat a caterpillar that was just about as big as it!

Last stop was Glen Clova, so we headed up the winding roads, seeing a Red-legged Partridge with a tiny chick at the side of the road, and a family of Stonechats were also sighted, with Meadow Pipits and Goldfinch as well. Hundreds of Pheasants were all along the roads, clearly being released for shooting - we managed not to hit any in the car at least!

At the visitor centre we just had a brief look around, with Siskin, Redpoll, Coal Tit, Robin, Chaffinch and Pied Wagtail all seen. A couple of small raptors were over the pine plantation which I think were Sparrowhawks, and a Buzzard called and soared overhead. As we were running out of time we needed to head away, but on the way back we saw some more Red-legged Partridge (these ones likely released for shooting) and a Red Kite a bit further down the glen.

Overall a really nice day out in perfect weather. Thanks to Lisa for her company and conversation over the day - enjoy the rest of your time in Scotland.

Should have a couple more trips out this week, so hopefully more to report by the weekend.

22/07/2025

The Puffin season is nearly finished now, with the birds likely to be away from the cliffs in the next couple of weeks, coinciding with me being away on holiday. It’s been great to take so many people to see them this year, and I think everyone who visited has enjoyed the experience.

In the last week I’ve had two trips to the Bullers of Buchan with clients, and it was interesting to see the difference in numbers of the birds.

Last Tuesday I headed up in the afternoon with Asko and Christina Relas from Finland, who were visiting Aberdeen for a couple of days. The weather was excellent and the birds put on a great show, with at least 35 individuals seen, but probably more there altogether. Also seen were an Arctic Skua and three Ravens, as well as the normal seabirds. A few young Guillemots and Kittiwakes were spotted on the cliffs.

Then yesterday I was joined by Rachel, Tyler, Kyla and Skye McComas, who are regular visitors to Aberdeen from Georgia, USA. They’d tried a few times to see Puffins before, with no luck, so it was great to let them see the birds, and get some good photos. Numbers were down on last week, with around 12 individuals seen, although it could have been more with the constant comings and goings of the birds. It was also great that the girls enjoyed it so much, with my daughter also joining us and having a great time.

Thanks to both groups for joining me, and for the good company, and also thanks to all my clients who have joined me to visit the Puffins this year.

14/07/2025

I’ve just finished off a really busy few days, and the weather was certainly playing ball - I think we may have even complained it was too hot at times - surely a first for an Aberdeenshire outing!

On Wednesday I led the RSPB group outing at Glen Girnock, near Ballater. It was a scorching day as we walked up the glen, and there was plenty to see, and not just birds. The first section is surrounded by trees, and we heard and saw a lot of the common species such as Coal Tit, Treecreeper, Blue Tit and Crossbill (seen in fight). As the trees started to thin, we had Song Thrush around the old cottage, and then a bonus Redstart on the fence in front of us - a stunning male bird. We started to notice more and more butterflies, with many species recorded throughout the walk, including hundreds of Dark Green Fritillary, and dozens of Ringlet, Common Blue, Small Heath, Meadow Brown and a few Red Admiral.

As we walked up the short steep section after the gate an adder was basking on the path in front of us, with another a little further on.

The hillside opened up on our right shortly after this and we spotted at least four Red Kites drifting high up the glen, with a Buzzard lower down at the other side. A family of Mistle Thrush were out beside some rocks, before retreating into the trees, and beside the ruined cottage we saw Spotted Flycatcher, Pied Wagtail, Treecreeper (feeding a youngster who remained “stuck” to the wall of the cottage the whole time we were out) and another pair of Redstarts. As we came to the open section of the glen we soon saw our target species, Whinchat, being very obliging by perching up on the heather shoots in front of us. To slightly confuse things there were Stonechat in the same area, but we soon positively identified both species. After lunch in the trees we headed back down the glen, not adding too much to the list, and then finished with an ice cream in Ballater, which made the un-forecast rain start! A really good day out with the group.

On Thursday I had a quick trip to the Bullers in the evening to show Dale, Noemi, Calen and Ada around. They had won a prize in a raffle for a trip out, so Puffins were the chosen target. We got great views of the birds at the Bullers, with a couple of individuals perched on a rock about 2m away at one point. We spent a while looking at the Puffins, but also checking out the Guillemots, Razorbills, Fulmars and Kittiwakes, amongst others in the warm sunshine. A lovely evening out.

On Friday I was back to the Bullers with Sharon and Steve Richards, visitors from Texas. They were staying out at Ballater so they made their way to me and I drove them round for the afternoon. The sun was out again and the birds once again put on a great show at the Bullers, giving Sharon plenty of practice with her camera - I think the flight shots may have evaded her, but there’s always next time! After the Bullers we stopped at the Ythan mouth, with the terns putting on a great fishing show in front of us, and hundreds of Eiders on the far bank. A few Goosander, Cormorant and Oystercatcher were mixed in with the Eider, and the seals were out near the mouth, lounging in the breakers. A few smaller birds were seen on the way to and from the view point, including Yellowhammer, Willow Warbler, Linnet and Blackbird. Another lovely day out, in the glorious weather.

Finally for now, yesterday saw a slightly different trip, where I took out Helena Clayton and her parents Alison and Callum. Helena is seven and super keen on birds of prey, so we headed out to the Garlogie area in search of Red Kite. Our first sighting was near the main road, which made stopping a bit tricky, but a convenient entrance allowed us to pull in and watch the bird soaring over the fields, with a Buzzard popping out to check out the visitor.

We then continued past Cullerlie and spotted another bird, which we stopped and followed with the binoculars until it landed in a tree. It then took off and alighted on a pylon, next to another bird we had failed to spot. This one had a wing tag, which we were able to see through the scope. After watching for a while, we headed back towards Loch of Skene, stopping to see a couple of Buzzards on the way, and we walked out to the eastern entrance to the Loch, with dozens of Mute Swans, many with cygnets, Tufted Ducks, Mallards and another distant Red Kite seen. On the way back to Bridge of Don we got close views of another Buzzard, and a Mistle Thrush on some wires. Another cracking day out, and one I think Helena enjoyed.

Thanks to all my clients for their company and for the photos, which are credited to them.

Another trip out tomorrow, possibly my last before my summer holidays - hope the weather holds!

01/07/2025

Kaz’s post about her trip on Friday - definitely more descriptive and evocative than my efforts!

01/07/2025

Another busy weekend, with a couple of client trips and some other outings, taking advantage of the nice weather, even if it was a little blustery at times.

On Friday I had the pleasure of guiding Kaz Cooke, an Australian author, around our area, and in particular to see Puffins at the Bullers of Buchan. We headed out of Aberdeen in the sunshine and soon reached the Bullers, where we walked to the south of the cottages, and soon saw a single Puffin on the opposite cliff face, the first I’ve seen there this season. We continued along the path, stopping to get great views along the north-facing cliff area, with at least 8 birds out on the ledges. We then finished at what I’m now describing as an amphitheatre, where we got within a couple of metres of the Puffins on the cliffs - quite a sight. After looking at some of the other seabird species around the cliffs, we then headed to Cruden Bay, where Kaz kindly bought me a coffee and cake, and we looked out across the sunny sandy bay. Kaz also wrote a post about the outing, which captured the morning really well - I’ll see if I can share it on another post.

On Saturday I carried out my last BTO Breeding Bird Survey of the season just north of Newmachar. An early start (5:20am) and there was a bit of a breeze, but pretty warm overall. Not a huge amount different from normal, but a few Swifts seen flying south were the first record in the 6 years I’ve been covering the square. Plenty of Yellowhammers, Skylarks and Linnets, with a few Roe Deer around the second half of the walk, and good numbers of singing warblers, including Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler.

Then on Sunday we had the latest RSPB outing, this time to the Ythan Estuary. One of the warmer outings of recent times, and the birds put on a good show. We walked out to the viewing platform, where the Eiders were lounging around on the far bank, and the terns put on a great show of fishing in front of us. We saw Common, Arctic, Sandwich and Little Terns, which were the 4 target species. Goosanders were on the far bank, and as we walked upstream we saw a small flock of Dunlin and Ringed Plover on the shingle, and a few Knot on the riverbank below the tin hut. Curlews were feeding on the mud flats, and Shelduck and Mallard were around the Foveran Burn mouth. As we walked back around the golf course we saw a few smaller species, including Willow Warbler, Goldcrest and Meadow Pipit, before returning to the car park. A lovely morning out.

Finally, yesterday I was please to show Jay and Dina Eisenberg, visitors from Washington State, around the area. We had a slight change of plan early on and ended up heading north from Aberdeen, up the coast, and it turned out to be a cracking day out. The Ythan held a lot of similar species to the day before, with all the tern species seen again. We also bumped into the Dunlin and Ringer Plovers, but no sign of any Knot. However we did see around 30 summer plumage Golden Plover on the mud beside Inch Road, which I assume had just arrived, as we didn’t spot them anywhere on the Sunday outing. A nice bonus for the trip. After completing the loop of the golf course, we stopped at the Snub car park, where Greenshank, Bar-tailed Godwit, Lapwing and lots of Redshank were seen. The mud was covered in Black-headed Gulls, both adults and juveniles, and we also saw Cormorant, Goldeneye and Teal. A Yellowhammer constantly sung from the bushes in the car park.

We then moved round to Waulkmill, where many of the same species were seen, but we also saw a couple of Wigeon on the mud amongst the Teal and Mallards.

A stop to get sandwiches followed, before reaching the Bullers of Buchan. The Puffins put on an excellent show again, with about a dozen people watching them from close range - we were pleased to help out some with views through the telescope. S**g, Guillemot, Razorbill, Kittiwake and Fulmar were all present, and we spotted a few Gannets passing, their white wings shining brightly in the sunlight. Goldfinches were feeding on the seedheads on the way back to the car park, and a Reed Bunting flew past.

We very briefly stopped at the lay by just south of Boddam to confirm you can actually see Puffins from the main road (!) before reaching Strathbeg. We spent our time around the visitor centre, with views of Tree Sparrow, Chaffinch and Great Tit on the feeders, and plenty of birds on the ponds out the front of the VC. Lots of Lapwings, and some stunning summer plumage Black-tailed Godwits were soon spotted, as well as a single Little Ringed Plover. Tufted Duck, Shelduck and Mute Swan all had youngsters in tow, and I got a brief view of an Osprey and March Harrier in the distance.

Time was flying by, but we added Corn Bunting on the wires as we left the reserve and then we had a final stop at Lake of Pitfour for a quick walk. Chiffchaff were singing and Little Grebes with 4 young were on the first bit of water we reached, with the young diving to avoid us, surfacing further out towards the centre of the pool. Redpolls were heard and seen, with an Osprey flying overhead a great bonus. At the main lake we saw Moorhen, Mute Swan and hundreds of Greylag Geese, with a single Canada Goose in the flock. Almost our final bird was mis-identified by me to start with - I called out Sparrowhawk as a bird flew across the open felled area, but soon realised it was a Cuckoo - an unexpected bonus for the day. We returned to the car and headed back to Aberdeen, adding Kestrel along the way. Thanks to Jay and Dina for their excellent company yesterday, and I hope your trip to the Northern Isles goes well.

A couple more scheduled trips over the next couple of weeks, so we will see what they bring.

24/06/2025

I had a couple of trips out at the beginning and end of last weekend, in fairly contrasting weather conditions! Plenty of birds to be seen on both outings though.

On Friday, on our hottest day of the year so far, I was joined by David and Miranda, visitors from London, for a trip out to target Puffins firstly, and then see what else we could add. We headed straight for the Bullers of Buchan and were lucky to see the Puffins up close on the cliffs. The sun was shining, there wasn’t much wind and it was a lovely day to be out. The other birds put on a great show, with Razorbills, Guillemots, Fulmars and Kittiwakes all in good numbers. We spotted some Guillemot chicks, and also a couple of well grown S**g chicks on the cliffs.

After enjoying the birds, and the sun, for a while, we headed south to the Ythan Estuary, spotting an Osprey on the way, where hundreds of Eiders were loafing about on the shore, and a few hundred Grey Seals were hauled out near the mouth. The terns put on a good show, with Arctic, Common and Sandwich Terns all spotted, and a distant Little Tern seen from the tin hut. A small flock of Knot were on the shore, and as we walked back to the car we had Willow Warbler, Linnet, and Yellowhammer amongst the gorse bushes. Then it was just time to drop David and Miranda back at the hotel before heading home.

Yesterday I was out with Margo, Janet, Tony and Diana, who were away to head to Shetland on a week long birdwatching trip, but found themselves with a little extra time in Aberdeen due to a change in flight times. I was happy I was able to sort out a last minute trip for them, and the birds played ball as well. The weather was a bit grey to start with, and got increasingly windy, but we still saw quite a lot. First stop was my back garden, for Tree Sparrow, Siskin, Greenfinch and a few other garden birds, as Tree Sparrows aren’t a species they see in Surrey these days. We then jumped in the car and made for the Ythan, where Eiders and Goosanders were on the bank, and a few seals were in the channel. We soon spotted all four tern species, with a Little Tern passing us closely along the shore. Hundreds of birds were feeding over the water, which was quite spectacular. Sand Martins were whizzing in and out of their burrows and we saw a small flock of Ringed Plover and Dunlin on the shingle as the tide came in. A larger flock of Oystercatcher were opposite the tin hut, and a few Curlew were about.

We then grabbed some lunch and headed for the Bullers, where we tried to find some shelter from the wind! The birds were enjoying the conditions, and we saw plenty of birds up close, including some Puffins. The Fulmars were certainly practicing their acrobatics in the updrafts.

We headed back south afterwards, with a quick stop overlooking Cotehill, where we added Coot, Mallard, Tufted Duck and then back to the house where luggage was sorted before the taxi to the ferry.

Two really enjoyable days out, so thanks to David, Miranda, Margo, Diana, Tony and Janet for their company.

Another trip booked in for next Monday, this time inland, so will see what that brings.

17/06/2025

After a non-birding weekend I had a very enjoyable trip out this morning with Anna Wood, who is visiting the area on holiday. We ended up just outside Aberdeenshire, visiting Glen Esk in search of woodland and upland birds. Our time was slightly limited but we managed to fit in some good stops along the way.

We started in Johnshaven and headed inland past Edzell and along the start of the Glen Esk road. Our first birds along the Glen were some Mistle Thrush, with an adult feeding a youngster right next to the road. We got excellent views, as the youngster perched on a wall at the side of the road, with the adult collecting insects near by. A little further on we saw what looked like another family party, as well as some Long-tailed T**s.

Our first proper stop was near the river Esk, and we sat on a small bench at a bend on the river scanning for our first target of Common Sandpiper. Oystercatchers were nearby, Mallard were on the river and dozens of House and Sand Martins were feeding above the water. A Sparrowhawk and Lapwing flew over, and then we heard, and then saw, a Common Sandpiper fly upstream a bit, landing on a rock in the middle of the river. We got decent scope views of it.

A little further on we stopped when we heard a Siskin calling, and were rewarded with a great view of a Spotted Flycatcher on some overhead wires. Another target for the day ticked off. I think there was likely a family party of the birds, as there seemed to be 3-4 in quite a small area.

As we drove we could hear Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff calling, and as we started to leave the main wooded area we saw a Curlew flying overhead, which subsequently landed on top of a telegraph pole. It gave good views, and it sounded like it might have had young in the field next to the road.

Out next stop was at a Sand Martin colony next to the road. As we stopped I heard a Tree Pipit singing, but we couldn’t spot it, but we had excellent views of another Spotted Flycatcher and also heard a Cuckoo in the distance. We turned around and stopped a bit further down the road, which allowed us to see the Tree Pipit do it’s display parachute flight. And another Spotted Flycatcher was seen!

Although we were now making our way back we managed a couple of brief stops. Checking the initial river site, we didn’t see the Common Sandpiper again, but did get a brief view of a Kingfisher and a Kestrel overhead.

And then as we left the Glen we saw a Buzzard over the road, closely followed by an Osprey at the other side of the road.

We headed back cross country, seeing Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Skylark and Yellowhammer.

It was a really pleasant morning, and I enjoyed the “birding by car”. Thanks to Anna for her company.

On the way home I saw another 2 Kestrel over the roadside verges, and another one when I went out tonight, which is the most I’ve seen in years. And a Grey Partridge was standing at the side of the main road just as I left the AWPR - an added bonus.

A lack of photos today, but Anna will hopefully be able to send through some of her ones when she gets home.

13/06/2025

It’s been a busier birding week than originally planned, with a few quick trips out, and a RSPB outing as well. And to top things off, a couple of lifers for me as well.

On Wednesday I was just finishing my chores when a report of a Broad-billed Sandpiper at the Ythan came out on the local news groups. I headed out to the Waulkmill hide and soon found a large group of waders on the far shore, but it was difficult to pick out the bird. Luckily a couple of other birders arrived and one of them spotted the bird a bit further upstream, meaning I got to see it. A bit distant, but you could see some of the plumage differences through the scope, and following the American Golden Plover last week, my second lifer of the month. There were plenty of other birds out on the mud, including a few very late Pink-footed Geese and an Osprey, constantly being harassed by gulls and terns, but seemingly happy to ignore them whilst it perched on a log.

Then yesterday was a fairly similar pattern, but this time the bird was a Bridled Tern (another lifer), and it was at the Ythan ternery. A species only seen twice before in the North-east, the wardens of Forvie NNR found it in the ternery amongst thousands of other birds when they were doing a census. I headed out to the Tin hut and got a very brief glimpse of the bird before it disappeared for a while. We think it likely headed out to sea to do some fishing as it reappeared from that direction about 30 minutes later and gave great views as it flew back and forth over the ternery. Quite a few other birders had come to see it, so an almost constant commentary of its movements was needed so everyone got onto it. A five tern species day, with quite a few Little Terns about as well, which was good to see.

Then last night the local RSPB group headed to the Bullers of Buchan to see the seabirds, including the Puffins. Conditions were sunny but fairly windy, so there was a definite chill when you were standing about. We got great views of 20+ Puffins and the other birds put on a superb show, particularly the Fulmars and Kittiwakes hanging in the updrafts. To top things off, we then headed to Ellon for fish and chips beside the river, with Swifts heard overhead, and families of Mallard and Moorhen on the river itself. A lovely way to round off a good day.

Busy with non-birding activities this weekend, but a couple of trips booked for next week, which I’m looking forward to.

Thanks to Keith Yates and Pete Winn for the photos.

09/06/2025

Just back from a slightly damp evening at the Bullers of Buchan, taking Jean and Ian Gray, who got a gift voucher from their son, to see the Puffins.

The weather at least wasn’t as bad as it could have been, and by the end the rain had almost gone off.

We headed to the south of the area, and soon saw a few Puffins along the cliff top, with constant comings and goings as birds flew onto the cliffs, with a few disappearing into their burrows. We spent a while watching them, before moving round the cliffs a bit, and getting a bit closer to some other Puffins, with at least 15-20 dotted about the cliffs. We got great views of the birds outside their burrows and, again, there were plenty flying back and forth. Ian thought he spotted one landing with some food in its beak, but it disappeared into its burrow before we could get a close look.

We spent almost an hour watching the birds, as well as getting good views of Razorbill, Guillemots, Fulmar and Kittiwake, amongst other species.

Thanks to Jean and Ian for their company, and I’m glad to report they enjoyed the trip out.

06/06/2025

A fairly blustery week weather-wise and not really that warm, but I’ve made it out a couple of times for a look around.

On Tuesday I nipped out to the Ythan as there had been an American Golden Plover reported near Waulkmill. I’d missed that species a couple of times in the winter, and it would be a lifer for me. Got to the snub car park and didn’t hold out much hope, as the tide was coming in rapidly, but the bird was down in the corner on the mud - my first lifer for 2025 and better to have seen the bird in summer plumage I think! Also had a look around for the Buff-breasted Sandpiper, with no luck, but did see quite a few Shelduck chicks, and a big raft of Eider chicks as well.

Yesterday I headed out to Slains with Keith Yates to see if we could find the Chough which had been reported the day before. A first record for the NE of Scotland but only seen by a couple of folk as it flew south. Worth a try at least. It was a cracking walk up from Slains towards Bullers, with thousands of birds on the cliffs and in the sea. Despite checking every Jackdaw which flew past, we couldn’t find the Chough, but it was a good morning out, and plenty of other stuff to look at. Kittiwakes, Guillemots, Razorbills, Herring Gulls and Great Black-backed Gulls were abundant, heaps of Cormorants were nesting on the offshore island and we spotted a couple of Arctic Skuas and Puffins near Bullers. We also saw a good variety of smaller birds, including Stonechat, Meadow and Rock Pipits, Skylark, Linnet, Wren and Reed Bunting. Meikle Loch didn’t hold much on the way back, and another stop at the Ythan didn’t add any new waders to the list.

Around the house this week we’ve had heaps of Starlings on the feeders, the Blue T**s look like they’ve left their nest box, and the Blackbirds have hatched. Keith managed a photo which shows at least five youngsters in the nest. The parents are certainly busy with feeding.

Next trip out is Monday, so will see what that brings.

01/06/2025

I’ve just finished a really enjoyable, and informative, weekend with Rick Borchelt, a visitor from Washington DC who’d been across for a conference in Aberdeen this week. He’d be in touch to set up the trip, and had a few species he was keen to see, so I put together an extended itinerary to cover our long weekend trip, based out of Aberdeen. Rick is a keen birder, botanist and lepidopterist, so I was also set to learn a good bit about the flora and insects of the area over the weekend.

We started on Friday morning with a walk at the Don at Dyce, in search of Dipper. None to be seen (a theme for the first part of the weekend) but Sedge Warbler were singing, Sand Martin were feeding over the river, and at least three families of Mallards were on the river. We left there and headed out to the Ythan, where Meadow Pipit, Willow Warbler. Dunnock, Wren and Robin were in the gorse bushes around the car park. The tide was low and we were able to get great views of the displaying Eider near the mouth, as well as Little, Common, Arctic and Sandwich Terns. A Red-breasted Merganser was on the far bank and Oystercatcher were also feeding along the shore. A single Whimbrel was at the bend of the river, and Curlew, were further upstream. It was fairly quiet near the tin hut, apart from the gulls and terns, with a couple of Shelduck further upstream.

We stopped at Inch Road where we spotted Dunlin, Knot and Ringed Plover around the Foveran burn mouth, and Bar-tailed Godwit on the riverbank, as well as a single Redshank. We then had a brief stop at the Snub car park where Goosander were lounging on the riverbank, Mute Swan and Greylag Geese were seen, and Lapwing and more Shelduck were on the mud. A couple of Gadwall were near the point on the far bank, and Great-black backed Gull were upstream.

After a brief stop to grab lunch, we visited the Bullers of Buchan, where the normal seabirds put on a great show. The main highlight was the Puffins, and we estimated there were around 30 in the area, which was a good number, and the most I’d seen so far this year. S**g and Cormorant were on the rocks, and Fulmar were hanging in the updrafts around the cliff edges. And it was a bit calmer than on my last visit!

Next stop was Strathbeg, where we immediately saw Tree Sparrow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch and Yellowhammer around the feeders, and four Spoonbill on the pools at the front of the visitor centre. A lot of wildfowl were on the pools, including Wigeon, Teal, Moorhen, Mallard, Shelduck, Gadwall and Shoveler. A pair of Shelduck had at least six small “humbug” babies on the water, and young Black-headed Gull chicks were on the island. We didn’t see the Temminck’s Stint that had been spotted in the morning, or the Cinnamon Teal, but I briefly saw the Marsh Harrier disappear into the reeds, and Buzzard were overhead.

Leaving Strathbeg we added Corn Bunting on the wires, and our final stop was Blackdog for a quick scan. The main highlight was probably the pod of bottlenose dolphins which were jumping and splashing offshore, but we did see Common Scoter flying north, a couple of Red-throated Divers, a single summer plumage Great Northern Diver and Gannets passing offshore.

We finished the day with 82 species, which was a good start, and Saturday gave us a chance to supplement the list with a few different habitats. First stop was Dinnet Oak Woods, after spotting a few Red Kite near Garlogie on the way out. Near the bridge we had Common Sandpiper and Grey Wagtail on the river, and Siskin, Blackcap and Great-spotted Woodpecker in the nearby garden. Entering the woods we heard and saw a flock of Long-tailed T**s, a few Woodpecker were calling and we eventually tracked down a Treecreeper, after a fair bit of searching. Pleasingly Rick heard a tapping sound from the top of a nearby tree, and we were able to spot a Nuthatch working it’s way around the campy, with possibly a second one nearby. As we left the wood a juvenile Great-spotted Woodpecker was on a tree trunk next to the path, amazingly well camouflaged against the bark, but rather giving away it’s position by constantly calling.

Round to Muir of Dinner next, with Willow Warbler and Wren plentiful along the wooded path, and Mistle Thrush around the open fields where the Lapwing bred earlier in the year. Red Kite and Buzzard were soaring over the fields, and we heard a distant Cuckoo. A Blue Tit nest was found in a gate post and our first butterfly of the day was seen in the woods, a Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary. We added Tree Pipit in the woods, and as we neared the stone circle we eventually spotted a Cuckoo on the wires. We got good views of at least two birds in the area, in good light. Working our way back towards the loch, a Chaffinch was at the top of a tree, but as we continued on Rick got a photo of a bird in the same tree, which turned out to be a Redstart! A first for the year for me, and good to see one after a couple of trips to Dinnet when I’ve drawn a blank. Goldeneye were on the loch itself, and Swift were overhead, but the wind had picked up a bit, keeping the butterfly numbers down.

We’d spent a while at the two DInnet locations so we headed back to Aberdeen, with a stop at the Don at Persley to look for Dipper. None to be seen, but Mallard, Stock Dove and Magpie were in the area. I think Saturday saw us add about 20 new species, and left us with a couple of targets for Sunday.

We headed north-west out of Aberdeen, with Ring Ouzel and Dipper the first targets. A few stops along the Don towards Strathdon let us see Common Sandpiper and Grey Wagtail, but no Dipper, and a quick stop at the Lecht gave great views of House Martin but no cup of coffee! Plenty of Common Gulls nesting in the area were noisy, but no Red Grouse spotted on the hillsides. Wells of Lecht were the next stop, and as soon as we left the car park we saw Willow Warbler and Grey Wagtail. After a bit of a search we found a Dipper on the small stream (hurrah!) and near the old mine building we heard a distant “chak” noise before spotting a Ring Ouzel, followed by another and another. We eventually got great views of a singing male as well as the female nearby, which was a real bonus. A flock of Pink-footed geese flew north, and Swallow were around the old building as well, with a couple of House Martins near the car park. Green-veined White butterflies were seen when the sun came out, and I got a bit of a botany lesson on the way back to the van - mosses, rushes and cuckooflower were all seen, and so many others I can’t remember all of them!

We headed over the hills towards Deeside, and grabbed lunch in Braemar before stopping at Glen Callater. Avoiding the rain by eating lunch in the van, we saw a Raven in the distance, Oystercatcher and Lapwing in the fields near the car park, and a Redpoll dropped down onto a rock beside the stream. As we walked up the glen I saw a Spotted Flycatcher, which we got better views of later on, and once through the gate, we spotted a few Wheatear on the rocks and heather. A distant call alerted us to the presence of a Ring Ouzel, my first in that area for a couple of years, and we spotted the male singing from the top of a rock up the hillside. A stunning male Stonechat was slightly further upstream, but we couldn’t find any Red Grouse near the track. What I took to be a Common Lizard ran across the road and as we returned to the car park I heard the Spotted Flycatcher near the stream, and we got good views of it on a rowan tree on the far bank, our last addition to the list for the trip.

Overall it was an excellent weekend. I learned a lot from Rick, especially about some of the local flora, and it was great to see around 110 species, including some real specialities. Thanks to Rick for his company over the weekend, and I hope you enjoy the rest of your time in the UK and have a safe trip back to the US. Hopefully Rick may also be able to send through some of his photos from the trip, which I'll share in the future.

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