http://Aberdeenshirebirdtours.com/

Aberdeenshire Bird Tours, Aberdeen (2026)

04/09/2026

I was lucky enough to have another outing yesterday, when I guided David and Jana Lagan around the local area. They’d arrived on a cruise ship overnight, so I collected them from the south harbour, and we started birding almost immediately.

A mention of Razorbill and Rock Pipit as possible targets meant we nipped up towards Greyhope Bay and the lighthouse, and as soon as we got out of the van we had a Rock Pipit along the shore, although we had to wait a while until we all got a view of it, as it was a bit flighty. We scanned the water, seeing quite a few Guillemots, but we eventually got good views of Razorbill near the foghorn. Linnets and Goldfinches were feeding on the thistle heads, and offshore Cormorant, S**g, Gannets, Kittiwakes and gulls were plentiful, with a few Eiders closer in. A Pied Wagtail was on the rocks, and on the old jetty there were Redshank, Ringed Plover and a Knot.

After a quick look at the south breakwater we headed up the coast to the Ythan. On the way we saw our first of three Kestrels for the day (a good number these days) and also a Buzzard, before we stopped at Inch Road in Newburgh. A Little Egret was on the Foveran Burn, lots of Redshanks were feeding on the mud, and we also saw Dunlin, Knot, Curlew, Black-tailed Godwit, and Oystercatcher, but things were definitely quieter than last week.

We drove to the Snub car park, where Grey Heron, Greenshank, Lapwing, Canada Goose, Goosander and another Kestrel were all seen. Lapwings and Curlews were all over the mud and a single Wigeon was at the point. Again, slightly quieter than last week, but still good numbers of birds about.

Next stop was Meikle Loch, and Coots were spotted, with quite a few youngsters present. Teal, Tufted Duck, Goldeneye and Mute Swan were on the water, along with Mallards and hundreds of Canada Geese were along the far bank.

Time was running short, so we headed back towards the city, stopping at Seaton Park for a quick search for a Chaffinch. A Moorhen was in the wetland area, and Jackdaw and Crow were pecking on the grass. At the ornamental gardens Robins were in full song, and we eventually tracked down a couple of Chaffinch, having heard their call in one of the taller trees. That completed our whistle stop tour of the area, and so I dropped Dave and Jana back at the south harbour after an enjoyable outing. Thanks to them for getting in touch and for an enjoyable outing. I hope the rest of the cruise goes well.

02/09/2026

I had an excellent trip out yesterday with Christine and Adrian Bell, visitors from Leeds, who are staying in Stonehaven at the moment. The forecast was showery, but we were fairly lucky with the weather overall - although didn’t stay completely dry! Given the southern starting point, we headed down the coast towards Montrose to see what we could find.

Arriving at Montrose Basin it became apparent that it was a lot windier than forecast, with a strong south westerly blowing. We parked at the NE and immediately heard Chiffchaff calling, as well as Blue Tit. A Robin perched on a post, and a Magpie flew off, but those were all the small birds about. Overlooking the basin itself, the tide was well out, and the wind made keeping the scope steady a bit tricky, but we soon picked up Curlew, Redshank, Mallard, Teal, Oystercatcher and distant Mute Swans.

Cutting our losses with the wind, we headed to the SW end, and the Lurgies car park was a lot more sheltered. Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and Chaffinch were all feeding in a dead tree, and at least 14 Little Grebes were all diving in a flock, the most I’ve ever seen together. On the way to the car park we’d seen Canada and Greylag Geese in the surrounding fields, and their numbers were augmented by hundreds of both still on the basin itself. Little Egrets were feeding on the mud, Goosander and Goldeneye in the channel, and an Osprey drifted overhead. We spotted quite a few Greenshank, and a single Whimbrel upstream.

A quick stop at the visitor centre hide allowed us to see an Osprey on the ground near the mud flats, Eider, seals, Dunlin, Bar and Black-tailed Godwits and a couple of flyover Goldfinches.

After a quick stop for a sandwich we headed for St Cyrus, with even more Canada and Greylag Geese in the surrounding fields. As we ate our sandwiches we spotted a couple of heads sticking out of the stubble field ahead of us, belonging to a pair of Grey Partridges. Exiting the van, a Raven was along the cliffs, although we had to go searching later on to get good views.

We walked towards the Esk mouth, with Meadow Pipit heard and seen, and we admired the rabbit’s topiary efforts. Viewing the mouth of the river, birds were everywhere! More geese, hundreds of Kittiwakes, Wigeon, Sanderling, Cormorants, gulls and Mallards were all on or around the river banks. Offshore we spotted Gannets, Eiders and a fairly large flock of Common Scoters.

After a quick walk along the base of the cliffs, eventually spotting the Raven, we returned to the van and made for our last stop at Inverbervie beach. It proved to be a good location to finish, with Sandwich Terns offshore, Guillemots and Razorbills bobbing about, a few S**g diving for fish and a Rock Pipit calling. As I scanned the sea in hope of a Red-throated Diver, I spotted an Arctic Skua harassing a Kittiwake for its catch, and managed to get Adrian onto it. We watched it for a while as it picked a few different targets for its aerial attacks, but not sure if it was successful. A good bird to finish on anyway, taking our total to just over 60, not bad for this time of year.

Thanks to Christine and Adrian for their company, and I hope you enjoy the rest of your stay in the North-east. I’ve another trip out tomorrow, this time north of Aberdeen, so will see what that turns up.

27/08/2026

Warning - this is a lengthy report!!

This week I was delighted to be reacquainted with Chuck Webster, a visitor from the USA, who I guided round the area in March this year. He was back in Aberdeen for a few days for another series of meetings, but managed to get some time to try to catch up with some species missing from his list. With his trip being a bit later in the year than he originally thought, we adjusted some of the targets, as quite a few of our summer migrants have already headed away after breeding.

We started with a bit of a drive to Loch Spynie, near Elgin, where we walked to the hide and almost immediately saw a Marsh Harrier skimming the reed beds on the far side. First target knocked off, so a good start. An Osprey passed overhead, and Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, Mallard, Wigeon and Gadwall were around the loch. A flock of Black-tailed Godwits flew overhead before we left, and then at the car park area we had excellent views of Tree Sparrow, Coal Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Chaffinch and Great Tit visiting the feeders.

Heading away from the reserve, we saw Yellowhammer and then many, many gulls around the nearby pig farm. The next stop was Lossiemouth Estuary and woods, where we were hoping to see the Crested T**s, and maybe Long-tailed T**s if we were lucky. We walked up the side of the river, marvelling at the huge number of Great Black-backed Gulls bathing and generally hanging about along the opposite bank. There must have been well over 200, which is not something I regularly see on my trips. A few Oystercatcher, Curlew and Redshank were also along the shore, but no Ruff, an outside target for the area. Entering the woods, we headed to the feeders where a Red Squirrel put on a good show, and numerous Coal T**s and a handful of Dunnock were feeding, We heard a Crested Tit call, and soon enough one came down to the feeders and put on a really good display. We also saw a couple more when we walked back out through the woods, but no Long-tails.

A few more waders were present along the riverbank, with a couple of Knot spotted, and the gull numbers might even have increased as well. We assessed the remaining targets, and the remaining time, and decided to visit Gight Woods near Methlick on the way back to Aberdeen. We had a lovely walk, albeit in slightly breezy conditions. We heard Jay and Long-tailed Tit, but unfortunately didn’t see either species, but did see Treecreeper, Wren, Coal Tit, Stock Dove and dozens of House Martins feeding overhead. No Spotted Flycatcher to be seen, but still a decent stop. Thanks to Ruth Howie for the info.

The following day I was able to get out a bit earlier than anticipated, so we had an early start for what turned out to be a really productive outing. Our first stop was Park Estate, where Spotted Flycatcher had been spotted the day before. We headed to the location (thanks Tony Hilton) but conditions were tough as it was raining, so not much was active, and hearing things was difficult due to the rain hitting the foliage. Chuck eventually got a brief glimpse of a Spotted Flycatcher, which was great, and Robin, Coal Tit, Treecreeper and Goldfinch were all also seen. Another Jay was heard in the distance.

Then we were off further up Deeside to search for some game birds. Near Bridge of Gairn there was a large flock of Mistle Thrush in the fields, along with lots (hundreds!!) of Pheasants. We headed up the hill slightly, and pulling in, we spotted a family of Wheatear feeding in the surrounding area, a bonus tick for the trip! Walking back down the road we spotted our main target, Red-legged Partridge, with about 4-5 along the roadside, including one which sat tight as we approached, allowing Chuck to get some good photos. A rabbit running straight at us up the road was being chased by a Stoat, which veered away as it saw us.

Nearer the summit of the hill we added our next target, with eight Red Grouse seen in the heather. A few flew across the hillside, and told us to “go back, go back”, so we decided to go and get some lunch in Ballater, after ridding ourselves of a few ticks of the insect variety!

After grabbing a sandwich, we were off back to the coast, with a brief stop at a very dry Cullerlie Pools being productive, with both Sedge Warbler and Whitethroat seen feeding around the edges of the area.

At Balmedie we went in search of the Velvet Scoter I had seen at the weekend, unfortunately with no luck! It was a nice walk along the beach to get closer to the vast flocks of Common Scoters to be able to search through them with the scope. We did see lots of Guillemots and Razorbills, with Gannets feeding further out. Red-throated Divers were also close in, and a few Arctic Skuas were chasing Kittiwakes offshore. I also had a juvenile Pomarine Skua fly north up the coast, but couldn’t get Chuck onto it, unfortunately.

On to Inches Road at the Ythan, and immediately upon pulling in we saw the Spotted Redshank which had been reported the day before. Amazingly it flew straight across to us, and landed within a few metres, allowing us to do a great comparison with the nearby Common Redshanks. At the car park at the end, we were amazed at the amount of waders on the estuary. A good flock of Knot were feeding, alongside Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Sanderling, Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Oystercatcher and a single Common Sandpiper, another bonus tick for the trip! A Little Egret flew overhead, Grey Heron were on the bank, and Shelduck were also feeding. Looking downstream the shingle appeared to be slightly mobile, and a closer inspection revealed hundreds of Golden Plover sitting tight. Amazing camouflage. As we packed up to leave, an Osprey was fishing over the main channel.

We stopped at the Snub car park and the mud flats were alive with birds, including two Ruff (eventually!). A Greenshank was on the far bank, quite a few Little Egret were feeding, and two Great Egret were upstream. Hundreds of Canada Geese were on the nearby fields, Lapwing were present in huge numbers, and Teal, Wigeon and Goldeneye were all added.

After a detour around the roads beside Slains, where we added Corn Bunting, we finished at the Ythan Mouth in hope of a late-staying Little Tern. Eider and Goosanders were feeding and loafing about, and at the river mouth Arctic Skuas were chasing the terns for their catch. Lots of Common, Arctic and Sandwich Terns were on the banks, but no sign of any Little Terns. After a while scanning through the flock I spotted a different looking individual, much darker and smaller than the nearby Common and Arctic Terns. After a bit of checking, and some independent verification via WhatsApp, I was happy my ID of Black Tern, a rare visitor to the area, was confirmed.

And the day wasn’t finished yet! After a lovely dinner at the Newburgh Inn, we went in search of owls with Raymond Duncan. Out near Ellon we checked out a Barn Owl site, where I caught the briefest glimpse as the owl nipped out of the roof of the building it was roosting in. We heard it call a couple of times, with no further sightings, and also could hear distant Tawny Owl. Our day finished near Bridge of Don, checking a site for Tawny Owl, with no luck.

Over the two days we saw just over 100 species, which was very good going for this time of year. Huge thanks to Chuck for getting back in touch and being such excellent, and generous, company for the outing. Hopefully we’ll connect again in the future.

My main failing for the trip was a lack of photos, but I’ve attached a few, and Chuck will hopefully share some of his when he gets home.

22/08/2026

This week saw the local RSPB group have a second attempt at a trip originally planned a couple of years ago, but which had to be postponed due to bad weather - a ferry trip from Ullapool on the west coast to Stornoway on Lewis, and then back again. The main targets for the trip were seabirds, with the chance of some cetaceans as well.

Rob Leslie and I headed away on Wednesday morning to start the journey towards Ullapool. We stopped at Lossiemouth woods where we were happy to spot a few Crested T**s away from their normal feeder location, seeing around 5 in total. A family of Long-tailed T**s visited the feeders at the same time, as well as Coal, Blue and Great T**s. Treecreeper, Chaffinch, Robin and Dunnock were also all seen. A nice interlude anyway.

We continued across to Ullapool, with Red Kite seen on the way, and then settled into the campsite ahead of a meal with some of the other attendees.

On Thursday we got packed up and headed for the ferry terminal, with lots of Collared Doves seen as we walked through the town. At the terminal I scanned the ridges opposite and was lucky enough to spot a White-tailed Eagle as it circled above the skyline. It was occasionally mobbed by Ravens, and it slowly drifted along the coast. I managed to get most of the group onto it - a great start to the trip.

As the ferry departed we spotted what was likely the same eagle again, meaning those that missed it the first time were in luck, and then we made doubly sure by spotting another one over a ridge at the other side of Loch Broom.

On the crossing itself we went through areas where bird activity was more noticeable, presumably linked to feeding opportunities beneath, or on, the waves. Guillemots, Razorbills and Kittiwakes were plentiful, and Gannets were an almost constant presence near the boat. A few Fulmar glided past and Great Black-backed Gulls were present near the coast.

Around the mid point of the crossing we came near a group of feeding Kittiwakes, beside which was a Great Skua, the first of quite a few for the trip. A little later we also saw at least 3 Sooty Shearwaters passing by, one of the main target species for the trip. Amazingly difficult to pick out against the waves, but everyone got onto them before they left us behind.

As we neared land, a small group of Manx Shearwaters flew parallel with the ferry for quite a while, just after a Great Skua had done the same for about 5 minutes, giving amazing views.

Arriving in Stornoway a couple of Red-throated Divers were in the harbour, along with Hooded Crow, and three Grey Herons flew by. No sooner had we got off the boat than it was time to get back on again!

Porpoises were seen as we left the harbour, and a Minke Whale was spotted by some a bit further out. An Arctic Skua flew close past the boat as we continued on, but the return crossing didn’t provide any other new species until we got closer to Ullapool, although it was still great to see so many pelagic species on the day.

As we approached Ullapool harbour we spotted another eagle over the same ridge as earlier on, and assumed it was a White-tailed again, but closer inspection revealed it to be a Golden Eagle, another great addition to the list.

Once off the boat, it was time to drive back to Aberdeen, after what was certainly an enjoyable and memorable trip.

Thanks to everyone who attended, and thanks especially to Jayne Simmons for the excellent photos.

18/08/2026

It’s been fairly quiet on the birding front this past week, but it’s away to get a bit busier over the next few.

Since coming back from holiday I’ve been keeping my eyes open for anything notable, with Swifts continuing to be heard and seen around the area - they’ll be off back to Africa soon I would imagine.

At the weekend I did some cycling in the hills in the Glenshee area with a friend. At the summit of the Munro we were climbing there was a small flock of Golden Plover, and when returning we also saw Peregrine Falcon, Kestrel, five Raven and some Red Grouse. A couple of Wheatear and numerous Meadow Pipits were also seen.

One bird of note locally was a Caspian Gull photographed at Girdleness and the harbour breakwater. I managed to nip along for a look yesterday, but no luck picking it out of the 100’s of gulls on the structure. It was good to see so many Cormorants and S**gs, Kittiwakes, Oystercatchers and a few Ringed Plovers, with a single Dunlin also spotted. Arctic, Sandwich and Common Terns were all seen flying around, and there were dozens of Guillemots and Razorbills on the sea. Gannets were also coming quite close in to feed.

Nice to be out for a bit anyway. Off to Ullapool for a RSPB trip tomorrow, in search of seabirds, so more reports later in the week.

06/08/2026

Ages since the last update, as I was away on a family holiday for a couple of weeks. Back to Aberdeenshire, and unfortunately some colder and wetter weather!

Not many bird sightings to report, but one of interest was a flock of about 25 Swifts which flew over the house, moving ahead of a thunder storm which was on its way. Presumably insects getting blown ahead of the storm creating a good feeding area. Good to see so many Swifts together as well - they’ll soon be back off to Africa.

The main reason for the post is to share an image of my new badge. After 10 years of guiding I eventually got my act together (thanks for the push Lisa K. Keitel!) and got a logo made up to go onto hats, etc.

Full credit for the logo goes to Debs Lamb whose sketches were the starting point, and thanks to Best Badges for supplying the finished product.

Now to get them attached to some hats, etc. And hopefully get out and do some birding!

12/07/2026

I finished off the week with a couple of visits to the Bullers of Buchan, one with family and one with some clients - the Puffins didn’t disappoint on either trip.

On Friday I headed north with my family, and my daughter’s friend to have a look for Puffins, amongst other species. After a quick lunch in the car due to blustery winds, we walked out to the normal view points and saw plenty of birds, with at least 15 Puffins visible at the first cliff section and quite a few more a bit further on, with some birds seemingly content to sit on the rocks nearby as we watched them. With the slightly stronger onshore winds, we had the added bonus of seeing a lot of birds “hanging” in the wind above the cliffs, with many Puffins putting on a great aerobatic show for us. Fulmars and Kittiwakes were also enjoying the conditions.

On Saturday I met Jen, Stuart, Euan and Innes at the cliffs for a similar visit. They lived locally, but hadn’t been along to see the birds before, so I was able to give a bit of background to the different species they could see, including the Puffins. After me commenting that Friday had the most Puffins of the year for me, there were even more on Saturday, with at least 40 birds seen, and likely many more. At one point we had 6 birds on a rock right in front of us - a nice bonus. We also viewed many Kittiwakes with young in their nests, S**gs with chicks, and lots of Guillemots, Razorbills, Fulmars, etc. A Stonechat was near the cottages on the way back, and a Sedge Warbler was also singing.

Thanks to Jen and her family for asking me along, and I hope you enjoyed the afternoon.

I finished off by dropping in past Old Slains on the way back south, for my first visit of the season. A Wheatear was seen along the fence line as I approached the farm, and many family groups of Meadow Pipit and Pied Wagtail were seen.

At the shore Puffin numbers were down from my visits in previous years, with only a few birds on the stack and a handful on the water (likely around 20 on total). Compared to the 100+ I’ve seen there previously I wonder if some of the birds have perhaps moved up the coast to the Bullers.

A nice way to end the week anyway.

10/07/2026

I had an excellent day out yesterday with the local RSPB group when we visited Glen Lethnot, just outside the south of Aberdeenshire.

The weather was amazing, with warm temperatures and hardly any wind - in fact it could have been too hot!

On the way we saw a field full of waders, with Oystercatcher, Lapwing and Curlew, and also three Buzzards on the ground.

Slightly further on a covey of Grey Partridges ran across the road, with 2 adults leading 8 small youngsters along - very good to see.

Arriving at the car park we had a Red Grouse standing on a rock next to the road, and Sand Martins were above the stream.

As we set off we heard and saw Stonechat, Meadow Pipit and Grey Wagtail, before a real bonus when a Ring Ouzel flew out of the bracken and across the stream ahead of us - it then perched for a while on a fence post so we all got good views. A Common Sandpiper was on the stream bank and Pied Wagtail were feeding nearby.

Over the ridges we saw plenty of Red Kite, a family of Kestrels and a Buzzard take a Red Grouse. We were also surprised by multiple groups of Red Grouse flying out from almost under our feet, all of which were family groups with well grown young.

Raven had been seen flying over head and as we stopped for a drink, we spotted two larger raptors, which turned out to be Golden Eagles! A great sighting and they put on a good show - we didn’t realise we’d seen them again later, with even better views!

We walked up the glen a bit further, and didn’t add anything new, but did see more Red Kite, Raven and Kestrel.

Returning to have lunch at the same location as the drinks break, we again spotted the eagles, this time they came a lot closer. Initially they were being mobbed by Kestrels, which really highlighted the size difference, and one briefly landed on the hillside before taking off again and circling right over us - an amazing experience.

We headed back to the cars, spotting the Ring Ouzel briefly, and near the car park we walked up to look in the trees, adding Spotted Flycatcher, Siskin, Chaffinch and Robin, along with dozens of Sand Martins perched on the wires.

We had one stop planned on the way back to search for Whinchat, but we managed to spot one on a roadside fence on the way there, with everyone getting good views of the bird perched up on the bracken.

We did stop at the bridge on the way back down the glen, with lots of Redpoll around, and we did also see another distant Whinchat on a fence.

A lovely day to be out and about. Thanks to Keith Yates for the additional photos.

03/07/2026

A slightly quieter week this week, but plenty to see in the local area and then a nice evening out yesterday.

I’ve not ventured too far this week, but have been out for a couple of cycles and it was noticeable how many warblers were still singing. Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler were all pretty numerous, with the occasional Blackcap heard as well. Plenty of Swifts about as well, which is nice to see in the local area.

Then last night I was asked along by Greyhope Bay to lead a beginners Gull identification walk as part of their Gull-Fest, which has been running this week.

After a very windy day indeed, I was hoping there’d be something to see, and luckily it was a successful evening. Viewing from the Battery there were zero gulls on the breakwater (not ideal!) but walked down towards Greyhope Bay itself, and had our first sightings of gulls on the rocks to look through. The majority were Kittiwakes, although we also saw Herring Gull (including a juvenile to test our ID skills), fly-by Great Black-backed Gull and also quite a few Sandwich Terns, with a couple of Common Terns on the rocks as well. Gannets were visible feeding offshore and Eider, Oystercatcher and Ringed Plover were also on the rocks, joined by a small flock of Redshank.

We decided to head back towards the harbour itself, as there are normally gulls bathing there, but the sunshine (unheard of!) meant we had to walk past the allotments before we could get a view across the water without being dazzled by the glare. On the way we’d seen a couple of Lesser Black-backed Gulls in the channel, and once we stopped upstream we also added Common and Black-headed Gulls to complete our set of the six species we’d expect to see in the area.

We discussed ID features and how to tell the different species apart, which is not too hard for adult plumage birds, but gets a bit trickier when we’re dealing with juvenile birds - not many to be see.m today though.

We then walked back towards the cafe, with Goosander, Grey Heron, Goldfinch, Skylark and Meadow Pipit all seen, amongst others.

A lovely evening to be out - thanks to Greyhope Bay for the invite.

My only failing was forgetting to take any photos! Too busy talking!

26/06/2026

Nearly the end of a busy week, and another couple of outings completed. And the weather just about held - no rain despite the awful forecast for today.

On Thursday evening I was pleased to host a walk for the staff and volunteers at Greyhope Bay where we discussed listening for birds, and then had a bit of a walk along the harbour side to see what we could hear (and see). The thick fog had lifted slightly, allowing us to see far enough to spot birds on the water at the harbour mouth. We walked around the battery, with Skylark, Meadow Pipit and a brief blast of Sedge Warbler all heard. Goldfinches and Linnets were also compared, and Swallow, Sand and House Martin were seen and heard feeding below the road level, allowing us to look down on them as they swooped past. A few Swifts also flew past overhead.

Goosander, Eider and Lesser Black-backed Gulls were on the water, and a large flock of mainly juvenile Starlings were chattering along the roadside. Wren and Blackbird called near the allotments. We were out for just over 1.5 hours, but it certainly flew by, and I think everyone seemed to enjoy it, and came away learning something from the evening. Thanks to Greyhope Bay for inviting me along, and hopefully we’ll do something similar in the future.

Then today I had the pleasure of guiding Noilyn Arias, a visitor from Costa Rica, around the area. The forecast for today was pretty bad, and we considered cancelling the trip, but it was just as well we went ahead as it stayed dry all day.

We started by heading to the Ythan and out to the river mouth. A Yellowhammer was near the car park, and we also saw Wren, Dunnock and Meadow Pipit as we walked towards the river. Hundreds of seals were hauled out at the mouth, and lots of Eider were on the shore, with a huge variety of plumage on display as the males enter their eclipse plumage. A few Goosander were mixed in with them, and Arctic and Little Terns were feeding along the shore.

We walked round to the tin hut, where we had good views of all four tern species, including Little Tern on the ground and a couple feeding over the channel. Shelduck were on the mud and at least three crèches of Eiders were on the water. Curlew were on the mud, and a single Whimbrel was also there, my first for the latter half of the season.

A handful of Teal were on the Foveran Burn, and near Newburgh we had great views of Swift as they investigated some nestboxes which someone had put up for them. Collared Dove flew past and a Grey Wagtail was on the side of the burn. Near the play park we saw Blackbird, Blue Tit and Great Tit, and heard Willow Warbler in the trees.

After the Ythan we headed for the Snub where we added Lapwing, Goldeneye and Grey Heron along the river, and had some bonus raptor sightings, with a Kestrel hovering near the road, two Osprey over the river and a Peregrine then drifted over as well! Some unexpected sightings anyway!

On the way to Bullers of Buchan we had Corn Bunting on a wire near the road, and then at the Bullers we had the normal seabird spectacle, including many Puffins, some very close indeed. Kittiwake, Fulmar, Guillemot and Razorbill were all seen, S**g were on their nests, and Gannets flew by offshore. A Sedge Warbler was singing on the way back to the car park.

After grabbing some lunch we headed for the south end of Strathbeg. Common Gull were feeding on the fields, and on the loch were dozens of Mute Swans and Greylag Geese. Another Corn Bunting sang on the wires.

At the Strathbeg visitor centre we ate our lunch whilst watching Great Egret, Wood Sandpiper, Lapwing, Shelduck and Moorhen on the pools. More raptors were seen, with Sparrowhawk and Buzzard flying past, and Tree Sparrow and Swallow were around the car park.

Our final stop was Lake of Pitfour. Little Grebe, Mute Swan and Mallard were on the water, Redpoll constantly flew overhead and we saw Willow Warbler, Reed Bunting and heard Chiffchaff in the trees.

We had to finish off and get back to Aberdeen, with Magpie and Buzzard seen on the way back. A total of around 75 species seen, which made for a good day.

Another enjoyable trip, so thank you to Noilyn for her great company today - enjoy the rest of your time in Scotland.

I’m back to Greyhope next week, for a gull walk as part of their Gull week! Hopefully we won’t have thick fog to deal with this time!

Aberdeenshire Bird Tours

04/09/2026

02/09/2026

27/08/2026

22/08/2026

18/08/2026

06/08/2026

12/07/2026

10/07/2026

03/07/2026

26/06/2026

Address

Telephone

Website

Alerts

Contact The Business

Shortcuts

Share

Category

Listing takedown request