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Aberdeenshire Bird Tours, Aberdeen (2026)

06/06/2026

I’ve had two excellent trips over the last couple of days, although I’ve failed to take many photos at all when out and about! You’ll have to make do with a lengthy report!

On Thursday I headed to the Ythan with Caroline Duncan, to finish off the trips using her gift voucher. I haven’t been out to the estuary mouth for ages, so it was good to see what was about. We walked along to the viewing platform, with plenty of Eiders in the water and on the far bank. Mixed in amongst them were quite a few Goosander, with a lot of well grown juveniles. Gulls and terns flew past, with the Sandwich Terns being the most obvious.

We walked round to the tin hut, and were able to get good views of the terns on the ground, seeing Sandwich, Arctic and Common, but we couldn’t spot any Little Terns on this visit. A few summer plumage Dunlin were feeding on the mudflats, with Sanderling, Ringed Plover and Curlew also spotted. As we walked down towards the Foveran Burn we saw a few Knot, Bar-tailed Godwits and lots more Ringed Plover. Shelduck were also out on the mud feeding.

Along the Foveran burn was fairly quiet, but the Swallows and House Martins put on a good show, landing on the mud to collect nesting material. A group of noisy Starlings, with the youngsters in tow, made their way through the bushes, looking for insects, and we heard Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, and saw Meadow Pipit and Skylark over the golf course. To finish off we spotted a Red Kite drifting south over the course, being pursued by Jackdaws.

It was a really enjoyable couple of hours, and we amazingly avoided the heavy showers in the area. Thanks again to Caroline for her company.

Then yesterday I had the pleasure of guiding Kendall Thompson and her husband Andrew, around upper Deeside - almost the complete opposite habitat to the coastal walk the previous day.

We started in Braemar, where Swifts, Swallows, House and Sand Martins were all feeding overhead. Our first stop was Dinnet NNR, and so we drove east, stopping a couple of times to watch Red Kite flying over the roadside. At Dinnet we soon heard the first of many Willow Warblers, and through the pine woods we got great views of Tree Pipit, Coal Tit, Goldcrest and heard Wren and lots more Willow Warblers. A juvenile Robin was seen near the path, with adults seen a bit further on. Things were pretty quiet as we walked clockwise round the Kinnord Loop, with no Cuckoos on the lines, although Skylarks were noisy overhead. We saw quite a few dragon and damsel flies, and a Buzzard flew across in front of us, but little else on this stretch. At the stone circle there was no sign of any Cuckoos again, and we didn’t hear any either, but I glimpsed one flying in the distance, and just as we left, Kendall spotted one skimming the tree tops. Near New Kinnord we heard Greenfinch and saw Siskin, Swallow and House Martins, and then as we left the farmyard area we heard a warbler ahead of us, which turned out to be an obliging Garden Warbler - a nice bonus to get good views of this species.

Skirting the lochside the wind meant the surface was really choppy, making viewing tricky, but we saw Mute Swan, Mallard, Greylag Geese and distant Goldeneye. As we neared the Pictish cross Kendall spotted a juvenile bird on a branch at the base of a bush. It looked streaky like a Robin but the shape wasn’t quite right. I guessed it may be a Redstart, and luckily this was confirmed when the male came in to feed the youngster. We got super views of this very attractive species.

As we left the loch to start back to the van an Osprey drifted overhead, and we heard a distant Chiffchaff.

After an unsuccessful listen for the Wood Warbler, we drove round to Dinnet bridge for a quick check of the river. Pied and Grey Wagtail were on the banks, a Common Sandpiper was making a noise on a rock in the middle of the river and a Blackcap was heard (and glimpsed) singing near the bothy. A Great-spotted Woodpecker flew downstream and into the woods opposite, and a Collared Dove was on the wires.

We grabbed some lunch in Ballater and continued up to the Quoich viewpoint. No sign of any eagles this time, but overhead we had Osprey, Buzzard, Peregrine and a distant Raven, and down on the Quoich flats we saw Curlew, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Common Sandpiper and Redshank, along with lots of Red Deer.

Our final stop was Glen Callater, with dozens of House Martin and Swallows feeding in the Glen, perhaps as it was a bit more sheltered than the Clunie valley. Meadow Pipits were plentiful, and Grey Wagtail were along the stream. We heard a couple of distant Cuckoos and spotted a couple of Buzzards over the ridges. A pair of Wheatear put on a good show a bit further up the Glen, and we eventually got good views of three Raven over the ridge nearby. Making our way back to the van mammals were on show, with a Mountain Hare and a Red Deer stag both near the path, and we finished near the car park with a real bonus, when Kendall spotted a Ring Ouzel in a tree on the far side of the stream. A nice way to finish off the trip - although a Red Kite over the centre of Braemar gave good views as we said our goodbyes. Thanks to Kendall and Andrew for their excellent company over the day, and hopefully we’ll catch up again the next time you visit.

A few more trips on the books next week, so more reports to follow!

03/06/2026

After a few nice, warm days last week, the weather this week has taken a turn for the worse and is distinctly wetter. However I made it out today for a trip to the Bullers of Buchan in the dry, and almost sunny conditions.

I was delighted to guide Carol, Lynne and Dale in search of Puffins today. However we started with pickup in the city, and great views of Swifts as they whizzed past overhead. Seemed to be good numbers around the Clifton area, so hopefully they have a good breeding season.

We reached the Bullers and the fog was just lifting to give good views over the cliffs and surrounding fields. Skylark, Linnet and Meadow Pipit were all near the path, and there were hundreds of Kittiwakes on the cliffs in the first cove. Moving along the cliff tops we checked the first area for Puffins, with none to be seen, but there were quite a few Fulmars on nests, and some Jackdaws kept popping out of burrows.

Around the corner, we saw our first few Puffins on the opposite cliffs, and then looking “below” us we spotted a couple nice and close up, which gave great views and seemed undisturbed by our presence.

Altogether we saw around 12 birds on the cliffs and on the sea, but there were likely quite a few more, as there seemed to be plenty flying around the headland, looking like they may have been landing around the corner from where we were.

After spending some time getting photos and a few videos, and also looking at the other species on the cliffs, including Razorbills, Guillemots and Great Black-backed Gulls, we started to head back to the van. As we walked back we saw the resident pair of Stonechats, putting on a good display near the fence. Swallows were also hunting in the lee of the cliffs.

Thanks to Carol, Lynne and Dale for their excellent company, and I’m glad we made it back before the rain started.

Another couple of trips over the next few days, so more reports to follow.

26/05/2026

On Sunday I took part in the latest RSPB group outing, but this time it was a slightly different experience from normal.

In the past I’ve taken part in “Big days” where you try to see as many species as possible over the course of the day. On Sunday the local group took part in a “Big Sit” where we had to see how many species we could spot from within the visitor centre at Loch of Strathbeg. The outing ran from 7am-7pm, and many of the local group had slots scheduled to come along and assist. Due to some last minute changes, I ended up being there for the whole day, on what turned out to be quite an enjoyable, but tiring, outing.

I arrived just before 7am and was joined by Liz, one of the local group members. We got set up, and as 7am ticked round we started to record everything we saw. Initial highlights were Garganey, Wood Sandpiper and Ruff, but even all the common species were obviously new at this point. After a while Liz spotted a small wader on the pools, and when a Wood Sandpiper walked past it we realised just how small it was. After some deliberation, and checking some of the ID features, we were happy to identify it as a Little Stint - a new one for me for the year, and perhaps the first recorded in the area this year.

As more of the group arrived to help, the list kept ticking up, with Marsh Harrier and Buzzard seen, a Sparrowhawk used the Black-headed Gull colony as a buffet, taking a chick from the ground, and plenty of wildfowl species added, such as Shoveler, Wigeon, Teal and Gadwall.

As I was checking the side window for smaller birds visiting the feeders a shout went up for a Green Sandpiper, which had flown out of the long grass on the low ground, immediately followed by Merlin, which was quickly corrected to a Cuckoo, flying over the pools. I didn’t see either, but they were great additions to the list.

We were lucky enough to see the two Spoonbills as they fed nearby, and mid-morning one of the group was scanning the reedbeds when he spotted the Cranes making an appearance! They must have been hiding in the longer vegetation as they had not flown in, but a group of seven put on a great show for ages, as they walked through the long grass searching for food.

After lunch things were definitely slowing down, with new species being added at the rate of 1-2 per hour. After quite a few folk headed off we were lucky to spot a Ringed Plover, immediately followed by a pair of Little-ringed Plover, giving a good opportunity to compare the species. Later on at least seven Ringed Plovers arrived, showing how numbers changed over the course of the day.

Curlew and Black-tailed Godwit were added to the wader list, and we were able to use the scopes to pick out Gannet, Cormorant, and pleasingly a Raven, along the coast, along with lots of flocks of auks flying past - not clear enough to confirm the species though.

A Chaffinch was celebrated mid-afternoon, Swifts were spotted over the main loch, and a couple of Goldfinch flying past the centre were a good addition.

As the afternoon ticked by, the new species were becoming increasingly difficult to spot. A lone Pink-footed goose was the last official addition, as it swam on the main loch, but just before the end, I spotted the Black Swan, also on the main loch, although we’re not allowed to count it!

Overall we saw 73 species over the course of the day, with three additional species heard but not seen (Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and Dunnock) and two others not tickable (Black Swan and auk).

Thanks to all the group members who joined us for parts of the day, and in particular Sailaja Bodepudi and Belinda Miller (and Mo) for providing delicious cakes and snacks to keep us fuelled.

I think I prefer the Big Day format, especially when I can cycle, but the Big Sit was definitely more of a mental challenge!

Quieter week this week, with no client outings, but after that things get busy with plenty of trips in the diary.

23/05/2026

No client trips yesterday, but I took advantage of the nice weather during the day for a walk at Bullers o’Buchan with Debs Lamb - in search of Puffins, and I was busy late into the night with Greyhope Bay as they held their annual Bioblitz around the Torry Battery.

After visiting the Bullers the previous day, I headed back up there yesterday, with a couple of stops on the way. A Quail had been reported singing near Slains so we had a listen for it (no luck!) although it was difficult to hear much with the singing Skylarks overhead. There were Lapwing and Oystercatcher nesting in the nearby fields, and a couple of Mallards were at the other side of the road. We continued north, and Debs managed to spot a large bird flying in the distance, before it disappeared as it landed. Having just been discussing one of our areas avian success stories, I was delighted to spot a Common Crane walking through the scrubby area in the distance. No photos, as it was a bit distant, but great to see this species doing well in NE Scotland.

We arrived at the Bullers with the sun shining but a bit of a chilly wind. Kittiwakes and Fulmars were all making a noise, and there were scores of Guillemots and Razorbills flying past offshore, and also on the cliffs. The first spot where we normally see Puffins was empty but luckily there were a couple on the grassy slopes round the corner, with another couple on the rocky outcrop. One was kind enough to pose for photos, meaning even I managed to get some good images this time. Overall we saw about 10 birds, including a few on the water in the distance.

Also nearby were a pair of Stonechat making a right noise, Meadow Pipit, Linnet and Skylark.

Thanks to Debs for her company, and for the cake at Cruden Bay!

Then yesterday evening I headed to Greyhope Bay to help with their Bioblitz. The night/evening session is mainly to look for moths but we also listen for birds - last year was when I heard the Marsh Warbler near the battery, so with better weather this year I was hopeful for something similar. Before I arrived there I had a quick stop at Greyhope Bay, with an Arctic Skua the highlight offshore, amongst dozens of Gannets and terns feeding quite close in. We had a walk from the cafe down towards the shore, hearing a Dunnock singing in the gorse, and then the most obvious species was the raucous Sandwich Terns as they constantly called whilst flying and feeding offshore. Herring Gull and Oystercatcher were heard, and near the battery there were distant Song Thrush and Blackbird. After we started the moth trapping part of the evening I thought the birds would all be roosting, but a Sedge Warbler started singing - and didn’t stop before I left.
Thanks to Greyhope Bay for the invite and glad it was warmer than last year!

To finish off the day, as I was driving home a Tawny Owl flew across the road in front of me not far from home - a good end to a nice day.

Up to Strathbeg tomorrow for the next RSPB outing, so will see what that brings.

21/05/2026

I had a second trip out with Caroline Duncan today, after our local walk last week. Caroline received a gift voucher to cover a full day trip, but we split it into a couple of shorter trips.

Last Thursday we managed to head out during a break in the showers for a walk around Newmachar and Kingseat, near where we both live. We got lucky with the weather, as there was a torrential downpour just before we started, but it stopped as we left the house and stayed off for the rest of the walk. Heading along the old railway line we heard Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Yellowhammer and saw plenty of corvids and Swallows. Near Kingseat we took a detour around the small drainage ponds, with Blackcap, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff all singing, as well as Blue, Great and Coal Tit. Around the outside of Kingseat we saw Buzzard, Song Thrush and heard a Goldcrest, before heading back towards my house, adding Lapwing, which I think are nesting in a nearby field. We were out for about 2 hours and heard and saw around 28 species, which is pretty good going.

Today we headed north to loch of Strathbeg. We were again lucky with the weather, with the forecast rain holding off when we were outside.

Around the car park we saw Tree Sparrow, Great Tit and Blue Tit near the feeders, and Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler were singing. The visitor centre was full of a college group so we decided to head straight for the tower pool hide. On the way we heard Sedge Warbler, saw Skylark and Meadow Pipit and there were plenty of Yellowhammers about.

From the hide we were able to scan the low ground, soon spotting Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Wigeon, Lapwing, Reed Bunting and a fly-by Sparrowhawk, amongst others. We could even see the distant Gannets over the sea, above the sand dunes - through the scope at least.

Back at the visitor centre we now had the place to ourselves, so were able to view the pools well. We immediately spotted a male Garganey, a year tick for me, and a species I didn’t see at all last year - a nice bonus. Common Terns were on the ground, with the Black-headed Gulls having taken over the island in front of the VC. After a bit of scanning we spotted the rather obvious Spoonbills, with three of them on the pools, but they were all sleeping with their heads under their wings. Gadwall, Shoveler and Teal were plentiful, and there was a good variety of wader species on show. Curlew and Lapwing were fairly obvious but a bit of scanning added Ruff, Wood Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwit and Little Ringed Plover to the list. Sand Martin and Swallow were feeding over the pools and a few Pied Wagtail were also about. It was certainly a good day to visit.

On the way back south we stopped briefly at the Bullers o’Buchan, for my first visit of the season. All the usual suspects were about, with Kittiwake, Fulmar, Guillemot and Razorbill all seen, before we had a nice close encounter with a few Puffins - always a highlight! Also seen were Stonechat, Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Goldfinch and Skylark. Before we knew it, it was time to head back south.

Thanks to Caroline for her company and I look forward to our remaining outing in a couple of weeks.

Back to the Bullers tomorrow, for more Puffins!

16/05/2026

I’ve had a couple of excellent trips this week, even managing to stay dry (if not warm!) on both of them. I’ll include an update about the first short walk next week, as I’m out with Caroline Duncan again for part 2 of our trip.

Today I had the pleasure of guiding David Welch and Cynthia Wister, from New Mexico, who were visiting Aberdeen for a couple of days ahead of joining a cruise to the Northern Isles, Faroes and Iceland. As a lot of their trip would involve seabirds and coastal species we decided to head inland up Deeside to see what we could see, and to look at the different landscapes out that way.

Leaving Aberdeen we soon had our first stop near Westhill to view a couple of Red Kites circling over the fields, also spotting Jackdaw, Rook and Pied Wagtail in the surrounding area.

We continued on to Cullerlie Pools, where Greylag Geese were present in good numbers. Coot, Moorhen and Mallard were on the water and a family of Lapwings were along the shore, with at least 3 youngsters seen. A Sedge Warbler was making a constant racket from the gorse bushes at the other side of the road, and Skylark were joining in from overhead, with us managing to see one on the ground in a nearby field. Swallow and Sand Martin were feeding over the pools as well.

Our next stop was out at Dinnet Oakwood, but it took us ages to leave the vicinity of the car park as we kept hearing and seeing birds there. Great Tit, Robin, Collared Dove and Woodpigeon were immediately seen, and we heard plenty of Siskin overhead. A Greenfinch was wheezing in a nearby tree, Coal and Blue T**s were flitting about and Chaffinches put on a good show.

We heard Willow Warbler and Blackcap constantly singing and this was all before we’d even crossed the river! From the bridge we could hear Grey Wagtail, soon spotting a family of 2 adults feeding 3 youngsters, who were the ones making all the noise. It looked exhausting as they constantly went back and forth catching insects and stuffing them into the youngsters mouths. We caught a brief view of Common Sandpiper as well, but the wagtails were putting on quite a show.

In the woods themselves it was a lot quieter. Robin, Chaffinch and Mistle Thrush were seen, and we heard Goldcrest and Willow Warbler. It was nice to stroll through the quiet area after both our initial stops were interrupted by the noise of passing vehicles.

After another stop to watch the wagtails, we jumped back in the van and headed to Ballater to get some lunch. On the way we caught a glimpse of an Osprey being chased by a Lapwing, and a Buzzard over the roadside fields.

After provisions were obtained we drove to the Quoich viewpoint near Braemar to eat and watch. It turned out to be a good decision, with us spotting a pair of White-tailed Eagles in the trees, likely nesting in the vicinity. A real bonus to be able to see them from the viewpoint. A distant dot got closer and closer to us as it flew along the valley, turning out to be a Grey Heron covering some serious distance, and we also saw Goosander near the river as well as a large herd of Red Deer. Cuckoo was heard in the distance, but we couldn’t spot it and a Raven crossed the valley further upstream.

We then drove round to Glen Callater, which was fairly quiet, although we did spot a few good birds on our short walk. Near the car park we got great views of Lapwing, with a Curlew fly past as well. We again heard a Cuckoo in the distance, and again we couldn’t spot it! Up the Glen we saw Meadow Pipit and a brief view of a Wheatear, before hearing and spotting a Ring Ouzel near the car park on the way back - a nice one to add to the list.

We started the journey back towards Aberdeen, with a couple of brief stops for photos and to look for Cuckoo near Dinnet (no luck!). Our last stop was Queens View near Tarland, where we took in the vista, also spotting a Brown Hare in a nearby field.

It was a lovely day to be out and about, with plenty of species seen, and some excellent company from David and Cynthia. I hope you enjoy the rest of your trip and thanks for your company today.

This week is going to be busy, with a school walk on Tuesday, part 2 of my outing with Caroline on Thursday and a Puffin walk on Friday - it’s all go! More reports to follow.

07/05/2026

I was out today with the local RSPB group, leading an outing at Dinnet and Loch Kinord. The first part of the outing started at the frankly ridiculous time of 6am (!!!!) so we could hear the dawn chorus around Dinnet oak woods, and the river Dee.

To save such an early start I decided to sleep out at the location in my van, which meant I heard the dawn chorus start around 4am! Quite spectacular to hear all the different species singing away whilst I was still in bed. Meeting at the crossroads in Dinnet we soon saw Song Thrush, Dunnock, Robin, Jackdaw and Greenfinch around the village, before we headed down the road towards the Dee and across into the oak woods. Siskin were fairly frequently flying overhead, and we could hear Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and Blackcap as we neared the river. Below the bridge we saw Grey Wagtail on the rocks, quickly followed by a couple of Common Sandpipers and a few Goosander further downstream.

As we entered the oak wood it was actually fairly quiet. Willow Warbler and Wren were singing, along with Blue and Great T**s. A couple of Greylag Geese flew overhead, and Song and Mistle Thrush were also heard and seen. As we headed back towards the bridge we heard a distant Nuthatch, and after quite a while, we got a brief glimpse of one fly over and work its way up a tree branch, before it ultimately disappeared. One of the targets for the day ticked off at least. After crossing the bridge we heard our first Cuckoo of the trip, somewhere way in the distance, and a Great Spotted Woodpecker was also heard and then seen.

We then had a short break to move to the Burn o’Vat car park ahead of the second part of the outing, along with having some breakfast and a cup of coffee!

A couple of attendees were lucky to see a Garden Warbler near the visitor centre, and we all saw Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush and Siskin around the car park. As we headed along the paths towards the loch we saw Goldcrest, Coal Tit and a Treecreeper and then we had an amazing bonus bird, in the form of a singing Wood Warbler, one of the first in the area for a few years. Dinnet oak wood used to be a regular haunt for them, but they haven’t been seen there for a number of years, so we were very thankful to Simon Ritchie, warden at Dinnet NNR, for pointing us in the right direction. Everyone in the group was able to see the bird as it constantly sung and moved through the foliage - not a species we would have expected to see.

Continuing on we had a reeling Grasshopper Warbler in the distance, displaying Tree Pipit, and our first singing Redstart, giving good views at the top of a pine. Near the loch itself we had another Redstart and hundreds of Sand Martin were feeding low over the water, putting on quite a show. Greylag Geese, Goldeneye, Mute Swan and Mallard were on the water, and a Common Sandpiper was on one of the small islands on the loch, along with a singing Garden Warbler.

Buzzard and Red Kite were overhead, and a Lapwing was over the nearby field. As we neared the farm we added Swallow and Greenfinch and could hear another distant Cuckoo.

At New Kinord we saw a Cuckoo flying near the stone circle, and then got good views of two as they perched on the overhead wires. Another target ticked off!

Time was ticking on so we started back towards the car park, with another Redstart heard, more Tree Pipits and plenty of Willow Warblers singing away.

The second half of the trip ended up with around 45 species, in just over a couple of hours, and it was great to see all our targets, and the bonus Wood Warbler topped it all off. Thanks to everyone who attended.

My next client trip is next week, but I’ll hopefully be out and about before then, with hopefully Swift and Spotted Flycatcher soon to arrive in the area.

07/05/2026

I had an early start today for the local RSPB group outing at Dinnet - the short video attached was taken around 5:45am at the Dee. A lovely morning to be out. The trip report is on a separate post, but on the video you can hear Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Song Thrush and a barking Roe Deer.

06/05/2026

Although I was busy last Thursday with a client trip, I was also contacted about another trip on Thursday, and also one on Friday when I was unfortunately away for the weekend. Luckily Rob Leslie was able to assist with the outings, taking clients to Bullers o'Buchan and also Fowlsheugh. He's kindly written up a short report, which is noted below.

Report for Thursday 30 April:

Kia and Hans Andersson and their sons, Noel and Tim, from Gothenburg in Sweden were visiting Aberdeen for a couple of days, and, although not birdwatchers, were keen to see Puffins.

On a beautiful sunny day I picked up the family in the city and made our way to the Bullers of Buchan via Old Aberdeen and the Ythan estuary. Arriving at the Bullers of Buchan we walked up to the viewpoint where the best view of Puffins are normally seen. Not a Puffin was to be seen! I started to panic but as the Andersson’s took a walk along the cliff path, I spotted a solitary Puffin on the water. Phew! They all managed to see it. On the way round to the north side of the Bullers, another Puffin made a brief appearance from a burrow allowing excellent views. We were able to get stunning views of the Kittiwakes, Fulmars, Guillemots, Razorbills and a S**g on its nest with the sun highlighting the beautiful bottle green plumage. Everybody was happy. After a picnic lunch on the banks of the Ythan at Ellon, we headed cross country to Glen Garioch Distillery as Kia, Hans, Noel and Tim had booked a distillery tour. The countryside was looking fresh with golden fields of oil seed r**e.
The Andersson family loved the tour of the North East coast, with the Puffins being a bonus. I would like to thank them for their excellent company.

Report for Friday 1 May:

Americans Vivek and Rani from Georgia joined me for a tour on Friday. Vivek is a keen birder and photographer with an extensive life list. He had expressed a desire to see a wildlife spectacle and the seabirds on the cliffs at Fowlsheugh fitted the bill.

We made our way to Fowlsheugh in the glorious sunshine, arriving at Fowlsheugh to see that the cliffs were full of birds, with thousands more on the sea and wheeling in the sky. As we approached the viewpoint we saw Linnets, Meadow and Rock Pipits, Pied Wagtails, Woodpigeons, Jackdaws, Carrion Crows and a Yellowhammer posed for Vivek to get some cracking images. On reaching the viewpoint Vivek and Rani were stunned with the amount of birds on the cliffs, predominantly Guillemots, Razorbills, Kittiwakes and Fulmars. Fowlsheugh offers great photo opportunities with even Feral Pigeons looking great in the sunlight. The sights and sounds are amazing, even for those of us who have been there numerous times before. We travelled along to the stone shelter to see if there were any Puffins in the usual place but alas no. We saw Eiders, Cormorants, S**gs and seals, but at a fair distance, so we decided to retrace our steps and go to Aberdeen Harbour for closer views.
The light was great and we had good views of Eiders, S**gs, Cormorants, Herring Gulls, Greater Black-backed Gulls and about fifty Oystercatchers on the breakwater. Sandwich Terns were plunge diving in the harbour entrance. In the bushes below the Battery we had good views of Goldfinches, Linnets and my first Whitethroat of the year. As a bonus, a pod of dolphins also put on a show at the harbour entrance. Vivek managed to add 20 new species to his world list. This was near the end of Vivek and Rani’s tour of Scotland and they vowed to come back. I would like to thank them for their excellent company and I hope to see them again when they return.

Thanks to Rob (Dad) for leading these two tours so expertly, and I'm glad both were enjoyed by the participants.

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