May
15
A selection of birds in flight from this week’s lunch times spent alongside the River Don.
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Apr
17
As with previous years, the pond is a huge draw to the local Toad population. Whilst returning to the house with the dogs late one evening, they kept sniffing at gravel outside our house. When the security lights came on the reason became clear, there were about fifteen Toads that had come out from their daytime hideaways. Considering how many Toads we see in the pond during the breeding season, a number that is in the order of hundreds, its surprising how well they hide themselves away during the rest of the year.
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Apr
17
I often hear and occasionally see Wrens flitting through the undergrowth on the banks of the river Don. This one didn’t appear to be to put out by my presence as it went about searching for nesting material.
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Apr
17
The longer evenings provide plenty of time to get out and about in the garden after work. The tress and hedges are currently alive with flocks of Goldfinches and Sparrows and also a few Dunnocks.
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Mar
23
Grey and Common seals are a familiar site in the Ythan Estuary at the southern edge of the Forvie Sands Nature reserve. On the day I visited there were several hundred seals basking on the beach and near shore sand banks. I had previously only seen seals from a relative distance and as such it was a real treat to be able to get close up and spend time watching and photographing them. I had read that Seals are often very inquisitive, a trait which was confirmed when a young seal crawled out of the surf and made a direct line towards where I was sitting. After a few short pauses to look me over, it eventually stopped about 4 metres away before having a roll about in the sand, scratch itself a couple of times and then settle down for a snooze.
During the time I sept with the seals, a strong wind kept the sand moving constantly. It is not difficult to understand why Forvie Sands is also famous for its Sand Dunes
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Mar
21
From my office window I often see Buzzards circling over the fields to the rear of the office. This lunchtime a couple of Buzzards were circling over one of the fields that the local farmer was ploughing and were occasionally flying low enough for me to try and get a half decent photograph of them.
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Mar
16
For a second time this month I was able to spend a couple of hours in the grounds of Fyvie Castle. This time I was able to get closer to some of the Tufted Ducks than on my previous visit.
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Mar
02
This Sunday I was able to spend an hour or so watching the birds at the Lake by Fyvie Castle. It made a change being able to get so close to the Greylag Geese as the ones we see in the fields near home during the winter are so timid it’s virtually impossible to get anywhere near them. It was also quite a sight to see the male Moorhens rearing out of the water so that they could use their huge feet to attack each other.
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Feb
20
Clear skies for a change made a visit to the river Don at lunch time possible. The river is still flowing quickly following the recent heavy rainfall and it is still over its banks in several places. Today’s sightings included the Heron and Goosanders below, but also a number of Wrens and a Cormorant, although the Cormorant turned up just as it was time to head back to the office.
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