Page 7 - Out Birding Spring 2024

rapidly through the willows, giving the best views I’ve ever had of this species. We went to another coastal hotspot Foveran Links next to the Ythan Estuary to try and find more coastal vagrants. We didn’t find much evidence of any migra􏰀on, but a Chiffchaff and a female Brambling would certainly have come from the con􏰀nent to reach here.
The following day, con􏰀nuous rain and a strengthening wind
limited our birding. While normal people stayed in the dry,
we decided to try to look at the sea and look for migrants in
Portlethen Village. There were a few Fieldfares, trying their best to look handsome in the howling wind and rain, and a couple of Robins might well have been blasted across the North Sea. I would normally try to seawatch from the house, but the windows were smeared with salt spray, meaning we would have to do it outside! We managed to find a sheltered spot where our binoculars were not jostled too much. Unfortunately, we drew a blank with there being very li􏰁le seabird passage. We saw sense and gave up. If there was anything interes􏰀ng on migra􏰀on, it could do so without us gawping at it.
In spite of the weather, it was a fun, character-building weekend and, with the Pallas’s Warbler being so obliging, we had something special to remember the event by. Thanks to Rik for being a willing par􏰀cipant.
Andy Webb
Warnham Local Nature Reserve 11/11/2023
Ten of us met on a sunny and s􏰀ll Saturday morning for a wander round Warnham Local Nature Reserve. Waterproof footwear was advised, but fortunately the flooding that had closed the reserve the previous weekend had receded.
Our visit took in the 17-acre mill pond, two small, wooded areas with bird feeders, and a lovely expanse of marshy woodland. The first bird of the day was si􏰂ng on top of a tree and though obscured by twigs and shadows it was eventually iden􏰀fied by Malcolm as a female Reed Bun􏰀ng. A Blue Tit was also fli􏰂ng about in the same tree. The millpond was “as flat as a millpond” and from the first hide we saw Black-headed and Herring Gulls, Herons, Tu􏰃ed Ducks, Mallards, Coots, Moorhens and Mute Swans, with a Kingfisher spo􏰁ed by some of the group.
There were no herons in the heronry, but three Cormorants were perching in the trees. Great Tit, Blackbird, and a vociferous Robin were seen from the path to the first woodland hide, where we added Nuthatch, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Great Tit and Wood Pigeon to our list. A dragonfly on the nearby dipping pond was iden􏰀fied as a common darter, again by Malcolm, who was celebra􏰀ng his birthday with a display of expert ID skills! The next woodland hide yielded three Magpies, a female Pheasant, a rabbit, some very well-fed looking grey squirrels, and a couple of Long-tailed Tits. From the second millpond hide a male Gadwall and a pair of Teal were seen in the
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Pallas’s Warbler: Andy