Trip reports

YTHAN ESTUARY

Friday, 2 January 2009

As usual this annual event attracted a large number of group members. In all twenty-five people braved a cold and cloudy day but at least the rain stayed away. We followed our usual route starting at Newburgh golf club car park then on to the old lifeboat station. We had got the tides right this year. Here we stopped for a while to check out the local waders and sea ducks. Some of our newer members got a tutorial on how to distinguish Bar-tailed from Black-tailed Godwits and how to tell the difference between a female Red-breasted Merganser and Goosander. As we moved towards the mouth of the Ythan we where lucky enough to spot two pairs of Scaup hidden among the Eiders and some Sanderling scurrying along the beach. A little later two splendid Long-tailed Ducks were spotted on the sea. We then doubled back and skirted around the golf course. Here we encountered a fine female Peregrine and Grey and Golden Plovers. Hamish did his best to chase up some Snipe but to no avail this year.

We lunched at the Snub car park where, in conversation with members, I discovered that some had no idea where the new RSPB reserve of Meikle Loch was situated; and that others had never visited it although they knew where it was. This dictated the order of events for the afternoon. We piled into the fewest of cars that we could, as parking is rather restricted at Meikle, and made a short visit to the loch.
Later we ventured down to Logie Buchan Bridge and reed beds. Here Jayne spotted a Kingfisher flying up river but unfortunately no one else saw it. The group then split up with Trevor taking the larger party to look in some trees about a quarter of a mile away. I stayed with Jayne to check out the Kingfisher more thoroughly as it was the right time of year, the right location and it's not a bird that you can readily mistake. We had no luck with the Kingfisher but did see a flock of seven Long-tailed Tits and Trevor's group disturbed two Greater Spotted Woodpeckers, which obligingly flew over our party standing on the bridge.

By now the light was going and we were all feeling a bit chilled so we decided to call it a day. In all over fifty species of bird were recorded, a fine start to the year.

Dave Gill