Trip reports

Ythan Estuary - 2nd January 2012

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Monday, 2 January 2012

Wow! What a difference from last year, it was cold but there was little wind and the sun shone. All told 27 people turned out and this included 3 new members. The tide was just right, low and starting to come in. We had billed this trip as "wader identification" and the conditions were perfect. After the usual New Year salutation we headed off to the estuary. Our first stop was by the old lifeboat station and here we soon picked off most of the common waders, Oystercatcher, Curlew, lots of Sanderling, the odd Ringed Plover, Turnstone and Redshank. We made our way to the mouth of the estuary passing several groups of Red Breasted Merganser and lots of Eider. But the highlight for me was to see a group of 300 seals (most of them the rarer Common Seal) hauled out on the north bank of the river. Their peace was soon shattered by a lone jogger who spooked the lot back into the water. If looks could kill. There was little of interest on the sea and so we returned up stream and circumnavigated the golf course stopping at the golf hut on the way. Here we added several Grey plovers, Golden Plover, Bar tailed Godwit, Knot, lots of Dunlin and a hybred Hooded Crow. On Forveran burn we added to our duck tally with Wigeon, Mallard and Goldeneye it was here that hawk-eye Rigg spotted a high flying Sparrowhawk over Newburgh.

After lunching at the Snub we headed for Collieston and a sea watch. Here we added Gannet, Cormorant, Shag and Guillemot to our list. But by now the light was fading and we were all feeling the cold so decided to call it a day with 44 species.

Dave Gill