I'm currently up on holiday in Findhorn and I've heard a lot about the potential birds I could find. After a walk down to the hide by what used to be RAF Kinross, I came back slightly disappointed. I felt, personally, that the hide is really far too far away from any of the birds to be any use. So I continued down the sort of shore line until i reached Kinross. At this point it started raining, heavily. So I headed back home to have a look on the internet, having only seen what I think we're Curlews but difficult to tell from so far away even with binoculars. The site for recent sightings in the Moray Firth said there were Red-breasted Mergansers, a Hobby, Redshank, Bar-tailed Godwit, even a pair of Spoonbills recently! I have been into the dunes and seen Yellowhammers and Linnet, I think some Siskin and some Whitethroat fledglings but I was really hoping to be able to tick so waders off my list on this holiday. So, if there is anyone who can tell me where to go, which isn't too far from Findhorn as I can only walk, or tell me what I might be doing wrong (other than being impatient :) ) then i'd be very thankful!
Gus
Blog Flickr and I have a youtube channel but not updated much.
Hi you need to be in the hide at High tide, this is when you can even get Ospreys hunting, but you should see plenty of waders on the tide, also look in the gorse bushes, as there could be anything both from the uk and continent, if you can get to Spey Bay which is not that far away, you are more or less guaranteed Osprey hunting, also wales and dolphins, a bit of patience and luck, you may be lucky and get the odd Nimrod and the Tornadoes over fro Lossimouth.
Ah, I'll try at high tide tomorrow then :) I've seen the osprey from a long way away so have even hoping to get closer :) I've seen plenty Grey Seals about the bay. If I've got a particularly free day I'll try and get to Spey Bay. Certainly heard a couple of Tornadoes already ;) thanks for the advice!
Hi-
I always thought Findhorn bay was best in winter for seaduck and then for migrants through April/May.
S
For advice about Birding, Identification,field guides, binoculars, scopes, tripods, etc - put 'Birding Tips' into the search box
I think you're right seymouraves but my holiday was planned for weather instead of birds unfortunately! Just an update, have seen my first Sand Martins down the coast towards Burghead. And, for those who know the area, I was just (about 10mins ago) on the shore on the other side of the bay to the village where it opens out into the Firth, and I saw a largish bird in the distance, assumed Osprey. Got the binoculars out my bag and I was right. Hovering out in the firth near where the seals sit on that island at low tide. After being mobbed by a Common Gull and doing a couple of circles RIGHT ABOVE MY HEAD, it dived. Another check with the binoculars and sure enough it had caught a fish. It was clearly struggling to gain altitude but it found a thermal and rose steadily. As it was searching for the thermals though it flew straight over my head again, giving me a perfect photo opportunity, even with my slightly basic camera. The fish turned out to be a flounder/plaice which will have been pretty unaerodynamic. It's funny this happened because I'd read yesterday in David Attenborough's "The Life of Birds" about how the Osprey manages to cope with the hindrance a fish can be to its flight. Lovely to see it in real life! Pictures will come fairly soon as I've not got the resources to allow that to happen at the moment :)
Yes Findhorn is great in winter for the sea ducks,but I never said you would see them in the bay at this time of year. But you can get anything in the bay and the bushes at this time of year,as it proves you have already had Osprey, have you seen any hooded crows yet, as we got a great picture of one just down the rd from the hide.we also had curlews, sandpipers oyster catchers and ringed plovers, just enloy, if you get to the coast keep an eye out for whales & dolphins.
Seen a pair of Hooded Crows a few times, heard Tawny Owl last night, got clear views of Linnets and Yellowhammers, haven't found the lizards or Stonechats yet. It's a great place!
So, I've finally plucked up the courage to go through the hundreds of photos I took up in Findhorn and here are the better ones!
First off, a young gull which I can't identify. Really need to brush up on my gulls!
Woodpigeon
Whitethroat in the gorse
One of many, many Meadow Pipits
Another one...
The pair of Hooded Crows that kept appearing in various places around the house.
Yellowhammer replaced the familiar Blackbird with its late singing.
One of four Whitethroat fledglings that were hopping about in a Willow.
Yellowhammer; orange sunset.
Seal in the bottom right of the picture.
Another two gulls I cannot identify. Herring?
More to come! I have to crop all the picture I upload to here as they are slightly too big and I'm too lazy to find a way of reducing without cropping, so it takes me a wee while. Coming up, Ospreys, more sunsets, and Ringed Plovers!
Here they are...
One of about 6 Ringed Plovers that warn everybody to get off of their wee area in the bay.
A duck, I'm guessing Eider.
One of the photos I've entered in the countryfile photographic competition. Lovely Ringed Plover who was posing in the light from the sunset.
Sunset in background; seals in foreground.
One of the Ringed Plovers who was chasing me and displaying at me so I pretended to be very intimidated, after getting a nice picture of course.
Findhorn at sundown.
One of the surprisingly few waders I saw whilst there. A Curlew.
A Common Gull. Not as common as their name suggests as far as I'm aware.
Eleven of the hundreds of Starlings that were occupying the bay.
Mr. Yellowhammer, displaying with his wings out to try an attract a mate. I think I ruined it for him as all the females fled when they saw me.
More of the Starlng Squadron.
Couldn't quite decide what these were. mThere were more than two of them but branches were obstructing my view of them. Some sort of finch, had been drinking from a puddle and flew to the safety of the pine trees as I wandered past.
I'm thinking now that it was a mixed group of finches as the one closest looks like a Linnet and the one only showing its head in this next picture looks like a Greenfinch. I'm not sure but that's my guess!
That's it for this installment. Need some lunch and maybe a wee walk outside. Hopefully I'll remember to upload the rest later.
told you there was loads to see well done you, don't always follow the books, but instinct is a great thing, well done you.
Great set of shots Gus, very nice.
Paul
My bird photos HERE