The black stork stayed around until almost the end of the month and the great white egret was definitely still here on 30 Aug. The autumn migration seems to have got well under way with falls of migrants all along the east coast – over the last week, the Plantation yielded lesser whitethroat, pied and spotted flycatchers, garden warblers, a couple of whinchat and a greenish warbler, one of our visitors encountered a long-eared owl by Tower Pool hide, and another met a wryneck between Fen and Bay hides on 26 Aug, and a bee eater flew over the Plantation heading south on 29 Aug, bringing the Reserve Year list to 161. With the strong winds currently battering the area, the weekend might be a good time to get out looking!
Long eared owl – Oliver Mockridge
Wryneck – Ally Barron
Our new office build has finally got the green light, so that will be starting in the very near future. Although we're really quite excited about this (after all, we've been waiting long enough!) it will inevitably mean disruption in and around the Visitor Centre, including some closure of the VC and the toilet block. We’ll try to keep you informed of what’s happening – follow us on Facebook/Twitter (RSPB Aberdeen and North East Scotland) for the most recent information.