Andrew Whitehouse

This Firecrest was along the north bank at Girdle Ness late afternoon today. Found by Hugh Addlesee, and only my fourth record here. It's also species 152 for the patch year list, which is a record for me. Still a couple of months to extend it!

A Great Spotted Woodpecker enjoying the aerial prospects. It was one of two males busy squabbling in an unlikely location today: a patch of small trees surrounded by new buildings and Aberdeen Harbour.

This Red-breasted Merganser did well to catch a large fish in Aberdeen Harbour today, but then a Goosander bubbled over for some kleptoparasitic manoeuvres.

A colour-ringed male Stonechat at Girdle Ness today. It was probably ringed in Aberdeenshire, although I couldn't see the ring on the right leg that might help narrow down the location.

Both sides of a Jack Snipe, from St Fittick's Park earlier today.

Mute Swans and Little Grebes both have a tendency to wander down the River Dee to Aberdeen Harbour, but it was curious to see the way this grebe stuck very closely to the swans, as if there was some symbiosis or companionship involved.

The new muddy pools at St Fittick's drew out a Jack Snipe this evening, my first of the autumn. I must have happened upon it as it was feeding, but inevitably it saw me first and froze still.

A Merlin, perhaps the same bird as yesterday, ploughing the wave troughs off Girdle Ness this afternoon.

A few Redwings were diving into the hawthorns and rowans at Girdle Ness today, although the highlight was a Merlin, perhaps following them, that flew in off the sea.

Large numbers of Pink-footed Geese were sortieing over Aberdeen yesterday morning in the bright clear autumn light.

A quiet place for Teal. They're starting to gather for the winter on the new pools at St Fittick's, which are quite open to give clear views. The males haven't moved to their bright plumage yet but the flash of emerald speculum still breaks the grey-brown.

A lone Golden Plover crouching furtively on the golf course at Girdle Ness today.

Part of a flock of 70 Barnacle Geese that flew south through Girdle Ness this afternoon, accompanied by a small group of Wigeon.

Delighted to get good views of the Sykes's Warbler at Girdle Ness today. I saw it only briefly yesterday morning, realised it was something significant but was unable to pin it down. Later, I scoped the bushes from home and got it on the house list🙃

Another Yellow-browed Warbler from Girdle Ness today.

My morning trudge round Girdle Ness wasn't a total waste of time, as I found this lovely Rustic Bunting near the Battery. My first record here.

A classic view of Knot is of huge flocks swirling over mudflats but at Girdle Ness we enjoy them in smaller numbers, often perching on shoreline rock outcrops that set off the juveniles' scalloped, peach-tinted charm.