BIRDS AT THE SPEY ESTUARY – JULY 2013 (1)
MUTE SWAN Peak count was 20 on 19th, fewer towards the end of the month.
WHOOPER SWAN The injured bird remained throughout the month.
BRENT GOOSE A most unusual record of one on the Kingston side of the estuary on 7th.
SHELDUCK A flock of 12 in mid month included 11 fledged juveniles and one adult. Only 4 remained by the end of the
month.
WIGEON Three on 9th was the only record.
MALLARD Highest count was 68 on 16th.
EIDER Offshore, four on 9th, one on 19th and two on 25th.
COMMON SCOTER Ten offshore on 9th and two on 12th.
GOLDENEYE Two on 27th were the first to return after the breeding season.
GOOSANDER The moulting flock of females is rather smaller than in recent years. Peak counts were 79 on 9th and 65 on
27th.
RED-THROATED DIVER One on 25th was the only record.
GREY HERON More numerous with the arrival of juveniles after the breeding season. Maximum count was seven on
22nd.
GANNET Variable numbers offshore – most numerous on 30th when 45 were fishing over the sea.
CORMORANT One on 9th. As usual, very scarce on the estuary in mid summer.
OSPREY A daily visitor to the lower stretches of the river and the estuary. Most at one time were three on 27th.
OYSTERCATCHER A large flock of 76 on 19th but usually less than ten.
RINGED PLOVER Best counts were 17 on 9th and 19th, and 20 on 30th.
LAPWING Present throughout the second half of the month in small numbers – maximum 14 on 19th.
KNOT Adults, still retaining breeding plumage, were present on 24th (2), 25th (1), 27th (14) and 29th (9).
SANDERLING Unusually large numbers. First were three on 16th, increasing to 23 on 19th, 25 on 29th and 15 on 30th.
CURLEW SANDPIPER Two adults in partial breeding plumage on 25th-27th, and one on 31st.
DUNLIN Rapid increase early in the month from 16 on 9th and 11 on 12th to 165 on 16th. Consistently high numbers
thereafter with highest count of 185 on 27th.
SNIPE One on 19th.
BLACK-TAILED GODWIT Four adults in breeding plumage on 19th.
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BIRDS AT THE SPEY ESTUARY – JULY 2013 (2)
WHIMBREL Two on 19th, 12 on 23rd, eight on 25th and 16 on 29th.
CURLEW The usual late summer flock had built up to 270 by 19th.
COMMON SANDPIPER Ten or more around the estuary all month.
GREENSHANK One daily from 22nd, with two on 29th.
REDSHANK A large flock of 36 on 12th were the first of the month. Thereafter, usually up to five but 17 on 27th.
TURNSTONE One on 29th-31st was the first to return.
KITTIWAKE Regular offshore but only seen on the estuary on 9th (8) and 29th (4).
COMMON GULL Regular in small numbers – no count exceeding 20.
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL Three on 16th and two on 24th.
HERRING GULL Highest counts were 570 on 12th and 575 on 16th. Smaller numbers later in the month.
GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL The usual late summer build up continued, with 78 on 12th and 121 on 24th.
LITTLE TERN One on 23rd.
SANDWICH TERN Only occasionally one or two on the estuary until the end of the month when numbers rapidly
increased to 25 on 27th and 66 on 29th.
COMMON TERN and ARCTIC TERN Both species commonly seen offshore and around the river mouth where numbers
built up to a maximum of 155 on 12th – of which about 110 were Arctic and 45 Common. Fewer in the second half of the
month except a mixed flock of 110 on 29th.
GUILLEMOT and RAZORBILL A distant flock of 76 unidentifiable auks on 12th – usually absent.
WHITE WAGTAIL One on 29th was an early returning migrant.