Birdwatching around the Ythan Estuary by Sandy Anderson, from Scottish Bird News No 24 (December 1991)
Viewed from a bus or car on the way to Newburgh, this part of north-east Scotland may not be altogether favourable. The almost treeless, windswept farmland of the Buchan plain, however, hides its pleasant surprise until the last minute, down by the coast.
The estuary of the River Ythan and its immediate surroundings has long been a Mecca for the birdwatcher, and with good reason. In a day, one may become acquainted with terns breeding on sand dunes, Eiders diving on mussel beds, waders on mudflats and wildfowl on nearby lochs. A fifteen minute car ride from here takes one to the compact seabird cliff at Bullers of Buchan just north of Cruden Bay, but Newburgh has its own bird cliffs as part of Sands of Forvie National Nature Reserve. The changing seasons present their varied bird-life interests throughout the year, from breeders through passage migrants to winter visitors in large numbers.
The bird-life of the Ythan Estuary has not changed greatly since George Dunnet wrote on the subject in Scottish Birds in 1963. The village of Newburgh, however, has grown considerably since then, in response to the 1970s oil boom. Main Street looks much as it did a hundred years ago, but the influx of a commuting population has inevitably brought additional pressures to bear on the finite resources of this much-sought-after piece of countryside. The colourful sails of surfboards are now seen regularly on the middle reaches of the estuary. Fishermen and sport shooters need their space as do dog walkers, birdwatchers and others. After an initial outcry about who can do what and where, we seem to have resolved these problems with some advantages for the birdwatcher. These include improved parking, access and facilities at Forvie Reserve and a large, comfortable hide with wheelchair access at Waulkmill, overlooking the mudflats on the upper reaches. The NCC Forvie Centre near Collieston, with its wildlife pond and display of wild flowers, is well worth a visit and the Walkmill hide has a bird log in which visitors volunteer up-to-date information on local sightings.
Newburgh is only thirteen miles north of Aberdeen; two miles after the turn-off on the A92 at the 'Little Chef' restaurant. There is a regular bus service from the city and accommodation is available throughout the year at the two village hotels. The Ythan Hotel also maintains a camping and caravan site and there are a few bed-and-breakfasts in the village.
The coast and river mouth
The Ythan estuary is tidal for just over four miles so tide tables are essential. Waders, for example, may feed in surrounding fields during high water or become invisible on the inaccessible Inch Geck Island; a favoured roosting place at this time for Cormorants also. That the estuary is only 700 yards across at its widest, however, is an advantage to the birdwatcher. It is worth remembering that there is a time lag of one hour for high water at Sleek of Tarty.
The visitor arriving from the south should call first at Newburgh beach (turn right at Ythan Hotel). From a high sand dune the view can be exquisite, embracing the mainly heather-clad Sands of Forvie N.N.R. lying between the estuary and the North Sea. Its coastal fringe of sandy beach merges after a couple of miles with the seabird cliffs of the north-east coastline. Just across the estuary mouth is a vast sand dune (reputedly one of the largest in Europe) around which is the breeding place of four species of terns: Sandwich, Common, Arctic and Little, numerically in that descending order with over 1000 successful breeding pairs of Sandwich Terns. The Little Tern is often least successful because of its habit of nesting toward the high water mark where it is prone to disturbance by walkers and anglers. The tern breeding season is from April to July and they must not be disturbed by visitors then. When shoals of herring fry and sand eels enter the estuary on the flow, the clamour that erupts among diving terns of all four species is a memorable sight and it can be closely watched from the south shore. July draws skuas, mainly Arctic, to the river mouth to harry the terns. Pomarines may be seen from time to time and, rarely, the Long-tailed Skua.
It is at Newburgh beach when the tide is low that the Eiders are most easily watched while they feed on submerged mussel beds. Some 6000 birds have been recorded in the estuary. Large numbers nest on the Forvie Moor. The offspring are brought in large crèches to feed on snails, shrimps and other invertebrates on the mud-flats further upstream, protected from gulls by 'aunts' and parents. During the past few years the estuary has been visited both in winter and summer by single male King Eiders (two last year!) in breeding plumage. They draw admiring humans from all over Britain and it is not unusual, as a local, to be stopped and asked "where is the king" by a bus-load of birders. Although it may be seen at any mussel bed between the river mouth and Newburgh Bridge, a little time spent sitting at the ruined Mussel House at the end Road could pay off.
The river mouth in winter has plenty to offer by way of other duck species such as Scaup, Long-tailed Duck and Red-breasted Merganser. Common and Velvet Scoter have been seen in recent years and the odd Guillemot and Razorbill seeks shelter from offshore. Among the sand dunes nearby, flocks of up to 200 Snow Buntings forage in winter.
The middle reaches
Extensive mussel beds in the middle reaches of the estuary play host, not only to a large proportion of the Eider population, but also to many Oystercatchers and Turnstones. To see waders in large numbers we must press on to the mudflats of Tarty Burn and the Sleek. On the left as we leave the village is Aberdeen University's Culterty Field Station, internationally renowned in the field of animal ecology. A brief stop to talk to one of its ornithologists, if available (the research that goes on here is in invertebrate as well as vertebrate ecology), would prove interesting, as would a walk around the six acres of woods and ponds there. At Newburgh Bridge, one walks the few hundred yards north from the car park to the Tarty Burn. Here the Tarty enters the Ythan and the great mudflat of the Sleek opens up. Some years ago a pair of Spoonbills dabbled here for several days. The Sleek with its masses of birds is too extensive to cover by binoculars or even telescope from this angle and it is best to proceed west a few yards, to the small mudflat at the bend of the Tarty Burn, carefully avoiding disturbance to the birds. Curlews, Ringed Plovers, Bar-tailed Godwits (Black-tailed were reported recently), Knot, Golden and Grey Plover, Greenshank and Snipe have been seen at close quarters here, depending on season. Pools in nearby fields may produce Spotted Redshank and Ruff.
A rough guide to the seasonal presence of some common waders on the Ythan gives peak numbers of Curlew in July, Redshank and Oystercatcher in August, Golden Plover and Knot in September, Lapwing in November and Dunlin in January. Many of those species may be present in varying numbers throughout the year and, interestingly, most have shown an increase in recent years.
On the way to the hide at Waulkmill, pull into one of the two little car parks across from the Snub. The southern one gives a good view of north Sleek where Shelduck fight over territories; this is an important feeding area where adults bring their ducklings from nests as distant as Forvie Moor. On the river, at high tide, a few Cormorants, Goldeneye and some hundreds of Wigeon may be seen although the latter have declined in numbers recently. Mute Swans favour this section also, and a sweep with binoculars around the field could reveal a flock of Whooper Swans. Waulkmill hide is well-maintained thanks to the N.C.C. Warden, Bob Davis, and his helpers. From it, if you have timed the tide properly, the mudflat will have a good assortment of waders, including godwits, Curlew and Whimbrel. Up to 100 Curlew Sandpipers have been seen here. Flocks of Greylag and Pinkfoot sometimes seek refuge on the river or feed in the fields across from the hide. Gulls of several species, sometimes thousands, also use this area as a pre-roost gathering site.
The lochs
Meikle Loch and Cotehill Loch are just over a mile from the Waulkmill hide. Ruddy Duck are frequently present at both. Cotehill is more easily observed from the road and has a fair reputation for the odd rarity, such as Wilson’s Phalarope in 1984. It also maintains a number of Coots, Moorhens and dabbling ducks. Meikle Loch must not be missed. I tend to take my visitors there just before sunset when the geese fly into roost; tens of thousands of Pinkfeet can appear in the area in early autumn and thousands of Greylag in spring. In good light, the odd Snow Goose, White-front, Barnacle or Brent may be picked out. Whilst waiting for the grand show, there are plenty of Shoveller, Teal, Goldeneye and other ducks to watch. The approach to Meikle Loch is by a short, rough track on the left off the A975.
If you wish to explore the Sands of Forvie N.N.R. fully as well as the Ythan estuary, I suggest that you get a very early start! It is a place of great historical and biological interest and is worthy of a day visit itself. I do recommend a walk (one mile) downstream from its car-park at Newburgh Bridge. Moorland birds such as Wheatear and Meadow Pipit are in the heathland and the occasional Short-eared Owl is recorded. In its 32-year history, Forvie has been shown to be of outstanding importance for birds, listing 225 species of which 43 are regular breeders. The walk, if continued as far as the tern colony, can be rewarding, with views from a hide at appropriate times.
Finally, may I point out that, for birdwatching on the Ythan, welly boots or even a motorcar are not essentials but O.S. maps, Landranger Series sheets 30 and 38, are helpful. Leaflets on the Sands of Forvie N.N.R. may be had from Bob Davis, Little Collieston Croft, Collieston, by Ellon.
