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Scotland Angus
The County of Angus is bounded by a ring of hills on the inland side, with the river North Esk in the north and nearly to the river Tay in the South, with the North Sea on the east and the eastern peaks of the Grampian Hills in the west. This gives a good range of habitats from rocky coast through farmland with small woodlands up to the glens. The whole area is laced with rivers and streams. The Angus glens are oriented roughly NW to SE and the main ones are (from the northernmost) Glen Esk (river North Esk); Glen Lethnot (West Water and Water of Saughs); Glen Clova (South Esk); Glen Prosen (Prosen Water); and Glen Isla (Isla). There are a further fifteen smaller glens leading off the main ones. The main glens rise from 100m to 939m (Mount Keen). The land from the 100m line to the coast is intensively farmed (mainly arable) but areas of woodland break up the scenery. This means a wide range of habitats and hence a good range of birds. Below are some of the places to go birdwatching in Angus, starting with the main reserves: |
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top sites |
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Auchmithie
(NO683443)3 miles north of Arbroath, Cliffs good for puffins in summer.Balgavies Loch
(NO535508)(SWT) 5 miles east of Forfar on the A932. Public viewing point with room for 5 cars and a hide with car park at the west end available to key holders (Keys from Montrose Basin Ranger).Barry Buddon
(NO545320)nr Carnoustie on A930Broughty Ferry Beach
(NO455310)Typical beach birdsCaenlochan National Nature Reserve
(NO210780)Large mountainous plateau with arctic plants and sub-arctic birds. Access from Glen Clova and Glen Isla.Crombie Country Park
(NO528404)6 miles north of Monifieth on B961. A man-made reservoir with surrounding woodlands.Fishtown of Usan
(NO726546)Coastal SiteForfar Loch
(NO440505)Car park at Leisure Centre. Path round loch with public hide at west end.Kinnaber Links
(NO738620)Coastal SiteLoch Lee
(NO430802)16 miles north west of Edzell. Natural loch set in dramatic mountain setting 20-minute walk from car park in Glen Esk.Loch of Kinnordy
(NO360540)(RSPB) 1 mile west of Kirriemuir on B951 Open daily in Spring and Summer and at weekends for the rest of year. Three hides (one accessible to wheelchairs) viewing the loch. There is a large black-headed gull breeding colony. Black necked grebe and ruddy duck. Osprey during summer and pink-footed and greylag geese during autumn/winter.Loch of Lintrathen
(NO280550)(SWT) 8 miles west of Kirriemuir on B951. A SSSI and Ramsar site. Access restricted to key holders (which opens both the car park and hide) as the loch is a public water supply (Keys from Montrose Basin Ranger). There are several parking places on surrounding public roads with good views of the loch. Pink-footed and greylag geese during autumn/winter.Lunan Bay
(NO690510)nr MontroseMonifieth Beach
(NO495321)Monikie Country Park
(NO505380)4 miles north of Monifieth on B961. A man-made reservoir with surrounding woodlands.Montreathmont Forest
(NO580540)(Forestry Commission) 4 miles south of Brechin on A933. Open access from rides on foot only. Mostly conifer plantation with some deciduous trees, open moor and ponds.Montrose Basin
(NO565575)The Montrose Basin Local Nature Reserve covers 1024ha in all. The majority of the reserve lies below the high water mark of ordinary spring tides but, particularly at the western end, there are slightly more elevated areas with zones of salt marsh, reed bed, brackish and fresh water, unimproved grassland and arable land. It contains SSSI's and is a Ramsar site and a Special Protection Area, so is well protected from development. The site is managed by the The Scottish Wildlife Trust. See http://www.montrosebasin.org.uk for more details.Seaton Cliffs
(NO665414)Arbroath (SWT)contributor |
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Andy Wakelin
(Montrose, Scotland)
andy.wakelin@which.net
http://homepages.which.net/~andy.wakelin
county recorder |
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John Ogilvie
23 Church Street, Brechin, Angus. DD9 6HB
(01356) 622672 2)
numbers |
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County Bird - Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos
useful reading |
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Angus & Dundee Bird Report
Copies of the Report are available directly from Brian J. Cartwright, The Woodlands, School Road, Luthermuir, Laurencekirk, Kincardineshire, AB30 1YX. Telephone: (01674) 840220 or E-mail: bj-cartwright@beeb.net Price is ?6.50 including postage and packing. Cheques should be made payable to "Scottish Ornithologists Club".Where to Watch Birds in Scotland
Mike Madders, Julia Welstead Paperback - 332 pages (May 1997) Christopher HelmISBN: 0713644877
Buy this book from NHBS.com
clubs |
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Angus & Dundee Bird Club
http://www.Angusbirding.comAngus and Dundee Bird Club was founded in 1997 and we now have almost 200 members; we have an active Birders Grapevine for our members, a Sea Watching Hide at Lunan bay Angus, Field outings programme and Indoor meetings programme.
Scottish Wildlife - Angus & Dundee Members Centre
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/adbswt/The purpose of these pages is to keep our members informed of what is happening in the Members Centre and at the same time to tell everyone about wildlife in our part of Scotland...
reserves |
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Loch of Lintrathen
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/adbswt/lintrathen.htmFrom late autumn onwards birds flock to the reserve in their thousands - especially greylag geese returning from their summer breeding grounds in Iceland. The geese leave the loch during the daytime to forage over stubble and potato fields and, later in the winter, to graze over grassland. As they return in the late afternoon to their safe roost on the reserve, the noisy skeins of birds filling the sky make an impressive sight and sound...
Montrose Basin
http://www.montrosebasin.org.uk/A major feature of Montrose, on the North East coast of Scotland, is its tidal basin. About 2.5km by 3km and 750 ha in area, it is the basin of the river South Esk and a major site for birds in the area. The Basin is the third most important site in Scotland for wildfowl and waders (behind the Solway and Forth estuaries)
Montrose Basin Wildlife Centre
http://www.montrosebasin.org.uk/Montrose Basin is the 750 hectare enclosed estuary of the South Esk river. Virtuallu untouched by industrial development and pollution, the Basin provides a rich feeding ground for thousands of resident and migrant birds.
RSPB Reserve - Loch of Kinnordy
http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/l/lochofkinnordy/index.aspOn the reserve wildfowl, wading birds and ospreys visit regularly in the spring and summer, when black-necked grebes may also occur. In winter, the reserve is full is wildfowl...
trip reports |
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Travelling Birder
http://www.travellingbirder.com
The Travellingbirder.com birding trip report search engine guides you to 7,000+ birding trip reports on the Internet. You can search for trip reports from a specific country and time of year. Not all these reports are in English. So, if you can’t find the trip report you want on this Fatbirder page… give them a try!
tour operators |
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Birding Pal
http://www.birdingpal.org/Unitedkingdom.htmLocal birders willing to show visiting birders around their area...
places to stay |
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Arndean B&B
http://www.btinternet.com/~arnbog/activity.htmThere is a range of countryside; rivers, forestry, lochs, the gentle Sidlaw Hills or the more mountainous area of the Grampians and Angus Glens with a chance to bag Munros. We hold a collection of local ordnance survey maps and can advise you on suitable walking routes or act as guides for you.
Finavon Farmhouse
http://www.bedandbreakfasts-uk.co.uk/northscotlandframe.htmLocated towards the northern end of the Strathmore Valley five miles north of Forfar and easily accessible from the A90 Dundee/Aberdeen trunk road, Finavon Farmhouse is ideally situated to explore Angus and surrounding counties.
The Haven B&B - Montrose
http://www.thehaven-montrose.co.uk/Some of Europe's finest and unspoilt coastline awaits you on the North east Coastal Trail, and, starting at St. Cyrus, Montrose is close enough to embark on your adventure through rich heritage, breath-taking views and many harbour pubs!
mailing lists |
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Angus Birding Grapevine
http://www.Angusbirding.comList contact:MarkCaunt@hotmail.com
Forum - Click the "Register" button and follow the on screen instructions.
other links |
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Angus Birding
http://angusbirding.homestead.com/The aim of this web site is to provide the Electronic Birding Community with information at there finger tips of what birds are currently about, primarily in the area of Angus and the Eastern Side of Scotland (Aberdeenshire, Highland & Fife). If there is something of interest fairly nearby, then that will get put on too!
Places to watch birds in Angus
http://homepages.which.net/~andy.wakelin/angusbd.htmHere are some of the places to go birdwatching in Angus. A mix of reserves and countryside ranging from cliffs and sea-watching to woodland to mountains.
Tayside Biodiversity Action Plan
http://www.ukbap.org.uk/asp/lbap.asp?ID=486Conservation plans and partners...
artists |
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Artist - Derek Robertson
http://www.derekrobertson.com/index.htmlWildlife artist with some fine portraits of birds...
Photographer - Mark Caunt
http://www.MarkCauntPhotography.comSuperb photos - the Latin American ones are particularly stunning!
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