Glossy Ibis at Mains of Usan

   
A Glossy Ibis was found in a field at Mains of Usan by James A Wolstencroft on Friday 10th October and was still feeding in the field and burn on 14/10/2025 when these photos of it with a Stickleback were taken. It was very unphased by people walking through the field, it would just fly into the burn near the beach.

Two UHD videos on the blue links below...

Glossy Ibis feeding in the burn   Filmed on my Nikon Z8, handheld

Glossy Ibis feeding in mud and cattle dung   Filmed on my Nikon P1000 (125 zoom)

It dropped the Stickleback behind its right leg

Retrieved the Stickleback

Breaking off the spines?

Now lined up head first

Perfect positioning

Past the point of no return

Barnacle Geese, Peregrine and Black Swan

Olive and I took the opportunity of the warm weather on Monday to venture down to the Wigeon Hide at Montrose Basin. On the way along the farm track I spotted a raptor which I couldn't see well in the light but I decided it was a female Sparrowhawk. Later a juvenile Goshawk was photographed at the Lurgies, so it's possible it was the bird I'd seen, but I will never know for sure.

In front of the hide we saw a flock of 23 Barnacle Geese which eventually came as close as was possible without leaving the high tideline. Also 3 Pintails, 2 drakes and one duck, a juvenile Peregrine which looked big enough to be female, and well out in the basin the long-staying Black Swan. Curlews, Redshanks, Dunlin and large numbers of Wigeon and Pink-footed Geese were present with a few Golden Plover and Black-tailed Godwits. As the tide became full many of the birds moved right to the south and some shelter from an increasing wind.


Barnacle Geese, Wigeon Hide      Peregrine juvenile      First Pintails this season (distant)      The wandering Black Swan

Some of 23 Barnacle Geese which I watched fly in almost directly in front of the Wigeon Hide at Montrose Basin

This juvenile Peregrine took a break from chasing waders and landed next to the small headland south of the hide, on the limit of my P1000. I wonder is the red/orange near it's leg could be a ring, I'll look at the video for a screen grab...

Gannets fishing, Mergansers surfing, Arctic Skua hunting

   
Videos from the public viewing platform at Lunan Bay, Angus. In the first video the juvenile Gannet was nearly 400 metres away.

Juvenile Gannet fishing in shallows      Gannets offshore      Arctic Skua splice clip      Red-breasted Mergansers zoom 

Red-breasted Mergansers in small surf      Hedgehog in my garden      Red Admiral      Nettle-tap Moth

Red-breasted Merganser male