East Haven Webs Survey - January 2026

   
Birds from my Webs (Wetland Bird Survey) seen on Monday when the beach was less busy than weekends are. It was a bit dull and gloomy, but perhaps better than it would have been on the preferred date, Sunday.

The video below from Forfar Loch was filmed in mist but I've managed to adjust the gamma, which has improved the original. A drake Pochard was still at Rescobie on the same day (Monday).

Ring-necked drake and Scaup both males at Forfar Loch - together , click for video

Grey Plover

Redshank, Grey Plover and Turnstone

Dunlin

Redshanks

Wigeon drake left, duck to the right

Sanderlings

Meadow Pipit

Stonechat male

Carrion Crow

Arbroath Harbour Cormorant et al

   
A few photos from Arbroath Harbour in-between cloud, drizzle, rain and wind, but helped by the various birds who have become tolerant of the fishermen in the working harbour. It will be a long time before I get Cormorant photos as good as these.

Tagged on at the bottom of this post, an Eider and an arty photo of a Grey Seal with an unusual reflective photo.

Arbroath Harbour Webcam, various views as the camera circulates

A Cormorant was patrolling the harbour edge and seemed oblivious of me sitting amongst the creels, it came so close at one point that the camera started to lose focus

Two Little Grebes, an apparent pair were resting in a dark corner in-between short fishing sessions in the harbour

I can't plan photos like this one as the birds go where they like. Luckily the Little Grebe swam through the reflections of one of the colourful creel boats

This Grey Heron certainly liked AH35, it would fly off if the fishermen were working too close, but always returned

 

Just two Turnstones seen, although I didn't search all of the boats and harbour

Usually the first bird to spot danger and warn every other bird. This Redshank tolerated me as it fed on a boat only a few metres away as I stood behind a lamp-post

A lonely drake Eider at Victoria Park

This Grey Seal (with four eyes) was cruising near the Slunks on a slack neap tide

Waxwings belatedly, Monifieth

   
The first day of 2026 when I thought it worth going out with my camera, the forecast seemed acceptable, but wasn't when I got to Monifieth!

Montrose Port Authority webcam     

I eventually went to see the Waxwings in Monifieth, they were feeding in the bushes between the the Barry Buddon access road inland from the caravan site

This was one of only two photos where the sun lit up the plumage of these colourful visitors

Quite a bit of both ponds at Monikie were still frozen over, the ice free sections didn't have many species or numbers. Perhaps something will turn up, maybe even on Olive's hairdresser day in Carnoustie when my driving skills will be needed!

The Mute Swans and Mallards were taking the opportunity to bath and preen

This is a screen grab from Montrose Port Authority webcam, the camera is situated near the road bridge and looks seaward down the estuary and harbour. It looks like a section of ice surrounds the ship, more clips showed it slowly moving upstream. Or are they pumping out the bilges?