Boghead Farm, near Auchmithie

I've seen the Corn Bunting a few times while at Boghead and was determined to get a decent photo, Olive always wants proof in the form of a good ID!

I think there were around eight Corn Buntings near the bend at the farm sometimes in the tree with Yellowhammers and  one or two Reed Buntings.

Yellowhammer, male.

Reed Bunting, male.

A rare opportunity, a photo of a Water Rail

One of two Water Rails seen in front of the hide at Balgavies Loch

Auchmithie Cliffs, sea birds

Fulmar

Fulmars nesting

Black-legged Kittiwake

Kittiwakes nesting

Razorbills with a single Guillemot

Auchmithie Cliffs, farmland birds

Meadow Pipit

Yellowhammer

Pied Wagtail

Twite

Peregrine Falcon, female

A female Peregrine being used around the Keptie Pond area to encourage Herring Gulls not to nest in the area. This activity is due to last for many weeks so I intend to go back and try for better shots when it's not blowing through snow.

City Quay in the heart of Dundee, where The Unicorn is bearthed.

Slavonian Grebe

Red Throated Diver

Red Throated Diver

Slavonian Grebes

Broughty Ferry Harbour

Some of the gulls and ducks at Broughty Ferry sheltering from the storm at sea. Reports of dead birds, almost all Auks are coming in and Puffins figure high in the counts.

Ever the opportunists, these Herring Gulls aren't nesting but raking about in a litter bin at Broughty Harbour

A male Eider resting up, there were rafts of Eider all along the Tay Estuary today.

A single Common Gull, there were around a dozen at Carnoustie.

A Lesser Black-backed Gull, note the yellow legs, the Great Black-backed Gull has pink legs

A Slavonian Grebe, probably in the harbour due to the weather.

Balgavies Loch Hide, cold and windy, still snow on the ground

A collection of the birds, mostly Tits visiting the feeders in front of the hide at Balgavies. Other birds seen but not shown here were, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, Mute Swans, Cormorants, Tufted Ducks, Moorhens, Greylag Geese, Buzzard, Grey Heron and Robin.

A Dunnock slightly ahead of the Blue Tit fleeing from an unknown source, maybe a Buzzard or Sparrowhawk I couldn't see.

Blue Tit and Great Tit for comparison.

This male Goldeneye Duck is one of only a few left now.

Coal Tit left, Long-tailed Tit centre and Blue Tit right, I couldn't get one with a Great Tit as well hence the photo below.

Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tits

One of Britain's smallest birds, a Long-tailed Tit, only the tail makes it look bigger than a Goldcrest

Not a native bird as many think but brought here from India.

Song Thrush

Arbroath Harbour and Keptie Pond

Due to the weather the expected spring migrants haven't turned up yet but the water borne predators don't seem to mind with Cormorants and Goosanders at Keptie Pond and Mergansers and Cormorants on the coast and at the harbour.

Cormorant in the harbour

One of six Cormorants at Keptie Pond

One of the three pairs of Goosanders at Keptie Pond

Ducks in flight

Mallards, Shelduck and a female Goldeneye caught in flight.

Female Mallard Duck at Montrose Basin.

Male Mallard Duck at Elliot.

A pair of Shelduck at Montrose Basin.

Female Goldeneye at Montrose Basin.

Forfar Loch, Balgavies, Montrose Basin and Arbroath

As I'd fallen behind in updating this blog I've added various photos from Forfar, Montrose and Arbroath. As well as the birds shown I also managed to get a rare view of a Water Rail at Balgavies, these secretive birds skulk in the reedbeds but at this time of year the reeds have died back and with patience and luck you might see one.

(Left clicking on the first photo of an entry opens the photo and the rest in the entry in Lightroom, or is it Lightbox where you can click through them, click the X button to return to the blog main page)

Birds around Arbroath on Wednesday 13th March

Red-breasted Merganser at Whiting Ness, Arbroath

Common Ringed Plover at Victoria Park, Arbroath

A sleeping Black-headed Gull with   rings.

Redshank in flight at Victoria Park.

The first Lesser black-backed Gull I've seen this year.

A sad looking Turnstone at Victoria Park.

Tree Sparrows and Yellowhammer

Tree Sparrows on the feeders at Montrose Basin Centre, ans one of the many Goldfinches.

One of two Yellowhammers in my front garden, the first time they've ventured away from the more secluded back garden.

Forfar Loch on Tuesday March 12th

Female Bullfinch

Male Bullfinch

Cormorant landing in the Dean Water at the A90 end of Forfar Loch.

The same bird started to feed in the Dean within metres of me before making its way into the Loch.

One of three pairs of Gadwall seen on the Loch.

A single Great Crested Grebe at the west end of the Loch.

This pair of Great Crested Grebes were starting their courtship display but not the full blown thing yet. These are at the east end and in the middle of the Loch hence the photo quality on a dull day.

One of four Long-tailed Tits near the leisure centre.

A Grey Heron hunting on the Loch.