Craigmill Den looking for a Spotted Flycatcher, not found

In the Den today, Whitethroat, Linnet, Yellowhammer, Goldfinch, Robin, Wren, Blackbird, Dunnock, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Dipper and amongst others new Starling fledglings which also were seen at Easthaven and back home in my garden, synchronised fledging!

Looking a bit ragged I'll hazard this is a male standing guard, the first Dipper I've seen for a while in Craigmill

Goldfinches in the Den and at Easthaven today

Just sit on a seat at Easthaven and they turn up for a photo,. This male Reed Bunting was only metres in front of me

This years new Starling, it looks like it's looking for food but is being fed by an adult

This Whitethroat was singing in a tree above the path in Craigmill Den

Some photos from Elliot near Arbroath

Sedge Warblers, Reed Buntings, Linnets, Yellowhammers and Meadow Pipits as well as a Mallard with twelve ducklings.

From the top, a male Linnet, a Meadow Pipit, a Sedge Warbler and a Yellowhammer

Keptie Pond, Arbroath

Predation of Mallard, Coot and Moorhen young seems to be a big problem and I couldn't find the two ducklings from Tuesday and three Coots had two young each and one Moorhen had one. A single Sedge warbler, a Willow Warbler, a Wren and a Dunnock were seen this week. There were 23 Herring Gulls and 7 Lesser Black-backed Gulls on the pond today.

Coot chicks, they're not pretty

Some kind of hybrid domestic duck I presume? There were another two  which appeared paired, all have turned up this week.

Fowlsheugh Nature Reserve

This is a sea bird haven with many thousands of Guillemots, Kittiwakes, Razorbills and some Puffins which we didn't see on this visit. The gulley near the car park also had Linnets, a Sedge Warbler, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Blackbirds and Song Thrush.

This is one of the late Kittiwakes still collecting nest material, either grass or soil/peat from the cliff path.

Guillemots precariously perched on the cliffs

Kittiwake

Meadow Pipit

Sedge Warbler

Song Thrush

St Cyrus National Nature Reserve

A quick visit in early evening to St Cyrus where it was difficult to find many of the nesting birds, those seen were, Skylark, Willow Warbler, Fulmar, Jackdaw, Dunnock and a Carrion Crow which watched us as we visited the old graveyard. Two young looking Roe Deer were also feeding on the dunes and had almost got their new summer coats.

Carrion Crow

Roe Deer

Keptie Pond and St Vigeans, both Arbroath

The continued lack of young birds at Keptie Pond would suggest more predation by the Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls. All I could find were two Mallard Ducklings, two Coot chicks and one Moorhen chick. The original/resident pair of Mute Swans are still being kept at the east end of the pond by the new pair and the new male is guarding the area where his mate is sitting, the new male appears larger than the original.

Seeing the small birds singing in the trees at St Vigeans is becoming more difficult now the leaves are out and I was lucky to see a Treecreeper which may be the one I saw on occasions in the winter. The field on the south side of the nature trail is now almost dry having been drained by the farmer who now has cattle in it. The field on the north side now has an Aberdeen Angus Bull in with the cows.

Aberdeen Angus Bull

Jackdaw at the pond

How long will these two last and how many were originally hatched?

Treecreeper at St Vigeans, high in the trees

Willow Warbler at the pond, more seen at St Vigeans

I could hear this Wren singing as I stepped out of the car at Keptie Pond

Hill Walk in Glen Prosen

On a bright and sunny day in Glen Prosen west of Glen Prosen Lodge we saw 1 Red Kite, a male Cuckoo and Wheatear, also Curlew, Red Grouse, Lapwing, Meadow Pipits and Common Sandpiper.

Cuckoo at Runtaleave, very wary and I couldn't get a close shot before it flew off

Great Crested Grebes at Forfar Loch (quick visit on the way to Prosen)

House Martin looking for mud

Red Grouse

Red Kite

Sedge Warbler also at Forfar Loch

Swallow on some of the building constructions taking place at Glen Prosen Lodge

Wheatear

Isle of May trip, the inevitable photos of Puffins!

Isle of May birds and one from Dundee City Quay

Gannet photographed from the boat between Anstruther and Isle of May

Great Black-backed Gull following the boat towards Anstruther

A young Grey Seal at the Isle of May

Note that two of these Guillemots are described as "bridled" referring to the white marking around the eye. I was advised this was a variation and seen more the further north the birds are found.

Lesser Black-backed Gull, there were large numbers nesting on the island

This Shag is ringed and I hope to see it in Arbroath harbour next winter, some Shags seen there last winter were ringed on the Isle of May

The Red -throated Diver here has an injury which looks to be permanent to its left wing which probably accounts for it still being in City Quay in May

Isle of May Trip, views in both directions

Angus and Dundee Bird Club trip to the Isle of May.

Anstruther from The Isle of May Princees

Isle of May

Arbroath Cliffs, including small butterflies and very large mammals

Collared Dove at East Seaton

Dolphins passing Dickmonts Den

Male Eider ready for an easy summer having completed his duty during the breeding season

Great Black-backed Gull patrolling and looking for newborn chicks which are late this year

Green-veined White butterfly, there were many along the cliffs and unusually small

House Martins gathering mud and soil for nest building

Meadow Pipit at the top of the cliffs

Rock Pipit further down the cliff

This Shag appears to be ringed but I can't read the number

This Skylark took cover in the strawberry poly tunnels

One of the Starlings seen approaching nests in the roofs of building at East Seaton

A male Yellowhammer near the poly tunnels, and below a female near Victoria Park