Saturday 28 September 2013

Late but hopefully not the last Butterflies

All of these were on one buddleia bush below the old Lobster Pot hotel in Auchmithie, it just shows how clever planting can enhance a garden.


One of only a few Painted Lady butterflies I've seen this summer
Peacocks are one of the early butterflies which over winter as adults
It's only recently that Red Admirals have been turning up in greater numbers
A very new looking Tortoiseshell getting in on the act

Friday 27 September 2013

Auchmithie and a Grey Wagtail waiting for opening time at the Old Brewhouse

Short but stunning displays of Peregrine Falcons seen from Auchmithie Village, Red Admirals feeding in the sun and a Grey Wagtail sitting on a post outside the Old Brewhouse in Arbroath!






























Thursday 26 September 2013

Two Rarities, Red-breasted Flycatcher and Yellow-browed Warbler

Both of these birds a Red-breasted Flycatcher and a Yellow-browed Warbler are rare migrant birds, the Flycatcher the rarer of them. Both were at the same location on the Angus coast. The warbler was difficult enough to see so I was lucky to get a photo at all, the Flycatcher as you can see was prepared to pose.





Monday 23 September 2013

Last Day of Summer?

On probably the last hot day of the year the surface of Montrose Basin was glassy and with few waders to be seen.

A Black-tailed Godwit to report to the local ringer.
Two Dunlin at different stages of plumage, the right one is closest to winter colours.
A bit blurry but I don't get many chances to get a Greenshank in flight.
An unexpected Great Crested Grebe at the Lurgies. Below a Common Seal lazily cruising near the old harbour.











Montrose Beach

Saturday 21/9/2013 at Montrose beach with the noisy brigade, grandkids. Having scared off the geese and Black-tailed Godwits at Tayock we went to the Splash at Montrose beach where I saw Red-throated Divers and a single Common Scoter quite close inshore.

One of seven divers easily seen from the beach wall and a ringed Starling to report.



ADBC Club Trip - Autumn Migrants

The trip was to Easthaven, Craigmill Den, Arbroath, Auchmithie, SWT Centre Montrose Basin and The Lurgies, also Montrose Basin.

73 species were recorded, including Spotted Flycatcher, Chiffchaff and Kingfishers at two sites. From the top, Spotted Flycatcher, Wheatear and Yellowhammer.




Friday 20 September 2013

Craigmill Den

A Goosander in Craigmill Den!!

This Goosander a juvenile was sitting just above the weir.











One of 5 Buzzards in the air at the same time.
This Dipper is actually from Kelly Den, Elliot.
Grey Wagtail in the gloom.
A moulting Roe Deer.

Easthaven Beach

First Sanderling this Autumn, then below, Bar-tailed Godwits, Redshanks and finally Snipe.


















Wednesday 18 September 2013

Pectoral Sandpiper, Forfar Loch

A rare passage bird, a Pectoral Sandpiper has spent a few days at Forfar Loch. The RSPB have this information about it. "They're scarce passage migrants from America and Siberia. A few are seen in spring, but the vast majority appear in late summer and autumn. Young Pectoral Sandpipers from the eastern coast of North America can be blown over the Atlantic by areas of low pressure. It is the most common North American wading bird to occur here and has even started to breed in Scotland very recently."

Pectoral Sandpiper Video, click here






St Cyrus - Wheatear and Whinchat. Montrose Beach, Red-throated Diver

There were 5 Wheatears passing through at St Cyrus and 2 Whinchats along with Pale bellied Brent Geese, Canada Geese, Common Scoter and Goosanders at sea.

Wheatear on the post and Whinchat on the wire













Red-throated Diver at Montrose beach

Ducks and Geese at Balgavies and Montrose Basin

On 18/9/2013 Pink-footed Geese numbers were building up at Montrose Basin and I estimated 4,000 were present with more coming in throughout the day.

A Barnacle Goose amongst the Pink-footed Geese
A Goldeneye at Balgavies in eclipse plumage
Pin-footed Geese moving as the tide came in
I'm sure these are both male Pintail in eclipse plumage, I've been wrong before!

House Sparrow shortage, not at Fishtown of Usan

This one bush has 51 House Sparrows in it and other bushes around probably had another 100!


Thursday 12 September 2013

Murton Reserve near Forfar - Snipe and Dragonflies

I was pleasantly surprised to see two Snipe feeding on open ground beside the car park pool at Murton, they even tolerated me taking photos. Despite the BBC forecast the weather was warm and still and that brought out Black and Common Darter Dragonflies.

Video here; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEa3j9zQwSs








Wednesday 11 September 2013

Golden Plover - Victoria Park Arbroath

There were some of these Golden Plovers at Victoria Park earlier in the summer when most had black belly plumage, now these have almost lost all of that, they may be the same birds? Curlew on the tide line below the Golden Plovers.

















Easthaven - Bar-tailed Godwits

Low tide at Easthaven and there were 11 Bar-tailed Godwits in front of the car park with some mixed Terns, 2 Dunlin and Oystercatchers. The Yellowhammer was snapped through the webbing at the ADBC Hide.




Monday 9 September 2013

Easthaven 2nd year Mediterranean Gull

This is a different gull from the previous adult I photographed in Arbroath and was on its own foraging in the seaweed 500 metres north of Easthaven. It has a tiny bit of black on the wings which is described in the book as variable in this age group. The black ring on the bill isn't as pronounced as it was on the adult and isn't as bulky yet.


Saturday 7 September 2013

Arbroath Coastline in the sun

Almost high tide and the lack of beach leaves little room for waders to feed but brings them nearer than usual to the camera. I've been trying for a Kittiwake photo like this first one.
















Kittiwake juvenile













Dunlin
Redshank
Ringed Plover
Ringed Plover
Rock Pipit, Arbroath Harbour

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