The last rock sampling visit to Coire an Lochain

I accompanied my niece for the last time today to Coire an Lochain about 90 minutes walk from the Ski Centre at Cairngorm, she was sampling the granite for her university work for the last time. The only wildlife around were Ptarmigan and mostly distant Red Grouse, one of around 12 around the lochan in the corrie.

Greenland White-fronted Goose at Whigstreet

The Pink-footed Geese flock feeding in a field at Whigstreet were keeping their heads down feeding and only showed occasionally when a car passed or when a small group moved position. A large number of the birds were also hidden by a depression in the field so I was lucky (after an hour) to find this goose. A video I also took is a bit shaky as the wind was buffeting the car so much.

Greenland White-fronted Goose

Comparison to a Pink-footed Goose

This is all I saw at first!

The very distant and poor lit Black Scoter photo...........

The poor photo below appears to show the Black Scoter seen recently at Lunan Bay, it was taken on 22/10/2014 about 0900 when there wasn't a great deal of light and at 100 times zoom as it was so far out. I had seen the bird through my scope and was sure I'd found the Black Scoter but since I'd never seen one before I've been cautious about this. Two friends with many years experience have said they agree it's the Black Scoter so I've published it here. The photo has been slightly noise reduced, cropped and brightened a touch.

The bird on the right is the Black Scoter (I believe)

A late Lesser Black-backed Gull at Newburgh, Fife. Or a Scandinavian migrant??

Cormorants at Arbroath Harbour (2 photos amalgamated)

Tree Sparrow in my garden. There might be more than one but our Sparrowhawk is around.

Kestrel, Sanderling and a menacing cloud!!

The Kestrel below was hunting at Buckie Den and caught a vole which it proceeded to eat on the fence post and I did film it but the vibration of the engine running in the car meant the camera went in and out of focus, note, switch off the engine!

This Kestrel had just ripped a vole apart and eaten it, blood on the right talon

Not so common at the West Links, Arbroath, one of two Sanderlings near dusk

Seen from the Gayfield area in Arbroath late in the day

Keptie Pond, Elliot, Inchcape and Montrose

The first two from Keptie Pond and the last two were taken using the auto settings on my Canon SX50, although pleased with them the camera doesn't always focus on the subject.

The low water level at Keptie seems to suit the Shoveler who has been around about a week and it was so windy on the coast I resorted to flight shots as I couldn't keep the camera steady.

I included the "moody" photo of the Snipe, a common view as they get up and disappear very quickly when disturbed in the reeds.

Shoveler Drake, Keptie Pond

Moorhen, Keptie Pond

Common Snipe, Elliot

Black-headed Gull, Inchcape Park

Great Black-backed Gull, Inchcape Park

Greenshank, Lurgies

Little Grebe, Montrose Basin

Buckie Den and Fishtown of Usan

I usually drive by Buckie Den but saw some Linnets in a tree and stopped to have a look and found a Redstart, Stonechat, Tree Sparrows and even two Barnacle Geese in a nearby field. Everything wanted their photo taken with the Stonechat, and as well as those below a Chaffinch and Dunnock also appeared on the fence.

Redstart at Buckie Den

Stonechat at Buckie Den

Barnacle Goose near Buckie Den

Stonechat and Redstart

Blackcap male at Usan

Dunnock, Usan

Stonechat and Tree Sparrow

Tree Sparrows

Kinnordy Bitterns, 15/10/2014

No photo of the elusive Bitterns although I did see two separate birds and later a second sighting of one of them at Kinnordy so this one of Canada Geese flying by will have to do, for now.

A visit to the Kingdom of Fife

An ADBC trip to Fife proved fruitful over the weekend but a return on Monday was not so when the weather was cool, sometimes wet, and windy. We were looking for a Barred Warbler seen at Kilminning but didn't expect one to turn up in the ringers net while we were there. The Spoonbill photographed out on the mud at Guardbridge was a bonus.

Barred Warbler about to be ringed at Fife Ness

Gannet, one of at least 400 flying north at Fife Ness on Monday

Little Grebe from the bridge at Guardbridge

Magpie, taken through the fence mesh at Crail Airfield

Spoonbill, dropped in for two minutes on Sunday at Guardbridge

Willow Warbler in ringers hand where it looks very different from usual views

Curlew Sandpiper and Pink-footed Geese, Tayock

The Curlew Sandpiper I'm assuming is the same one which I've seen around five times over the last month which is losing its peach coloured neck and growing into "faded" plumage. I haven't checked the book but one of the geese is smaller than the other with fresher looking plumage so I've assumed adult and this years youngster.

Curlew Sandpiper, Tayock

Curlew Sandpiper

Pink-footed Goose (juvenile?)

Pink-footed Goose

Purple Sandpipers returning at Arbroath

Over the last few days Purple Sandpiper numbers have increased 300%, there are now four which are usually found with Turnstones and Redshanks on the beach at Inchcape Park or on the breakwater nearby. Other photos from Lunan Bay and Montreathmont Forest.

Purple Sandpiper

Redshanks

Rock Pipit

Turnstones

Sanderlings at Lunan Bay

Hen Pheasant at Montreathmont

Wren in a very shaded spot at Montreathmont

Kestrel and Golden Plover at Victoria Park, Arbroath

With a strong southerly wind coming off the sea at Whiting Ness hovering was made easy for a hunting Kestrel which caught two voles in ten minutes. I also got some good video of the hover and I've included a distant photo of some of 72 Golden Plover out on the rocks near the first shelter.

Note the vole which was quickly eaten before catching another one

Golden Plover

Barnacle Geese, Little Egret and Knot in the Carnoustie area

Two Barnacle Geese resting at low tide near Easthaven and just along the beach at Westhaven a single Knot was feeding with the Redshanks, a further 21 Knot were on the rocks at the low tide line. The Little Egret was feeding in the rock pools in front of the Coastguards at the west end of Westhaven, or is it the east end of Carnoustie.

Barnacle Geese, Craigmill near Easthaven

Little Egret, Westhaven, Carnoustie

Knot at Westhaven