Thursday 28 April 2016

Photos from another winter week....................

Some photos from Montrose, St Cyrus, Murton and Forfar Loch, nothing new as migrants seem to holding back due to the weather.

The link below refers to Avian Pox which the Dunnock photographed below at Montreathmont Forest has, a second bird was seen earlier at the Montrose Basin Twite feeding area.

IMPORTANT - Avian Pox info, click here,


Guillemot on the South Esk Estuary, Glaxo area. Note, it's a bridled one or will be when it gets adult plumage


Herring Gull, Ferryden


Raven chicks at St Cyrus


Sandwich Tern, can you see the sand eel it's dropped, it retrieved it before it landed in the water


Sandwich Tern, Montrose


Skylark at St Cyrus


St Cyrus Beach, or is it some exotic location


Common Sandpiper, Forfar Loch


Dunnock with and eye problem in Montreathmont Forest


Lesser Redpoll at Murton NR


Magpie at Forfar Loch


Look closely as this Reed Bunting has a crossbill!


Robin as requested by Olive


One of very many Sand Martins at Forfar Loch


Woodpigeon at the car park at Forfar Loch


Sunday 24 April 2016

Easthaven White Wagtails...........at last

I'd seen a couple of White Wagtails at Easthaven but hadn't managed a photo in the shimmer of the heat rising from the sand but got a few at last. I've also found time to sort out a few videos from last week which are at the links below. The Ring Ouzel was taken on a windswept hillside at Lochlee, and the Sandpiper and Dipper feeding at Dalbrack Bridge in Glenesk.

Ring Ouzel video, click here,

Common Sandpiper video, click here,

Dipper video, click here,

I searched online and studied the books for a definitive description of a White Wagtail and am happy to conclude this bird is one. The upper photo shows the bib and the lower photo shows the grey rump and when comparing with Pied Wagtails on the beach this bird was distinctively different. This year as previously the White Wagtails weren't easy to approach but the resident Pied's were comfortable at less than 10 metres.


White Wagtail at Easthaven Beach





Saturday 23 April 2016

A Keptie Pond first - Common Sandpiper

Thought to be a first sighting at Keptie Pond today a Common Sandpiper along with new Coot chicks, Swallows, Sand Martins, Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler.


Common Sandpiper


Coots


Sand Martin

Thursday 21 April 2016

Ring Ouzel, Common Sandpiper and even Dolphins - from three days this week

In reverse time order starting with photos from Glenesk and Lochlee, including Ring Ouzel and Common Sandpipers amongst a few others. The following day at Easthaven I found my first Whimbrels of the season and two White Wagtails which couldn't be photographed into the heat shimmer! Murton NR is still hosting a single Black-tailed Godwit, two Common Sandpipers, a number of Willow Warblers but no sign today of Little Ringed Plover.

Finally, three photos from Seaton Cliffs, Arbroath and the two noisy Herring Gulls who think they're going to nest on my dormer but they'll be discouraged as in previous years.


Common Sandpiper, Dalbrack, Glenesk


Common Sandpiper, Lochlee


Meadow Pipit, Invermark


Pheasant, Invermark


Red-legged Partridge, from the car in Glenesk


Ring Ouzel, Lochlee


Also Lochlee, but never close


Song Thrush, Invermark


Whimbrels at Easthaven


Shelducks fighting over women


Black-tailed Godwit at Murton NR


Willow Warbler also at Murton


A Cormorant who had found a shoal of Sand Eels and was catching one every 10 seconds at Whiting Ness, Arbroath


Bottle-nose Dolphins heading north at Arbroath Cliffs


Fulmar, also Arbroath Cliffs


Herring Gulls on my roof





Monday 18 April 2016

Scurdie Ness - Gannet, Purple Sandpipers and Wheatear

Still searching the coastline today for anything rare and interesting and the first photos are of birds found between Mains of Usan farm and Scurdie Ness Lighthouse. The last two are from St Vigeans where I'm keeping an eye out for the Dippers and Grey Wagtails.


Gannet


Purple Sandpiper with breeding plumage growing in


Wheatear


Turnstone in part breeding colours


Teal pair still hanging around at St Vigeans


Song Thrush at St Vigeans, now feeding chicks


Sunday 17 April 2016

Little Ringed Plover and Long-tailed Ducks

The first three are from in-between hail showers at Murton NR and the Little Ringed Plovers were appropriately in front of the sign telling visitors about them. The Black-tailed Godwit has been hanging around at Murton for a few days, feeding hard to fuel its trip north to breed.

I'd gone to Lunan Bay in a vain search for a Shore Lark but was rewarded with at least eight Long-tailed Ducks in summer plumage, five Sandwich Terns and eighteen Sanderling yet to get their summer colours.

Little Ringed Plover video, click here,                       Black-tailed Godwit video, click here,


Little Ringed Plover male (yellow eye ring and black facial markings, female ring less obvious and markings brown)


Birdwatcher watching


Black-tailed Godwit



One of five Sandwich Terns fishing in Lunan Bay


Male Long-tailed Duck in summer plumage


Drake, and duck almost in summer plumage


Sanderling just showing the start of a moult into summer plumage


A 1st summer Guillemot, Lunan Bay


Meadow Pipit, also Lunan Bay




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