RIP, the first of many no doubt

The male Sparrowhawk has returned and was seen in Olive's garden taking and plucking a juvenile House Sparrow, I eventually got the ring on a Starling, Swifts are occasionally coming in and two photos from Montrose Basin at low tide today.

RIP the Spuggie...........gone to be a Sparrowhawk chicks lunch nearby

A ringed Starling back in my garden, the first time I've seen it since the start of May. This time I've managed to read the metal ring and report it. Unusually it only has one colour ring having figured out how to remove the other two as a few birds do according to the ringer.

Still not a good Swift photo and they'll soon be gone again, just to dull and they're so fast

Black-headed Gull at the Lurgies with a small flounder

Only one Pink-footed Goose today but the other nine or ten may still be at Montrose Basin somewhere

Killiecrankie

I got the offer of a trip to Faskally to paint some caravan decking so accepted and went to the Pass of Killiecrankie looking for Wood Warblers and Pied Flycatchers instead. I did see one Wood Warbler but I had to spend what seemed like a lifetime looking before getting a decent but brief view. The paths were a bit busy but I also found a Nuthatch on one of the side paths and a Spotted Flycatcher on it's favourite perch. During my trip which was in good conditions I covered 6 miles and only saw two butterflies, both Ringlets.

Nuthatch in a shady corner

Spotted Flycatcher on it's perch

Herring Gull at the Old Brewhouse in Arbroath taken while waiting for my white pudding supper.