Little Gulls and a first Wheatear for 2017

There were 42 Little Gulls today on the Island Pond at Monikie CP hunting flies in a strong wind which also made photography a bit awkward. These gulls pass through on their northward migration and won't stay very long at all. I searched the beach at Westhaven later in the hope of a Wheatear which I didn't get and found one when checking if the Purple Sandpipers were still at Arbroath, success.

Little Gull, a 1st winter bird

Little Gull adult

Another youngster

Wheatear at Inchcape, Arbroath a first for the year. I was late for my tea when I delayed to get this quick shot

Redshanks at Westhaven looking for a safe and undisturbed roost near high tide

Ringed Plover at Inchcape where 24 Purple Sandpipers remain

Murton NR and surprise Siskins

A temporary, fruitless, but short search for a first seasons Osprey left me chasing a better photo of the Green Sandpiper still at Murton but it was kept moving by the ranger in his wee truck, noisy teenagers and two "non teenagers" who should have known better and strayed from the paths, well actually never went near them almost walking along the shore of the pond!

Better than the previous photos but could be so much better if it showed when it was sunny and it was left in peace....

In front of the Gladstone Hide

Spooked by some random machinery noise

Pintail pair but never near the hide before the "canny walkers" scared everything away

Still some Wigeon around, these near the Stewart Hide

Reed Bunting through the dirty windows of the hide

I almost never get Siskins in my garden and usually only when the weather is hard so this pair were a big surprise this morning and were even in the front garden for a while

Partnership For Action Against Wildlife Crime Map

Red-necked Grebe, New Hide, Lintrathen

The Red-necked Grebe remains at Lintrathen, Ravens in numbers at Backwater and a flyby from a pair of Crossbills, my first seen this year.

Red-necked Grebe at Lintrathen Loch, photo from the New Hide

Red-necked Grebe at Lintrathen Loch, photo from the New Hide

Red-necked Grebe at Lintrathen Loch, photo from the New Hide

Raven, one of seventeen seen northeast of Glenhead Farm, Backwater Dam. There must be a carcass on the hill where they had gathered

The male of a pair of Crossbills which flew through the picnic area at Backwater Dam. Unfortunately I was on the wrong end of the sunlight for the male and too slow getting the camera from the car for the female which landed on the cables in front of the car!!

Green Sandpiper - video and dodgy stills

A chance meeting while counting Chiffchaffs at Keptie Pond when I was told the Green Sandpiper I'd seen at Murton was still around had me going there late in the afternoon before the car park closed and it was a success. Also a couple of Chiffchaff photos showing two distinctly different variants.


Green Sandpiper video (zoomed), click here            Green Sandpiper and Snipe, click here

Green Sandpiper, as always far away and shaded, photo from my Canon SX60

It wandered even further away....

Siberian Chiffchaff, I think I've managed to confirm there are two Siberians and one Chiffchaff at Keptie but there may even be more birds. As well as being hidden in the cover they are mobile around four small copses and sometimes the island and the gorse on the hill. Not the prettiest warbler around is it, but does look better in the light

Chiffchaff, typical brown above and yellow below

This Coot is nesting near the bank under the cover of some bushes

It looks like the Grey Herons have moved their prospective nest site further around the island at Keptie Pond. This one wasn't fishing but drinking in the corner where the trees have been cut down!

Siberian Chiffchaff confirmed at Keptie Pond, Arbroath

The probable Siberian Chiffchaff responded to a call today and was confirmed by an experienced birder and later seen by more wise men. A few photos taken later in the day below, and I'm sure a visit earlier on a sunny day will produce some good shots of an unwary bird, albeit always in cover. Again today I saw another Chiffchaff a common being chased away by the Siberian.

Siberian Chiffchaff, it stopped moving for about two seconds

Higher in the small trees into poor light in late afternoon

Long-tailed Tit. There were two Long-tailed Tits, a Dunnock, a Robin and a Wren in the same small copse

Siberian Chiffchaff "probable", still not confirmed

Another afternoon at Keptie Pond chasing the elusive possible Siberian Chiffchaff. I did get a view of the Chiffchaff and it's a good bet it is a Siberian but I'll need a photo or someone else to confirm.

Plenty of action at the pond while I was there to keep me entertained though with the Mute Swans driving off the last of the cygnets and a pair of Grey Herons building a nest. Also a few Lesser Black-backed Gulls, mating Wood Pigeons and some Mallard drakes trying to drown another drake! Just my luck that I'd put the teleconverter on for the Chiffchaff so couldn't get the swans when closer to me, heyho.....

( PC Monitor re-calibrated, should improve what's seen online and elsewhere??)

The male adult, he regularly chased the cygnet from one end of the pond to the other. It's only a matter of time before it's expelled

The cygnet and unseen out of shot and not far behind is the adult male

Cygnet

Still showing some juvenile plumage and a dark bill

The adult in a quieter moment

Grey Herons with a nest attempt, I think the pair last year gave up, probably due to the disruption around the pond

Incoming with more building materials

Watch, you'll have my eye out with the branch!

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Herring Gull for comparison

I can see three bills on the neck of the bird being attacked, initially around six drakes were involved

These two were "necking" for ages so I thought I'd take a photo to replace the Orangutans in this blog depicting Olive and I. Needless to say I've been totally banned from doing that after they took in a stage further!

Light on water, with birds included

A change in the editing of my photos, they look good to me on my PC monitor but when viewed on my tablet or phone they always look too bright and washed out so these are a trial until I can decide to change my monitor settings or put up with it.

These photos are all about the light, in particular the way the water appears in the shade and the sunlight. The Collared Dove was taken in heavy drizzle at the slowest speed I could hold the camera steady. The Grey Wagtail along with his mate was in a very shady spot almost under the road bridge.

Grey Wagtail preening at Craigmill Den, photo from road bridge on lower road

One of six Collared Doves disputing a territory at Barry Halt, Carnoustie

Back at Keptie Pond the numbers of Tufted Ducks has increased, this one shows purple in the sunlight, some others green

Mrs Tufted Duck

Only female Goosanders left at the pond on Sunday

Yellow Birds from my rota week

Some photos from the forest taken in between the showers when I was doing my hide rota this week. Yellow seemed to be the theme with Blue and Great Tits, Yellowhammers and Siskins. The Red Squirrel was back at the feeders as someone had provided peanuts which he then ignored as it was easier feeding on the sunflower seed dropped by the birds. I've learned that putting seed or feeders within reach of the pheasant is a costly mistake as a number of different birds hit the supplies hard. It's good to see that some visitors continue to bring food with them, now we need to turn that into all visitors.

Blue Tit with a metal ring......

Male Siskin

Yellowhammer

This big lad clucked all of the time he was below the feeders

Red Squirrel male taking the easy option, the sunflower seed the careless birds drop