Long-billed Dowitcher - with sun on its back!

   
The long-staying Long-billed Dowitcher has stayed faithful to the area behind the Bridge End Garage, "Mops Pool" and Rossie Spit. On Monday it was feeding as the tide rose and being pushed up the ditch as the mud was covered, until it flew with some Redshanks towards the shade off the roadside hill and trees. Not before I managed a few photos and three videos.

Dowitcher - 22 seconds        Dowitcher - 61 seconds        Dowitcher - 47 seconds

Long-billed Dowitcher

Montrose Basin, Keptie Pond and Broughty Ferry

   
I tidied up some photos taken when the weather behaved for a short while, and I was trying out some new kit before I found something rare and important.

Goldeneye drake, Lurgies

Dunlin flock over Miss Erskine's Bank, Montrose Basin

and now the underwing view

Later at Keptie Pond, Arbroath. Grey Heron, one of nine present

A rare visit at Keptie from a Redshank

On a cold windy day at Broughty Ferry the reported White-billed Diver didn't show, so I photographed this Shag

and a Common Gull

and one of 35+ Turnstones

and a female Red-breasted Merganser

I Think of Rats as large Mice

The info immediately below refers to a photo of a Brown Rat at the bottom of this post.

While rats often get a bad rap as "pests," they are actually vital cogs in the ecological machine. From the forests to the city streets, these clever rodents perform essential services that keep ecosystems functioning.

Here is why rats are actually good for the environment:

1. Natural Seed Dispersers

Rats are prolific "gardeners." Like squirrels, many species of rats hoard seeds and nuts in underground caches.

Forgotten Treasures: Rats often forget where they’ve buried their stash.

Reforestation: Those forgotten seeds eventually germinate, leading to the growth of new trees and plants, which helps maintain forest density and biodiversity.

2. Soil Engineers

The burrowing habits of rats are a major benefit to soil health.

Aeration: As they tunnel, they break up compacted dirt, allowing air and water to reach plant roots more effectively.

Nutrient Cycling: By dragging organic matter underground and leaving behind droppings, they act as a natural fertilizer, enriching the soil with nitrogen and phosphorus.

3. A Critical Link in the Food Web

In the wild, rats serve as a primary "protein source" for a vast array of predators. Without rats, many of these species would face starvation:

Birds of Prey: Owls, hawks, and eagles rely heavily on rodents.

Mammals: Foxes, weasels, and even larger cats depend on them as a stable food supply.

Reptiles: Snakes are major natural regulators of rat populations and depend on them to survive.

4. "The Cleanup Crew"

In urban and wild environments, rats act as opportunistic scavengers.

Waste Management: They consume fallen fruit, carrion (dead animals), and organic waste that would otherwise rot and potentially spread disease-causing bacteria or fungi.

Speedy Decomposition: By breaking down organic matter into smaller pieces, they speed up the process of decomposition, returning nutrients to the earth faster.

Some species, like the Giant African Pouched Rat, are even trained by humans to sniff out landmines and tuberculosis, proving they can be literal lifesavers for the environment and humanity.

Drake Wigeon at Keptie Pond, where I'd gone to shelter from the easterly wind coming off the North Sea

Wigeon female

I counted nine Grey Herons in late afternoon with more likely to fly in to roost at the pond

Two young Cormorants were preening and drying on the collapsed artificial island

I was surprised when I heard a Song Thrush quietly singing, and it confirmed its presence as it fed while the watery sun dipped below the houses on Nolt Loan Road

Walkers have told me of Brown Rats at Keptie, this one was the first I've seen and it was no surprise to me to see it near the access steps on Keptie Road where the visitors feed the ducks. I don't think rats in a semi wild place should be an issue, they've had a bad press since the days of the plague when they were wrongly thought to be the main carrier, we were the carriers, it spread too far and too quickly to be rats, it was due to humans moving around the country and was prevalent along main highways. 

A well marked 4th calendar year Herring Gull at Arbroath Harbour