The Young Ones - 2026

   
The first chicks I've seen in various places this spring, although photographed on the first day of summer, they were all alive before the 1st. I had gone to East Haven to have a look along at Hatton, but with overcast clouds and a temperature of 12c in some wind, I decided Yellow Wagtails which catch many flies, would be difficult to find. 

One video where the Starlings returned to my garden and brought their mates, they happily feed in the modified rabbit run. When I heard a Blackbird alarm calling and walked up the garden, my male Sparrowhawk flushed from the bushes. Two juvenile Starlings had stayed in the run, absolutely still until they were convinced the hawk had gone. I haven't seen any evidence of kills, but it would likely fly off with anything at this time when feeding it's own young.

Starlings in the rabbit run/safety cage

The first young House Sparrow I've seen this season, but not in my garden, this one at East Haven where a colony nests along the railway

A Stonechat juvenile

The two Keptie Pond Heron chicks, must be near to leaving the nest

Only it's mother could love it! A Coot chick

Coot still with some of the brightly covered chick feathers

An older Coot chick

Juvenile Moorhen

The easy life, if you don't take into account the dogs running about

One of the easier Carp to see,counting their numbers is impossible, but I'd wager there are more than fifty large fish, and they are breeding

The Pintail/Mallard hybrid drake is still there

The Lesser black-backed Gulls were infrequent, one flew to the west with a duckling when I was there, and the Herring Gulls were also working the pond 

One at least 6 adult Herons on Keptie, with one carrying nest building material, in June?

Male Stonechat on the coastal path

This one near the ditch at the car park

Common Gull 2cy East Haven, I was drawn to the dark tip

Lesser black-backed Gull 3cy at West Links

Oystercatcher at Murton which looked to be guarding a nest or chicks

Rooks are becoming a problem in my garden, although I haven't seen them take any young birds

Same for this Magpie and it's mate

Swifts and Starling parenthood

  
The latest visitors to my garden, photos had to be into the sun and when I sat there in the evening with the sun behind me they didn't show up. An interesting moth if the ID is correct, they arrived in cargo and are seen around the UK.

Two Starling videos, click the blue links

Starlings in my protected cage   it's an old rabbit run which was constructed for Olive when she was babysitting her daughters Rabbit, I noticed birds were using it. Any bird up to Blackbirds can comfortably go in and out, it stops feral pigeons eating everything

Starlings bathing, it's chaos

The first Starling juveniles turned up in my garden on 26/05/2026, 2 juveniles and 1 adult, by late afternoon there were over 30, with around 10 juveniles

My Swifts returned on 22/05/2026, the first sighting was when they flew at speed into the nest in my gable, which they've used for at least 4 years

I've seen as many as 13 House Martins at one time which is more than usual, so far only two nests can be seen with tentative looks at other gables where the remains of previous successful nests offer an opportunity

Still 4 Tree Sparrows coming most days

Both Blackbirds are feeding their brood but I don't know where they are

Feral Pigeon, less of them after I set up my anti-pigeon cage on my lawn, it lets birds up to Blackbirds get in and out comfortably, and I can move it around

Large Pale Masoner aka Wakely's Dowd Blastobasis lacticolella Moth, all of that from ObsIdentify and various websites. " Originally not a British species, this moth was accidentally introduced  with fruit and vegetables and appears to be established and expanding its range. It was first recorded in Kent in 1946 (as B. decolorella). In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common."

Scottish Wood Ant, somewhere near Loch Insh!

Common Tern left out in error from my Webs records

Another two photos from Danger Point, Arbroath, not unusual to see a Kittiwake there

Herring Gull

East Haven Webs Survey for May

   
Webs again (Wetland Bird Survey BTO) where birds using the beach at East Haven and inshore waters off the coast are recorded, not all birds seen on the beach such as Greenfinches and House Sparrows they are not recorded. Some species appear on my lists that were included before the system changed some years ago.

Note, at some point I accidentally switched from Auto focus to Manual and I had to delete what would/could have been good photos. I'm not saying "I'll never do that again" I'm getting old and my mind wanders....

Goldeneye female near its nest on Loch Garten

Yellow Wagtail near East Haven, the only photo I managed of the male of a pair seen due to my incompetence. The bird was near enough the focus point by chance, not skill

Tree Sparrow, the photo taken before I nudged the Auto/Manual which led to many photos being out of clear focus. It was on the wires at the car park

Meadow Pipit with Craneflies

The Swallows were collecting mud from a field to build their nest

House Sparrow, many of them are seen in the brambles that grow along the railway line in the village

Redpoll, from Loch Garten. This was an orphan photo while visiting Kingussie

The wind was keeping the butterflies in sheltered areas, including this Small White

Sandwich Terns announced their arrival with their distinctive calls, around 17 were there with a few Common Terns

Grey Heron, this photo confirms they are just a bag of bones and feathers

19 Ringed Plover, as expected when they were flushed by walkers they continued their northward migration flight, 4 Dunlin remained along with 3 Turnstones. I could hear a single Whimbrel calling but couldn't find it as it flew away with the Curlews