Where's the wildfowl?

Maybe it's the climate changing, maybe it's the vast numbers of dog walkers, many who let their dogs run free, or is it something else that's reduced the species and numbers of wildfowl on the shallow lochs in Angus.

 

Missing this year so far are Goosanders, Forfar Loch used to hold anything from 60 to 100+, Keptie Pond currently have none. No Smew in Angus this year and ages since we saw an adult drake, no inland Slavonian Grebes or Red-necked Grebes, even the numbers of Teal and Wigeon at East Haven have fallen short this year.

Below are some photos from Monikie and Forfar Loch, it was hard work finding some of the birds and they're the common ones!

I think I'll be posting garden birds next, my Yellowhammers have returned alongside the Tree Sparrows, the frogs are ready to spawn and the cocky Rooks, now eight some days, have found the fat balls.

It's not all bad news, chocolate prices should start to fall soon, a pity we can't run the economy and cars on "Twirls".

Greylag Goose at Monikie

Goldeneye drake

Mute Swan

Great Crested Grebe

Lesser black-backed Gulls

Great Spotted Woodpecker in Montreathmont Forest

Singing loudly to Olive.....(at Forfar Loch)

Cormorant fishing close in

Dipper in the Brothock Burn

A short tour around local sites where I found the the regular territorial Dipper, and while sitting at Keptie Pond looking at an empty Heron nest site, the pair flew in together. More from Forfar Loch, Murton and Montreathmont

Dipper in the Brothock Burn      Dipper again      Lesser black-backed Gull, Danger Point      Female Siskin, Montreathmont      Male Siskin

This Dipper on the Brothock Burn is at least 6 years old, correction, information received from the ringing group, its plumage analysis when ringed showed it is nearly 8 years old. I have records and photos showing the rings, left leg blue over yellow, right leg pale blue over metal

Female Goldeneye on Forfar Loch

Male Goldeneye

Gadwall drake

One of four Lapwings returning to Murton

Siskin female in Montreathmont Forest

One of a pair of Grey Herons at Keptie Pond landing on their nest site, some courtship followed and nest building will follow, I hope

The long-staying hybrid Pintail/Mallard

Dunnock unusually seen in the open, some have begun their spring singing when they appear less cautious, often sitting in a small tree or bush

This Cormorant was fishing, another was reported dead

White-billed Diver at Broughty Ferry

  
On a second attempt to find the White-billed Diver at Broughty Ferry I decided to start at the Stannergate end and walk east to Broughty Harbour. On my previous visit I walked from Broughty Ferry Castle to Stannergate and back with too much kit and no sign of the diver.

Despite some pessimism, a flat sea and an ebbing tide, I picked out the diver a fair way out and directly south of Balmyle Road and Beech Lane. As Olive and I approached the diver obliged and came more inshore and on a few dives close enough to get photos into weak sunlight on "the Silvery Tay".

Yet another rarity to add to Olive's list which includes Black Stork, Glossy Ibis, Grey Phalarope and Ross's Goose....

I've posted a few photos as it will be a very long time if ever, before White-billed Divers to turn up inshore again, not in my lifetime!