Well, we've still got the snow and the birds are almost permanently on the feeders in the garden. The only new-comer I've seen is a Brambling amongst the Chaffinches and the feathery imprint of either a pigeon or sparrowhawk on my kitchen window!
Most people are getting fed up of the constant cold and ice an I notice we should have +5 C on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, hooray.
Saturday 25 December 2010
Sunday 21 November 2010
Arbroath Long Tailed Duck
The duck below, which species I can't remember seeing before, was diving in the outer harbour at Arbroath only 15 metres from the old fish market and less than 50 metres from the working dredger. Perhaps the dredger was stirring up food items for the duck which was just far enough away from the black silty water the dredger was creating.
Monday 26 July 2010
Murton Nature Reserve July 2010
A series of photos, mostly of insects, and especially for Finn, Robyn and Lauren who continue to be interested in "Bugs" and "Mini-Beasts.
I did spend time identifying each of the species and am confident I've got them correct. If I'm wrong let me know.
They include the Common Red Darter Dragonfly, Common Blue, Emerald and Blue Tailed Damselflies, Grasshoppers and Cinnabar Moth Caterpillar.
I did spend time identifying each of the species and am confident I've got them correct. If I'm wrong let me know.
They include the Common Red Darter Dragonfly, Common Blue, Emerald and Blue Tailed Damselflies, Grasshoppers and Cinnabar Moth Caterpillar.
Wednesday 14 July 2010
First Summer Holiday Hillwalk
Mount Keen Hillwalk.
We started at the car park at Invermark at the top of Glenesk and followed the well marked and easy to navigate path to the summit of Mount Keen which is the easternmost Scottish Munro at 939 metres. The walk takes an hour to the start of the climb, two hours to the summit, around an hour back down again and a further hour back to the car.
As well as the wildlife shown here below, we also saw for the first time in a long while a female Adder which slinked into the heather from the track close to the Queens Well. Also Meadow or Rock Pipits, Lapwing, Rabbits, and even a one pound brown trout in the river at the measuring station at Invermark.
We started at the car park at Invermark at the top of Glenesk and followed the well marked and easy to navigate path to the summit of Mount Keen which is the easternmost Scottish Munro at 939 metres. The walk takes an hour to the start of the climb, two hours to the summit, around an hour back down again and a further hour back to the car.
As well as the wildlife shown here below, we also saw for the first time in a long while a female Adder which slinked into the heather from the track close to the Queens Well. Also Meadow or Rock Pipits, Lapwing, Rabbits, and even a one pound brown trout in the river at the measuring station at Invermark.
Tuesday 13 July 2010
Stags in velvet at Invermark
I've got to come clean about these Stag pictures. Although they are not enclosed behind deer fences they are in a field they could easily escape from but don't appear to want to. I can only assume they have been hand reared and fed since then and given their size must have passed at least one rut season. The yellow marker tags in their ears were air brushed out. They can easily be seen in a small field from the path to Queens Well.
Wednesday 9 June 2010
Wednesday 12 May 2010
Tree Nesting Greylag Geese
At Balgavies Loch when the Osprey returned on March 27th the nest built the previous year but never used was already occupied by a pair of Greylag Geese. I've never known of this before but apparently they do nest in trees in Europe. The Osprey did try and get the goose to leave but she was sitting on eggs and stayed until the Osprey gave up.
Sunday 7 March 2010
Spring on it's way?
I've seen the return of Coal Tit and Blue Tit this week and more arguements between the blackbirds, a sure sign spring is close despite the current and past cold weather. The ground has thawed today and the rate at which the bird food is being eaten has decreased. I wonder if they are finding more food, or someone else with a bird table and feeders.
Sunday 21 February 2010
Arbroath to Carnoustie Coastal Path
The pictures below show a Stoat still in Ermine which was hunting amongst the land behind the sand dunes. He was at a big disadvantage and the rabbits seemed to ignore him to an extent, obviously they could see him very easily.
The pictures were taken from about 90 metres away and I had difficulty getting a good focus through the thin brush and grasses.
The pictures were taken from about 90 metres away and I had difficulty getting a good focus through the thin brush and grasses.
Saturday 6 February 2010
Friday 8 January 2010
Hard frost and many hungry birds
We had around 60 birds of various species today feeding on the mixture of food in the tree and the spillage. Brambling, Sparrow, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Starling, Blackbird, Collared Dove, Feral Pigeon, Wood Pigeon and a possible Fieldfare. Also on the rooftops were Crow, Jackdaw, Herring Gull and a rare visitor, Black Headed Gulls. Strangely none of Blue, Coal or Great Tits were there today and good news for most of them is a Sparrowhawk was found dead in the park nearby.
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