Thursday 31 January 2013

Craigmill Den, Montrose Basin, Victoria Park and Easthaven

A Buzzard at Craigmill Den was one of very few birds seen on a cold windy day, Wednesday.


Oystercatchers landing on Victoria Park having flown the short distance from the beach.
A Robin on a conveniently suitable perch at Montrose Basin.
I can't tell if this is a Pied or White Wagtail, probably a Pied. How they manage to survive in the cold on scraps on the beach is amazing, I gave up due to the cold at Easthaven where this was taken.

Tuesday 29 January 2013

Balgavies Loch Woodpecker

If you can't be good be lucky. I was a little late in pressing the shutter and caught this male Great Spotted Woodpecker taking off backwards but still managing to swivel his head around 180 degrees to see where he's going, all with his peanut safe in his beak.


Same bird warily stalking the feeder.

Balgavies Loch Hide, Vole and Jay

Field Vole I think, running from a small hole in the snow at the foot of the dead plant to get a peanut dropped by the birds.

This Jay was very wary and didn't stop to eat, I think the feeders aren't being kept topped up and the lack of food and people being about has made the birds more cagey.

Sunday 27 January 2013

Tayock after the snow, including the first sighting of a 2013 spider

A healthy fit Buzzard at Tayock
The remains of a dead Buzzard, cause of death unknown from the little that hadn't been eaten
I think this is an Otter footprint and I've seen them in the same place twice before, if I could only get up early and stake out the site.
Goldfinches in their natural habitat eating thistle like seeds or teasels and not niger seed in gardens
Yes it's a spider, possibly a type of Orb Spider, maybe Common Orb Spider or 4 Spot Orb, but I can't be sure

Olive takes the credit for this which was on the information board she was reading

Saturday 26 January 2013

In search of Corn Bunting, close but no coconut

A trip to Boghead Farm near Auchmithie in search of Corn Bunting and I found all of the similar birds people sometimes confuse them with, but no Corn Buntings.

Reed Bunting, female I think or maybe first winter male?


Twite which I thought were Corn Bunting until I got home and saw them on the PC


A Yellowhammer said to get confused with Corn Bunting?




Waders at Victoria Park

On an outgoing tide an hour before dusk I counted 23 Oystercatcher, 14 Dunlin, 13 Turnstone, 2 Redshank, 26 Herring Gulls, 9 Eider Duck, 3 Rock Pipit, 11 Black-headed Gulls, 12 Ring plover and a Kestrel hovering nearby.

Redshank
Turnstone

Friday 25 January 2013

Sparrowhawk, in my garden and just two days before Garden Birdwatch

The male Sparrowhawk who has been terrorising my garden birds for most of the winter quite unconcerned when it saw me in the drive with a camera. He's maybe having more trouble finding prey in this snow, I've also seen a female but she's not as brazen as the male.


Some of the winter visitors who always keep a look out for the hawk above. The feral pigeons which are easily spooked keep startling all of the small birds, and so they should as I suspect the female sparrowhawk to be responsible for the remains of a pigeon in Olive's garden.

Siskins, looks like a male at the back and a female in front.
Only the second Wren I've seen this winter in the garden and the first I've managed to get a photo of, although not a good one as it was at the bottom of a bush during the rain/snow.

Saturday 19 January 2013

Truly and Iron Man


The temperature of the air today at Victoria Park was 2 degrees centigrade with a 15 mile per hour wind coming from the sea, with snow and sleet showers. Yet this guy was surfing halfway along the esplanade!

Even the waders are hiding in this snowy, windy weather

This one was actually taken at St Vigeans when I was doing my weekly count.
A Golden Plover much closer to the sea wall due to incoming tide and stormy conditions. There only appears to be 30 birds just now from a count before Christmas of 120.
An Oystercatcher flying home in the approaching gloom.

Wednesday 16 January 2013

Victoria Park Waders


A Curlew above and below, Herring Gulls, Oystercatchers, Curlew and Golden Plovers

Waders at Victoria Park Arbroath

Two Ringed Plovers upper and Dunlin below
Ringed Plover centre and Dunlin around the edges
Ringed Plover
Turnstone

Rock Pipit at Arbroath harbour

The first half decent photo of a Rock Pipit, cameras just don't like their colours unless it's sunny when the birds seem to disappear

Victoria Park, Arbroath Gulls


Herring Gull at Danger Point Arbroath
Black-headed Gull at Arbroath Harbour


















Tuesday 15 January 2013

Winter visitors and residents at Forfar Loch


A pair of Gadwall flanked by a male Wigeon and a coot at Forfar Loch
Magpies are now a constant presence at Forfar Loch
Olive thought this was cute so I've included it
You could almost think this Mute Swan is looking at itself in the water

Forfar Loch in the snow

Forfar Leisure Centre viewed from the north bank of Forfar Loch on a snowy cold day. Herring gulls, common gulls, mallard, coots, tufted ducks, goldeneye and greylag geese all in view.
The late afternoon sun giving a slight golden tinge to the snow on these trees near to the centre.

Friday 11 January 2013

Kingfisher at Tayock, same bird different light


Raptors - Peregrine, Kestrel and Sparrowhawk

This Peregrine flew over my head at the top end of the Basin

Many of these birds have migrated to the coast to find food, often seen on sea cliffs where Rock Doves are found













I had this as a Merlin but it is in fact a Kestrel, female juvenile
It seems to favour electricity poles but I have seen it on a fence post
















This male Sparrowhawk didn't seem to notice me at first at Tayock despite appearing to looking towards me. I'd had the camera set up for moving targets so this isn't as clear as it could be

Goldcrest at the Slunks

One of four or five Goldcrests flitting about the small trees and gorse, very difficult to photograph a mobile bird weighing only 6g and 9cm long. Average life expectancy is only 2 years.

Goldeneye in flight and a flock of Knot and Dunlin

I hope I've got this right, a mix of Knot and Dunlin and another photo showed one or two Godwits
A female Goldeneye at the Slunks

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