Friday 28 June 2013

Keptie Pond, Arbroath (looking after Mickey's patch for a week)

Just three photos from the pond, the first two, the predator, the third the prey.

Nearly every time recently I've been at Keptie I've seen Lesser Black-backed Gulls try and take Coot chicks. Today was no exception when one gull twice had a go at reasonably large chicks but failed, later two gulls even intimidated the Mute Swans and their five cygnets which are now Tufted Duck size or more.





St Cyrus SNNR, Montrose Basin and the Curly!

I spent about an hour at the south end of the reserve mostly in the hide trying to photograph five orphan Shelduck ducklings which were fed for a few days at the centre before being released and adopted by a female and perhaps an associated male. Staff at the centre will know the up to date details.

I didn't get a photo of the ducklings which I did see as they were too far away. I did get Linnet, Meadow Pipit and earlier at Montrose Basin, Spotted Redshank, Shelduck, Sedge Warbler, Reed Bunting and finally a Moorhen at the Curly in Montrose.

As usual clicking the photos will open them in a larger form.

Linnet, male
Meadow Pipit













Shelduck with ducklings at Montrose Basin
I've been spotted and the male has his eye on me even though I'm a distance away in the hide










Reed Bunting just outside the Shelduck Hide
This Sedge Warbler has a metal ring on its right leg, someone was ringing earlier in the day at Millburn Reedbeds where this was taken, I wonder if this is one of the birds ringed






Yes, I know it's not great but this is good as I can get at 150 metres away in low light, the dark bird is a Spotted Redshank


A Moorhen at the Curly in Montrose, good light and close what a difference from above. This bird also has a ring on its right leg

Wednesday 26 June 2013

Forfar Loch, but no sign of Ruddy Ducks

Great Crested Grebe still on a nest and below two of three Sedge Warbler chicks near the Sailing Club, and finally two adult Sedge Warblers nearer the centre






Tuesday 25 June 2013

Quiet this week

Not much going on, at least nothing easy to find or photograph. Reports of Spoonbill, Black Guillemot and even Quail have been made this week and I went looking for the Guillemot, to no avail in the rain. I did find a co-operative although distant (150 metres) Peregrine and I've included a "guest photo" from "Bairdie" provided by his Dad and a Goldfinch Olive asked me to photograph.















Dunnock
Goldfinch

Thursday 20 June 2013

The Lurgies, Montrose Basin - In search of Spotted Redshank

Two Black-tailed Godwits and a Spotted Redshank were reported at the Lurgies this morning and despite mixing up my tides I did find the Redshank but at over 300 metres away I couldn't get a photo. No sign of the Godwits but as many birds were sitting above the high water mark in long grass they could have been there. Photos below from the Lurgies and Tayock.

Black-headed Gull at Tayock
Greenfinch chick at Tayock
Whitethroat at Tayock
Wigeon in front of the Shelduck Hide
Willow Warbler at the Lurgies
Yellowhammer at the Lurgies

Tuesday 18 June 2013

Killiecrankie, Blair Atholl and Glen Tilt

I cadged a lift to Faskally with the caravan people and biked from Faskally through the Pass of Killiecrankie, Blair Atholl and up Glen Tilt as far as Marble Lodge. I'd hoped to see Pied Flycatchers at the visitor centre and didn't but saw a pair between the centre and Killiecrankie, unfortunately scared off by a big truck.

Lower Glen Tilt is mature woodland and birds were almost impossible to see but as the countryside opened up I saw Common Sandpiper, Wheatear and eventually at the bridge above Marble Lodge a Spotted Flycatcher. Other birds were, Goosander, Buzzard, Kestrel, Song Thrush, Willow Warbler, Meadow Pipit, Oystercatcher and Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

Spotted Flycatcher, below




Common Sandpiper

Wheatear

Roe Buck
Trying to identify this, maybe some kind of Tiger Beetle?

Sunday 16 June 2013

Montreathmont Forest and Lake Garda!



From the top, Great Spotted Woodpecker, female with no red marking on the head.
A Jay which came in quite close, the photo hasn't been cropped just shrunk.
Large Red Damselflies mating, the male is the skinny but prettier one!



















Olive's Red-Crested Pochard from Lake Garda.

Friday 14 June 2013

Angus photos

Larry, Curly and Moe with their Mum waiting for Dad to bring in a fish, and then as if by magic he arrives with a Rainbow Trout having already eaten its head. Below them a Black-tailed Godwit at Murton today, on the main pond and photographed from the car park hide.



































Keptie Pond, Arbroath - Birds

The new Mute Swans have produced a brood of five Cygnets, first seen by me on June 13th, the original pair of Swans are still on the pond but confined to the east end. The new parents are being very cautious at this stage while the cygnets are still small.

There aren't many young water birds at the pond just now, first or earlier broods have nearly all been predated by the Gulls, most likely the Lesser Black-backed. There are a few young Coots and one or two Moorhens but no Mallard ducklings at present. Better news is that there were nine female Mallards in company with about fifteen males so new broods are likely. There are two pairs of Tufted Ducks but no signs of breeding.

Song birds must still have chicks in nests and I haven't seen Willow or Sedge Warblers for a few weeks. There was a Heron which landed on the island and went into the cover but I'm thinking it was hunting not nesting. There are also three domestic ducks on the pond, one large and pure white which is being bullied by the swans.


There seems to be two pairs of Black-headed Gulls around the pond
This Coot has survived the gulls and looks big enough to be safe. I watched a Lesser Black-back hit a smaller coot which seemed to be injured but with encouragement from both parents managed to get back to cover
This Dunnock was feeding on the crumbs left after the gulls had been fed with bread right next to the sign saying "Don't feed the gulls, they become aggressive"
Yes, it was me who ate all the ducklings. This Lesser Black-backed Gull has a black tip to its beak which the others don't and research suggests it's a 3rd summer bird. The Collins Bird Guide has a photo identical to this bird but it's a Baltic Gull so I'll ask someone wiser than me.
Look carefully and you'll see the females head just visible at the end of the males bill, it's not a subtle mating and sometimes the courtship is even violent

Keptie Pond, Arbroath - Fish

Two of four Carp swimming close in, three look like Common Carp the other one in the photo is a more decorative, assume it's a Koi which in Japanese means Carp!

Keptie Pond, Arbroath - Insects

Blue-tailed Damselfly, male
Sun Fly (Hoverfly)
I suspect someone deliberately damaged this small Wasps nest which still had live grubs in it

Keptie Pond, Arbroath - Flowers

Germander Speedwell?
Yellow Flag Iris
Marsh Marigold? Maybe a Buttercup? This is Olive's department, I'll ask and post later.

Wednesday 12 June 2013

Big birds and some wee fellas from an Angus Glen

These were taken in overcast and drizzly conditions and at distance but as a record of today's trip I'm posting them anyway. The first three are a Golden Eagle, photo one probably about 170 metres, the other two further. The others are a male Bullfinch, a young Pied Wagtail in perfect condition and a not so perfect Wheatear.







Bullfinch
Pied Wagtail (Junior)
Wheatear (bachled!)

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