Friday 29 November 2013

Kestrel and Teal

A Kestrel hunting from a wire near Balmullie Bridge over the Lunan at the south end of "Goose Road". Also a male Teal at Montrose Basin.

On the Brothock Burn today in Arbroath a 1st winter Grey Wagtail and the resident Dipper near the new flats at the Harbour despite the noise from nail guns! No photos in the gloom worth posting.



Thursday 28 November 2013

Backwater Dam, Lintrathen and Kinnordy

Looking for Green-winged Teal, Smew and Black-throated Diver today at Lintrathen, Kinnordy and Backwater Dam in that order. No Diver but both of the others and a Hooded Crow, no photo of either though.

The top end of Backwater Dam, unusually calm for a change.
A male Bullfinch near the dam.
A Kestrel scanning the area for a meal, also at Backwater Dam.
Reed Bunting at Kinnordy.
Roe Deer, one of two at Backwater Dam.
Some of the sixty Whooper Swans at Lintrathen.

Wednesday 27 November 2013

Garden Birds in the Countryside

Three from a forest hide, a Siskin, Great Tit and Robin, and the Redwing at Forfar Loch










Friday 22 November 2013

Lunan Bay in brilliant sunshine, about 3 degrees centigrade!

At almost low tide there were still many birds about and as many as 15 Red-throated Divers were fishing between the Lunan and Corbie along with perhaps 20 Long-tailed Ducks,  30 Common and  4 Velvet Scoter. Sanderling, Ringed Plover and a sighting of an Owl thought to be a Short-Eared Owl added to the species and a Magpie below the weir on the Lunan was still there from two weeks ago.

From the top, Common Scoter, Velvet Scoter, Long-tailed Ducks, Ringed Plover and a Sanderling photo I really like. Long-tailed Duck female with the Velvet.







Thursday 21 November 2013

What a difference wind direction makes, it's freezing

A couple of photos, one from the Lurgies at Montrose Basin where wildfowling is keeping the birds wary and the other a sunset at Gayfield Park home of the mighty Arbroath Football Club. The Whooper Swan is one of a few keeping out of the wind.



Wednesday 20 November 2013

Arbroath and Carnoustie Beach photos

While looking for a Great Northern Diver at Carnoustie I came across the "missing" Grey Phalarope, it hadn't been seen on Monday and one was reported at Musselburgh and thought to be the Carnoustie one.

Sitting still on the dunes I got decent photos of Bar-tailed Godwit, Stonechats and Cormorant despite accidentally switching off the vibration reduction on my DSLR.

The male Eider and Herring Gull were in the gloom at Arbroath with the Canon Powershot.






Monday 18 November 2013

Leftover from the weekend, Grey Plover and Pale-bellied Brent Goose

Both seen when Olive and I were on a walk at Carnoustie at the weekend, also present that day many people photographing the Grey Phalarope and a very busy beach with a dog competition going on at the sports centre.

Pale-bellied Brent offshore and a Grey Plover almost on the beach.




Thursday 14 November 2013

Carnoustie to Easthaven coastline, Grey Phalarope, Stonechat and Peregrine

It looks like the Grey Phalarope seen at Arbroath earlier this week has moved along to Carnoustie. Other birds along the coastline were, Peregrine, Stonechat, Sanderling, Cormorant and Bar-tailed Godwit.


Female or juvenile Stonechat, I'll check the book later
Male Stonechat












Grey Phalarope, I'm assuming the same one seen at Arbroath
Peregrine Falcon right on the tide line
Sanderling
Lots of Sanderling













I think this is the first time I've seen Bar-tailed Godwits on grassland, usually seen on mud or the beach. A Curlew and Oystercatchers are the supporting cast!
I like these more delicate Collared Doves more than the bulky Wood Pigeons and the often scruffy Feral Pigeons or Rock Doves.
A juvenile Cormorant

Wednesday 13 November 2013

Winter Duck Trip, Angus Lochs

A visit to Lintrathen, Kinnordy, Forfar Loch, Murton and Balgavies didn't turn up anything unexpected other than a possible sighting of a Slavonian Grebe which had been reported at Lintrathen. I was at the wrong hide and didn't have time to go to both.

For comparison, a Fieldfare in the first photo with a Redwing below. Both photos have the sky pasted in as the light was so poor the original sky was white.



Goldeneye male at Forfar Loch
Goosander females at Forfar Loch and a Greylag Goose watching me from the reeds.



Tuesday 12 November 2013

Grey Phalarope, Arbroath West Links

A rare visitor at the West links near the paddling pool at Arbroath today, a Grey Phalarope feeding amongst the weed being tossed around by a slight swell. Once again however the bird was scared off by a dog walker who exercised his spaniel where the bird was for around 30 minutes.

Below the Phalarope photos a Stoat, Little Grebe and what appears to be a Black-headed Gull with a deformed wing where its elbow appears connected to its body!
















Little Grebe, now around sixteen at the Lurgies
This Black-headed Gull's elbow appears connected to its body yet it has been able to survive till now at Montrose Basin
I've seen a Stoat at the same point on the Lurgies path three times this year and one chase and kill a rabbit nearby. I wonder if it's the same one?

Sunday 10 November 2013

Lunan Bay trip, with "the noisy brigade", grandchildren.

Despite the lack of stealth we still saw, Magpie, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Little Grebe, Sanderling, Long-tailed Duck, Red-throated Diver and many gulls. The second photo from Boddin Point is of six Pale-bellied Brent Geese, this variant is hrota from Iceland/Greenland area.


A Sanderling, surely the fastest runner on the beach and almost always on the tide line.












Pale-bellied Brent Geese, two adults and four 1st winter immature birds













These two are for comparison, first the Carrion Crow with black beak and lightly feathered legs. This one on the beach at Lunan Bay
The Rook has a pale almost white beak and has well-feathered almost hairy legs. This in a paddock next to the cafe at Lunan Farm.

Friday 8 November 2013

A mixture from both ends of Montrose Basin

This Kestrel at one point landed on the ground a few metres from my car, unfortunately I wasn't near it!




One of nine Mistle Thrushes at Maryton Ditch, the light makes this one look more like a Song Thrush but I've watched the ID video and checked the book














A lonely Bullfinch near Tayock car park
Also at Tayock a slightly blurry Collared Dove, unusually on the ground













This Heron was the only bird on the South Esk end of the basin that didn't flee, I'm assuming wildfowlers are making everything un settled
This Redshank obviously didn't see me sitting on the steps at the Old Harbour
A female Teal on the South Esk



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