Wednesday 29 May 2013

Fowlsheugh Nature Reserve

This is a sea bird haven with many thousands of Guillemots, Kittiwakes, Razorbills and some Puffins which we didn't see on this visit. The gulley near the car park also had Linnets, a Sedge Warbler, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Blackbirds and Song Thrush.

This is one of the late Kittiwakes still collecting nest material, either grass or soil/peat from the cliff path.



















Guillemots precariously perched on the cliffs
Kittiwake
Meadow Pipit
Sedge Warbler
Song Thrush

St Cyrus National Nature Reserve

A quick visit in early evening to St Cyrus where it was difficult to find many of the nesting birds, those seen were, Skylark, Willow Warbler, Fulmar, Jackdaw, Dunnock and a Carrion Crow which watched us as we visited the old graveyard. Two young looking Roe Deer were also feeding on the dunes and had almost got their new summer coats.

Carrion Crow
Roe Deer

Keptie Pond and St Vigeans, both Arbroath

The continued lack of young birds at Keptie Pond would suggest more predation by the Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls. All I could find were two Mallard Ducklings, two Coot chicks and one Moorhen chick. The original/resident pair of Mute Swans are still being kept at the east end of the pond by the new pair and the new male is guarding the area where his mate is sitting, the new male appears larger than the original.

Seeing the small birds singing in the trees at St Vigeans is becoming more difficult now the leaves are out and I was lucky to see a Treecreeper which may be the one I saw on occasions in the winter. The field on the south side of the nature trail is now almost dry having been drained by the farmer who now has cattle in it. The field on the north side now has an Aberdeen Angus Bull in with the cows.

Aberdeen Angus Bull
Jackdaw at the pond
How long will these two last and how many were originally hatched?
Treecreeper at St Vigeans, high in the trees
Willow Warbler at the pond, more seen at St Vigeans
I could hear this Wren singing as I stepped out of the car at Keptie Pond


Search Blog

Blog archive