Wednesday 27 January 2016

Balgavies Loch - in search of a Water rail.............

No sighting of the ever reclusive Water Rail but I did hear one call a few times to the left of the hide at Balgavies. We did get a brief visit from some Long-tailed Tits and I managed to find two Treecreepers on the railway side of the loch and as I left there were 15 Cormorants roosting on the island trees.

Caught in a shaft of the low sun


Not the usual photographic pose for a treecreeper


Long-tailed Tits in the shadows at the hide

This Red Squirrel appears to have leprosy and has been reported


An "artistic" Buzzard photo for Lorna the cyanotype woman




Tuesday 26 January 2016

Purple Sandpipers increasing at Arbroath

The largest number I've seen this year, 18 Purple Sandpipers on the high tide at Inchcape Park, Arbroath. More important was a Jack Snipe at Elliot which was flushed for a few metres in one of the flooded areas and then left in peace. It was raining and all I got was a blurred spot on the single photo attempt.


Not good conditions but a photo at high iso until the sun comes back


Monday 25 January 2016

Bittern still at the Bank of Scotland Hide

The Bittern was still around at Montrose Basin today and showing well at about 1530. The two photos below are from the North Esk at Kinnaber and the Merganser was one of only a few birds around at high tide. I want a haircut like his!


Red-breasted Merganser drake




Sunday 24 January 2016

American Wigeon in Fife

Although this American Wigeon drake had hidden behind an island on Gaddon Loch near Collessie in Fife I did manage to get a photo for my records. The Hawfinches were high in a tree and I only got a few quick photos before they flew off. The Fulmar and GBB Gull are likely the last photos from my NEWS surveys unless I decide to do a few second surveys before the end of the month.

Video of the sleeping wigeon, click here,


American Wigeon, Gaddon Loch, Collessie


Hawfinch


The powerful beak breaking off a new bud


Fulmar seen near Auchmithie on a NEWS survey


3rd Winter Great Black-backed Gull, also Auchmithie




Wednesday 20 January 2016

Bittern videos and a dodgy goose photo

Some very rare video of the Bittern hunting in the open at Montrose Basin at the links below and for good measure one with a White-fronted Goose and another with some of the 88 Pintails I saw from the roadside at the Forfar turn off at the basin. I'm stuck in the house!!!

Bittern, possibly going to roost                           White-fronted Goose (Eurasian)

Bittern hunting                                                    Pintails at Montrose Basin

Bittern hunting video 2

Photo of the White-fronted Goose from far away and not the best of day to take it




















Monday 18 January 2016

Pomarine Skua and the Basin Bittern

Luckily today when I visited the SWT Centre at Montrose Basin the newly arrived Bittern obliged by walking into the open just long enough to get a few photos. I then left there to look for a Slavonian Grebe reported at Lunan Bay and got some distant shots of a Pomarine Skua which flew in from the sea and temporarily landed on the beach. Finally after much perseverance I did find the Slavonian Grebe but it was too far out in light to poor for the camera.


Bittern at the Bank of Scotland Hide




Pomarine Skua at Lunan Bay


I wonder if it's the same one I saw near Arbroath this week?




Friday 15 January 2016

Glaucous Gull juvenile at Westhaven

A Glaucous Gull today at Westhaven feeding on a seal carcass. Despite the gull being disturbed and flying away from the carcass it did return each time, obviously it couldn't leave such a large meal. I originally found it nearby eating a dead octopus washed up after last weeks storms.

The first video at the carcass loses focus due to the low light, the second is OK and taken when brighter out on the rocks.


Glaucous Gull eating a seal carcass, click here,

Glaucous Gull video 2, click here,











Snow Buntings at Glenshee

A once a year visit to Glenshee Ski Centre for Snow Buntings today and due to people feeding them they appear to favour an area in the car park. You'd think that would make photography simple but they never stopped moving as they gorged on the plentiful seed provided by many, but not me. We also saw Ptarmigan, Red Grouse flushed by a very low helicopter and three Ravens.


Filmed on my DSLR and over-exposed in the sun, the sound has been reduced to 2% of the wind noise











The only Ptarmigan I saw and very high up despite the gale blowing


This Roe Deer hind was just to the left of the Ptarmigan


Whooper Swans at Kinnordy


Wednesday 13 January 2016

Bittern at Montrose Basin, 13/1/2016

Ron Mitchell found this Bittern in front of the Bank of Scotland Hide at the SWT Montrose Basin. These photos show it hiding in the reeds near the sea wall but I look forward to seeing Ron's photos taken when the Bittern crossed open ground between two of the salt pans.

The video is in HD on YouTube, click below to view or click through to YouTube.



Bittern looking skyward or was it looking at the hide?


A master of camouflage


The Grey Heron, no camo and happy to fish in the open

Monday 11 January 2016

Some fowl fae Forfar

A bit of a failed plan today as the Slavonian Grebe recently seen at Forfar Loch wasn't seen by me or other birders looking very hard. Add that to a wasted trip to Scone Palace where the gates were locked, times are as follows just now, 5th February to 20th March 2016 only open Friday, Saturday and Sunday between 10am and 4pm.




9 of 12 Magpies at Forfar Loch (at least 12)


Reed Bunting


Shoveler drakes in a bit of a moult


Monikie, no sign of a Smew but 9 Pochards. Olive wanted this one posted.


An unusual number, 38 Great black-backed gulls with a few Herring Gulls at Murton from the Gladstone Hide. Please note that Murton has closed the paths due to flooding.



Sunday 10 January 2016

Avocet in Angus

An Avocet found by members of Angus and Dundee Bird Club on a club trip along the Angus Coast. These were never going to be the best photos of this rare visitor on a dull day and at distance but hey-ho it might hang around for a sunny day and come closer.

Avocet video in HD, click here,
















Octopus wreck at Auchmithie and another weird photo......

In a small area of the shingle beach at Auchmithie today I counted 17 dead Octopus and 4 Ling, all casualties of the strong easterly winds and huge seas of late. Perhaps a good sign was there were no dead birds or had the gulls just eaten then all? I've also included an older photo taken in my overgrown garden (wildlife garden) of a visit by some Starlings, 227 of them to be precise!


Octopus, deceased at Auchmithie


227 Starlings, they stayed for about 4 minutes a few years ago



Friday 8 January 2016

The HND Art Tour!!

I was diverted today to become a "tour guide" for Olive's favourite daughter who needed photos for her college work. (her other favourite daughter said it's OK for me to say that).

Just a few from the places where she hoped to gain inspiration and let Chris her muse see where she'd been! Her good looks have been pixelated for privacy.

The Artist at Boddin


The Sandra


The Bothy?


No, not another art photo, there is a Peregrine perched almost at the very top of the steeple in Montrose


Pintail drake at the far away end of Buddy's Pool at Murton. The paths are closed due to flooding.


A rather blue photo taken in strange light of a Red-breasted Merganser, one of a dozen in Ferryden Harbour


Reed Bunting at Boddin


Collared Dove in Glamis


Spuggie at Forfar Loch




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