Barry Buddon Waders and others

The camp was open for a change so I embarked on what would be a 4-5 hour walk which proved to be worth the effort made covering the 11 kilometres of my route. The first bird I saw which caught me unawares was a Long-eared Owl which I flushed from it's perch only for it to disappear, as they do. Also on the inland part of the camp were Stonechats, Long-tailed Tits and Common Redpoll.

Once down on the coast there were many waders around but the two highlights were a female Merlin which flew from the camp being chased as it went by a Black-headed Gull, the second was a flypast by a Pomarine Skua. The remaining birds below are the ones I managed an acceptable photo of and as I'll not be back soon I've posted a few of the Bar-tailed Godwits and Grey Plovers which winter in the area.

Bar-tailed Godwit on the Barry Buddon shoreline

Bar-tailed Godwits

Bar-tailed Godwits still showing some of their breeding plumage

Part of a large group of around 160 Bar-tailed Godwits

Grey Plover still with some of it's breeding colours

Grey Plovers showing a variation of moult into their winter plumage

Knot, again with varied moult

Good to see some Common and a few Arctic Terns around

Can you spot the Common Snipe, seen on the small loch at Carnoustie Golf Links

A lonely Mute Swan cygnet calling for company on one of the small ponds at Carnoustie Golf Links

A Wheatear on migration to somewhere warm, at West Links, Arbroath

Turnstone staying for the winter perhaps at West Links, Arbroath. It looked to be feeding in the material around it which is full of seeds, I wonder if it was the seed it was eating, seems unlikely

One of many Meadow Pipits moving south along the coast today, seen at West Links, Arbroath

Pied Wagtail near the play park at West Links, Arbroath

One of the many House Sparrows who seem to make the lobster pots at Arbroath Harbour their home

Water Rail from the Bank of Scotland Hide at Montrose SWT Centre, I was hiding from the rain and eventually gave up when it got misty