House Sparrow and Tree Sparrow, "The Odd Couple"

Video below of a House Sparrow nest being attended by a female House Sparrow and a Tree Sparrow of unknown gender. I'm not sure if they are a couple, if the Tree Sparrow is acting as an "auntie" or is a broody male. I've watched both birds taking food into the nest, each spending some time brooding, changeovers, both in the nest together and both flying off together to forage. The clip is two edits from seven clips I took today spliced crudely together.

House Sparrow/Tree Sparrow, click here for video

Osprey, Red Kite and Whimbrels and maybe spring might arrive properly!!

Photos from a few visits to Montrose Basin and East Haven, with a couple of visitors from my garden. Just at the end of this week things got slightly warmer and it looks likes birds are beginning to move so I hope I'll have more migrants to post over the next week or so.

I'm watching some interesting behaviour at a roof top House Sparrow nest just now and will post my conclusions once I've spent more time watching what's going on and coming up with an answer!

Osprey before a fishing attempt at Montrose Basin which did prove successful as I saw it eating the head of a flounder on the mid basin tree before flying off to deliver the body to his mate

Next frame showing the same Osprey

A Red Kite over Miss Erskine's Bank being harried by Shelducks but their lack of mobility didn't pose any problems for the more agile Red Kite

First Whimbrels for me this season at East Haven, another bird was present but not photographed as it was even further away than these

This might be the other Whimbrel or just one of the two above, I can't remember

East of East Haven a large number, possibly as many as 70 Sanderlings were on the high tide line, some showing more breeding plumage than others. These were unusually wary, probably due to the strong wind but with a bit care we managed to get past them without scaring them away

About half of a flock of Black-tailed Godwits currently at Montrose Basin, these were seen at the Slunks, Lurgies and Maryton Ditch

A Willow Warbler, photographed before it manages to disappear in the rapidly growing foliage on the path-side trees at the Lurgies

The only bird of any interest at the Bank of Scotland Hide was this fishing Grey Heron, but yesterday two Spotted Redshanks were reported nearby

We used to get Collared Doves in the garden and this is the first for years and only came in on one of the coldest and windiest days this week

This Feral Pigeon has black eyes which is different from the red/orange of the others and I believe it could be the offspring of an escaped special breed we had a few years ago which I'll investigate if I can

Still a bit cold in Angus, summer migrants scarce

Another catch up selection from this week which has been curtailed after Olive generously gave me her cold!

Singing Blackcap male at Montrose Basin, unfortunately at the top of tall tree

One of the Brothock Burn Dippers complete with bling. I believe this one is still on the same territory as last year

Kittiwake just south of Auchmithie where many birds are preparing to nest on the cliff ledges

Maybe a very small wader this Little Ringed Plover, but not short on wingspan

Two of 12 Shags south of Auchmithie, five birds had rings which I've reported. These are Green EXS and Green IHF

Black-headed Gull at Montrose Basin

A "scabby doo" in my garden

Green-veined White Butterfly, just a few around yet

Now for nearly two weeks and known to most of my neighbours now and even on Facebook apparently!

Found in my archive, I recall there are 62 House Sparrows in this one from my garden in the distant past

This one must be a winter photo again and through the glazing, and is from my garden when 258 Starlings were counted

Little Ringed Plovers - no sex please we're incompetent!!

A bit of a hiatus just now, a few migrants have arrived but many more will surely flood north when we get a bit of warmer weather and maybe a good southerly wind to help them on their way. Most waders have gone at Montrose Basin but the Little Ringed Plovers below are newly arrived from Africa to breed in Angus. The other birds were all seen along the track to Scurdie Ness lighthouse from Ferryden

The male is drumming his leg trying to cajole the female, he was also calling, a call which had me bemused to start with until I saw him. A photo of the ringed bird was forwarded to the ringer and like these always too far away

Contact, well actually no. They did look like they'd mated but a sequence of photos showed they didn't, must have been a practice run or an inexperienced pair or male who may or may not be from last years ringed birds

Male Yellowhammer

Male Chaffinch

The female Eider had caught this crab and as is usual she held it by each claw or leg and shook it so the leg would break off until the poor crab had no limbs left

Legless, I couldn't tell if she ate the legs and claws as she broke them off, I suspect she did, if she can digest the body then why not the rest

Still a bit of agro between male Eiders as they fight for a mate

Not good odds for five of the six Eider drakes flying in formation with the single duck

Guillemot at Scurdie Ness, one  of perhaps five

Razorbill, probably another four or five close in

Turnstone, showing some breeding plumage and other birds were a bit further on

A crop of a photo taken from the lighthouse of 20 Purple Sandpipers coming in to land on the low water rocks some distance away

The only Meadow Pipit I saw but hopefully more will arrive to breed soon

One of five Sandwich Terns which flew past and into the estuary

Time for Glamour!!

Time for what many think of as the less glamorous but often more tenacious birds.

Roe Deer swimming in front of the Gullery Hide at Kinnordy, click here for video

Female Marsh Harrier, click here for video   awfi far oot!

Great Black-backed 1st winter at Keptie Pond adding to the two near adult birds seen a few days ago. Not good news if these "beasts" stay around till the ducklings are fledged, they have enough danger with the Lesser Black-backs and to a lesser extent the Herring Gulls

Olive thinks they are horrible, and she usually has impeccable taste......

A more subtle shot of this Herring Gull taken at the back of Gayfield while Arbroath FC were going down one nil to Edinburgh City!

A Grey Heron sitting on a partially built nest which was earlier abandoned at Keptie Pond, maybe a new bird or one of the original pair, the first attempt was a bit early

The future is orange it's said, the bright sun shining on these Redshank also at Gayfield

Some of 27 Sanderlings at Inchcape, Arbroath Harbour, just showing the transition to breeding plumage. Still a few Purple Sandpipers and Ringed Plover, no Sandwich Terns yet but three at Lunan Bay earlier today

Five days on the the Budgie in my garden is feeding well, bossing the Tree Sparrows, reacting to alarms and flying with much more vigour and has been wandering a bit along the street. I think it roosts in a Cotoneaster but it's amazing just how well it can disappear in the dappled light of the bushes

Loch of Kinnordy and other Angus bird sites

Raptors and Ducks mostly with other species seen around Angus at Kinnordy, Murton NR, Balgavies Loch and Montrose Basin. The Kinnordy photos were taken early in the morning when all was quiet but obviously the sun wasn't far above the horizon, it stayed pretty dull  and didn't light up the distant raptors.

Osprey white JU at Kinnordy

Red Kite giving the female Marsh Harrier a hard time

Landing in the lone pine

She sat here for two fairly long periods

This drake Shoveler was distracted by a duck and ended up close to the Gullery Hide at Kinnordy

Keeping an eye on his conquest

Early in the morning when the hide is quiet birds oblige and come close

Gadwall pair

Why the Coot got involved with the two drake Mallards attempting to mate with the poor duck I'll never know

Something almost sinister about this courtship between the two Lapwings

Shelduck drake at Montrose Basin

Shelduck duck, honest it makes sense

Eider duck

Eider drake

Back at Kinnordy, the female of a pair of Bullfinches eating new buds

The male, never far away even outside the breeding season

Goldfinch at the feeder area at Balgavies

Great Tit, Balgavies Loch

Lesser Redpoll, quite a bit of different plumage's amongst the Redpoll just now

Male Reed Bunting at Balgavies, I'm seeing these everywhere just now

Last but not least this Wren was singing in front of the car park hide at Murton where an Iceland Gull was with a small group of Herring Gulls, one ringed bird had a yellow darvic "T:54G" and has been reported