Ospreys return, Treecreepers creep

The return of Ospreys continues and the one below at Montrose Basin flew over the Lurgies path from the Basin without a fish and continued inland. The Treecreeper below was a bonus which I found as I went back to my car in the lower car park at the SWT Centre. The unsettled and showery weather on Saturday had me looking for cover on a few occasions hence my visit to the Bank of Scotland Hide now without a Kingfisher which will have gone elsewhere to breed.

Treecreeper in the car park at SWT Centre, Montrose Basin

Not so much a welcome back for this Osprey at the Lurgies, more like being escorted off the site by the Jackdaws

Grey Heron in front of the Bank of Scotland Hide at the SWT, I was hiding there from the thunderstorm on Saturday afternoon

Daily as high tide nears, flocks of Knot fly from the mud to roost at Rossie Spit. This is a crop of part of the smaller flock on Saturday. Top right is a single Knot showing some red on its belly and just above the centre is a solo Turnstone. The other larger flock had Black-tailed Godwits mixed in it

Well' what can I say, "pillow talk" for Mallards. Their mating technique always seems just a bit to brutal. Also at the Bank of Scotland Hide

Not to be outdone by the Mallards this Mute Swan pair were equally amorous upstream of the Slunks

This looks like the classic heart shaped celebration of their mating but unfortunately a side on view. It does show how relaxed these Swans are though as they weren't bothered by me walking along the river path

Black-tailed Godwit, a 1st winter bird which has over wintered at the Basin. Seen on its own on the South Esk near to the scrape in the field at the top of the Lurgies

These Goldeneye will soon be going north to breed, perhaps I'll see them later in spring up near Aviemore where I saw ducks with ducklings last year