Thursday, 10 August 2017

Kinnaber Links - Cuckoo and Skuas

The numbers of gulls and terns at the mouth of the North Esk are attracting Skuas and the sea was rich enough in small fish to keep a Humpback Whale around for at least two days. I never saw it though.

The Cuckoo below is my favourite photo though, probably as I missed the previous one on St Cyrus NR when I didn't have a camera with me. This one looks a wee bit older and was more wary and was drawn away from the perch into a gorse bush by the Meadow Pipit "parents".

Later at Scurdie Ness I saw another four Arctic Skuas and from distant photos a Pomarine Skua



A juvenile Cuckoo which was being fed by a pair of Meadow Pipits, proof of breeding on the land behind the dunes


The Arctic Skua was determined to get the Sandwich Tern's fish. The tern is over-exposed as I'd been shooting into the sun when both birds flew past me, so close that a few photos only showed part of the Skua. There were four different Arctic Skuas, two dark and two light phase


One of six Gannets feeding in shallow water very close to the beach, they were diving from only a few metres above the water and at a shallow angle to avoid hitting the bottom


Two youngsters, a Sand Martin and Swallow idling away a summer morning


US Navy helicopter from the USS George H W Bush "Freedom at work" and flown by LT Burnetti "Bingo". One of two flown low over the North Esk estuary which flushed nearly all of the birds



Knot at Easthaven on Monday


Rook, Easthaven


Jackdaw, Easthaven



Common Terns at Whiting Ness, Arbroath


Juvenile Rock Pipit which fell asleep on the rock


Adult Rock Pipit looking worn and moulting



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