Green Sandpiper (again) at Murton NR

Green Sandpipers seem to like Murton, I think this is the third this year, unless of course it's the same one returning. There was no chance of a photo of any quality so I took some video and even that's at 104 times zoom.

Green Sandpiper video, click here to view, best viewed in HD 1080

At the distant end of the car park pond and never in any kind of usable light

A Granny told me this is a Gruffalo, part of one of the "totem poles" at Murton Nature Reserve

Indulge my Grouse

When I saw this photo my first thought was, "gamekeepers slaughtering Red Grouse" but of course they didn't shoot the grouse, that was done by paying guests who seem to have a fascination for killing very large numbers of the birds which are driven round the hills into a line of waiting guns. When I say guns, I mean plural as each shooter will have a pair of double-barrelled shotguns being repeatedly loaded for them so they can shoot large numbers of grouse fleeing from the white flags and whistles of the beaters.
I'm not judging the keepers, I've met many and most of them have been friendly when they ask "what are you doing", I think the big camera and lens is a clue. Mind you I have met some aggressive characters over the years which made me think they had something to hide.
The Raptor Persecution link at the top of this blog details many incidents and statistics of birds of prey being killed by traps, snares, poisons and shooting, with grouse moors high in the reports where birds have disappeared or have been found dead. I'm sure not all estates or gamekeepers are involved in wildlife crime and hopefully it's a minority that continue to give the shooting estates a bad name.
Enough though about keepers, they are only a link in a chain that won't be broken until those who pay to shoot Red Grouse, Red-legged Partridge and Pheasant, in very large numbers, for fun stop. There must be a way to at least change what is happening in our hills and glens. Some grouse moors only offer "walked up" shooting where less birds are killed and that might be a first step on the road to enlightenment and a better future for "our land", Scotland.

Really, does "a good days sport" have to involve killing all of these Red Grouse. (Photo from a Public Domain Facebook page showing Red Grouse from a days shooting)

Pintails at Tayock, Montrose Basin

Pink-footed Goose

Tayock caravan site but is there a pot of gold there (Canon SX60)

Second attempt at the Barnacle Geese at Balgavies on Wednesday but still photographed into the strong light, maybe an early morning is the answer

All six watching a Grey Heron flying by being pursued by a Crow

Mute Swan adult which was chasing cygnets at Murton

One of the four cygnets

Not much water for fishing so it was time for preening and drying

First of the Goosanders seen at Keptie Pond this season. A machine had been in to cut the weed and although it doesn't look much different there is more open water water and the Carp were very active at the main steps

A Jackdaw near the picnic tables where yet again people were feeding the birds with white bread instead of the requested seed and lettuce. Bread is empty calories for the birds and has salt and sugar in it which are harmful, it also sinks to the bottom and rots whereas any seed that sinks is gathered up by the ducks and swans

Young Moorhen, there was a slightly younger one still with a green beak

An unfortunate casualty of the weekend storm, this Great Black-backed Gull has a badly broken and damaged wing and will surely perish soon