Let's start with the glamour! The Peregrine, even the juveniles are stunning, fast but not skilled yet, but at this time of year there's plenty of prey at the basin and many young waders. I was leaning on the usual tree when it flew past flushing all of the gulls and minutes later a friend pointed out the Ruff shown in the photos below which hadn't fled.
The photos of the hoverflies were all taken in Olive's garden where they were feeding on various pots of flowers and I could sit with the Canon SX60 braced to keep it steady against the chair I was on. It took ages before one of the Pied Hoverflies landed and stayed around long enough for a photo whereas the other species were less bothered.
Wood Sandpiper, Rossie Spit, click here for distant video probably at 168 times zoom, hence the quality
Little Gull, Westhaven, Carnoustie, click here for video
Eupeodes luniger Hoverfly, on my breeks! click here for video best guess based on brief research
Peregrine juvenile, currently bothering the waders at Montrose Basin and seen in various parts from Rossie Spit to the Slunks and Lurgies
Not the worlds best hunter at this stage, behaving more like a Sparrowhawk but with less stealth and the waders are pretty good at outwitting it
An interesting Ruff, a male partly through its moult from its extravagant breeding plumage, even the Greylag looks impressed or just puzzled. This from a wise sage who took the time to look this up, "a
proportion of Ruffs, almost always males, have white on head and neck and on
rare individuals the white extends to back and belly.
A bit far out for my 300 mm lens. I hope it stays at least another day to tempt me back with more kit!
Black-tailed Godwit, 36 birds were around in front of the Shelduck Hide on Wednesday. They are a bit wary but some careful fieldcraft and hiding behind gorse bushes seemed to work
Maybe as many as 250 Canada Geese at the basin just now. This introduced species, in 1665, fly north to the Beauly Firth area to moult at the end of their breeding season. These are some of those returning and spend time on Montrose Basin on their southerly journey
Goosanders, these appear to be juveniles, most have some white between the eye and bill. Males would have a large white patch on the wing and I'm sure a flock near Scurdie Ness is mostly male birds
A rare photo from my Canon SX60. Ringed Plover at Fishtown of Usan. This bird was calling as if it was protecting young which I couldn't see, it seems late but then we had a late start to breeding and then almost perfect weather
Pied Hoverfly
Eupeodes luniger Hoverfly, me thinks
Marmalade Fly
I have my doubts but will offer, Pyrophaena granditarsus Hoverfly, although I think it should have larger legs!
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