Great Crested Grebe, Divers and return of an old friend

Let's move on from death! (the previous post)

A contrast between two days this week, Tuesday it was too cold to venture far and on a brief visit to the Arbroath coast it was 12 centigrade with a strong gusting wind. Wednesday at St Cyrus while still windy the temperature was 20 centigrade. Holding a heavy camera still wasn't any easier and there's nowhere to hide from divers on the vast beach and inevitably they moved out to sea. I blame the fidget who was standing behind me!

Great Crested Grebe at St Cyrus

Juvenile Red-throated Diver

Adult Red-throated Diver

St Cyrus Buzzard hawking along the cliff tops

Apparently the same returning female Kingfisher at the Bank of Scotland Hide at SWT, Montrose Basin

Ringed Plover at Victoria Park, Arbroath

A Turnstone digging in the sand at high tide, very difficult to capture a sharp shot of the bird and the sand flying

A rarer sight at high tide, the Curlews usually move to the fields at the cliffs to continue feeding

Often the Oystercatchers do the same

One of many Jackdaws feeding on the strand line at Victoria Park

The "tame" Great Black-backed Gull at Victoria Park, Arbroath. It's obviously gotten used to picking up scraps thrown from cars, breath a sigh of relief if you're a prey target species

Cruel Nature

A few photos from late last week and it looks like I've used the wrong batch tool which has sharpened some. Too late to spend time fixing it now!


NOT for the squeamish, video of the Great Black-backed Gull attacking the juvenile Shelduck, click here to view

A prelude to death. When all of the waders were flushed last Thursday at the Lurgies I presumed a Peregrine had flown in but it appears that this Great Black-backed Gull was the cause. The gull caught the Shelduck and after a long struggle and sustained attack which lasted 20 minutes the Shelduck succumbed and was eaten

Better news for the House Martins and Swallows as migrating birds were seen on Thursday and Saturday streaming along the beaches at Arbroath and Easthaven

House Martin, Easthaven

Swallow at West Links, Arbroath

One of two Wheatears at Arbroath

Carrion Crow at West links

For once they were being lit well by the autumn sunlight

Only the one Bar-tailed Godwit at Easthaven on Thursday

and it didn't stay long

This Grey Wagtail seems to have taken up residence near the car park at Easthaven

Pied Wagtail with a Crane Fly

YouTube "Directors Choice"

Nothing new in the current storm, Ali. Might get out later today to see if anything interesting has blown in.

In the meantime, here's a link to my "Directors Choice" playlist on YouTube where I've put some of my favourite clips of the rarer species I've seen over a few years.

"Directors Choice" playlist, click here to play

Also some photos from a batch I showed at the Angus and Dundee Bird Club AGM last night. I've left out one's posted here recently. If you would like to join ADBC I've added a link in the bar above to download an application form.

Aberrant/Leucistic Herring Gull

Herring Gull patterning on the left wing and tail

Corn Bunting

I want that Roach, it didn't get it

Can't remember if I was trying for the Kingfisher or the Little Egret

Little Egret

Bank of Scotland Hide

Little Gull, Monikie

Tiny Little Ringed Plover chicks at Murton NR

Mediterranean Gull

Juvenile Peregrine

Redstart chick

Victoria Park Waders (Arbroath)

Waders all seen from around the first shelter where a strip of sandy beach remains even at the higher tides, one of only a few places uncovered where a varied group of waders feed and roost. If you approach slowly along the sea wall and stand still the birds will practically ignore you and even if they fly off when someone peers over to see what you're watching, they'll return almost right away. I found the best viewing time was when high tide was around 1700 hrs when the people who let their dogs toilet on the beach are absent. Lazy sods who assume the deposits will be washed away so they don't have to pick it up.

Flight shots first.

Dunlin, Victoria Park, Arbroath

Kittiwake juvenile

Pied Wagtail juvenile

Turnstone

Black-headed Gull

Knot

Knot

Ringed Plover juvenile

Ringed Plover juvenile

Turnstone

Dunlin

Great Black-backed Gull, very approachable

Early September catch up

Some photos from Montrose Basin, Easthaven, Murton, Montreathmont and my garden. The current strong winds aren't making life easy for birding and holding a 5 kilo camera still enough. I'm working on a plan to find shelter and birds together.

Greenshank at the Old Harbour, Montrose Basin

Again and being lit up by an ever lower sun

One of around 30 Pied Wagtails seen on my Webs count at Easthaven, also 1 Grey Wagtail near the car park

Red Admiral at Easthaven

Looks to be a Silver Y Moth, Easthaven

The Barnacle Goose is still with the Greylags at Murton NR

A young Blue Tit at Montreathmont Forest

Coal Tit

A scruffy juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker

Maybe a sibling of the one above but looking much fresher

Great Tit

The last count of these cheeky young House Sparrows in my garden was 63 birds, add to that 4 Dunnocks, 12 Starlings, a Robin, Goldfinch and Chaffinches. I'm saving up for winter seed now!