Peregrines and Red Kites

You don't have to be a pretty, or colourful bird to get on this blog, just try and oblige by appearing in range or being classed as an interesting find. Failing that on some days you might make it when I see nothing else or subjects are far away!

Both the Peregrines were present at a well known nest site in Aberdeenshire, but none of the Ravens were there when we had a short visit on Friday. Both Peregrines were almost on the cliff top taking it easy in the sun. 300mm with 1.4 TC

Male Peregrine

Female Peregrine, sitting about 5 metres below the male. I can't hold the blooming camera still enough for these long shots! Maybe Olive would carry my tripod, then you'd see photos here of pigs flying!

I used to think Fulmars didn't arrive on the cliffs till February but I've been seeing birds inshore and on nesting sites since just before Christmas, sometimes in numbers

Red Kite (with wing tags) in Glen Lethnot. It flew from the roadside but it took me too long to get out of the car and I ended up with this distant photo. Two other kites were seen and a Merlin which I didn't expect to see

Just an hour after reading a report of an Ivory Gull in Dumfries, albeit one rescued and taken into care, I glimpsed a white bird fly from behind a fish curers premises in Arbroath. It of course turned out to be a very white pigeon, and not ringed as most are

In contrast to the pigeon, one of the Carrion Crows at West Links, Arbroath where they favour the paddling pool area and are becoming less cautious as winter goes on

I can't resist these delicate looking Redshanks

One of perhaps six different Rock Pipits, this one was paler than most, and had pink legs as did a few of the others

Low sunlight on a colourful Starling