Not likely an Iberian Chiffchaff

I'd heard an Iberian Chiffchaff sing briefly when the Chiffchaff below flew out of the small xmas trees and took a caterpillar. I  didn't hear the song again as the birds were continually flushed by workmen spraying the weeds between the xmas trees. It wasn't going to be my day, no time left at Mill of Tarty, Olive was already in the car reading her book, so onward to Strathbeg.

The Scaup in the two photos at the bottom of the post looks good for a true bird, it has vermiculations in the plumage on its back and a tiny black nail which can't be seen in the photo. It also has a peak on the rear crown but probably not enough to be a Lesser Scaup, and it seemed too big.

Also seen at Strathbeg was a drake Garganey from the Dunbar Hide, but we'd arrived too late in the day again, and everything was sleeping or absent.

The Eider at the Ythan Estuary seen from Inches is part leucistic and similar but more pale than another I saw at the Ythan some years ago, it was more grey than white.

Scaup at Strathbeg, click here for video


Leucistic Eider video, click here to open

Chiffchaff, it's thought that the Iberian has been ringed, none here. I should have waited till the sprayers moved up the field instead of assuming this was the one!

Leucistic Eider duck, seen with a drake from the Inches, Ythan Estuary. (Canon SX60)

Scaup, in front of Starnafin Centre, Strathbeg (Canon SX60)

Scaup drake, Strathbeg

New Template and colours test

I'm testing a new template, basically a "dark theme" which shows the photos as large as the blog allows, that's 1200 pixels wide. The plan is to let me see which of the photos below look best, to me on my PC but also on phones and tablets. I've also tweaked the text sizes to suit mobiles and my new larger monitor.

So far it looks Ok to me, and once I get a mixture of photos to post we'll see if it works in the real world. Is Brexit, Climate Change and Trump the real world? Maybe I'll wake up in the shower and it will all have been a dream.

American Wigeon, Birnie Loch, Fife in 2017, unmodified

Gamma setting 0.9, darker

Gamma setting 0.8, darker, perhaps less glare

Carrion Crow, unmodified

Aberrant Herring Gull

Goldfinch, unmodified

Near Ben Vrackie unmodified

Dog Fox and Vixen

Two foxes now on some nights, looks like the vixen is still feeding cubs. I'm trying to help her out by feeding her, only after dark and especially when it rains. The local cats either don't get out or don't like the rain. Considering in investing in a cat scaring device!

Dog Fox and Vixen, click here for video

Barnacle Goose, Whooper Swan and Pink-footed Goose, in late May!

Another test of my settings and eyesight, I think these will be too bright?

Although I've mentioned the Whooper and Pink-foot I didn't get any photos but mentioned them due to their out of season status.

I'd dropped into the Lurgies on my way back from surveying "urban nesting gulls", a bit of a fools errand as the grids had been chosen at random. The Montrose grid was mostly mud, 90% was on the Basin, Edzell was mostly woodland and Brechin was 50% farmland. It appears that the Angus Council's free gull nest clearing service is fully used and successful, even unoccupied buildings with perfect conditions for nests weren't used. Even in Brechin where the grid included an industrial estate, abbotoir and sewage works I couldn't find a nest, I did find a racing pigeon which looked like a Peregrine kill which might explain the lack of nests.

Barnacle Goose on Montrose Basin, click here for Flickr video

Grey Wagtail fledged chick at Inchbare, click here for Flickr video

Barnacle Goose

Black-headed Gull, waiting for something to happen I start to photograph anything flying past

Shelduck, still a few pairs flying around which don't appear to be nesting yet

Eider drake, and for a change I can see the eye

Grey Wagtail chick, Inchbare (Canon SX60)

Sibling of the one above (also Canon SX60)

Rock Pipit and Chalazion............

Inchcape Park photos, the last before I get my right eye sorted, maybe?? Some of these look too bright so I might re-visit this after viewing on my phone and tablet.

Chalazion incised and removed from my tear duct, or at least severly dealt with. If you see me and think I'm winking at you, I'll just be trying to keep my eye lubricated. "Old age, it disnae come itsel"

Who am I? I'm a Rock Pipit sunbathing, just like the BirdGuides photo of the week but not as good quality, and not a Nuthatch

Oystercatcher, screen time for the everyday birds too

Another of the "low profile birds" and not all sweetness and innocence

Jackdaw

I think my karma will be to return as a Crow, dark, devious and succesful!!

Easthaven - May Webs Count

A few from Easthaven taken after I'd completed my Webs Count, nothing unusual but I did get a Whimbrel. I'm sure I got a glimpse of the Little Stint that had been reported but no photo, which I would have liked to be sure.

Pied Wagtail at Easthaven

Rook, feeding on the strand line at Hatton

Grey Heron, Hatton

Just sitting on my back doorstep and this Greenfinch landed on the watering station in my garden. For some reason they've given up on the pond, probably a cat stalking around. Five currently visiting, serves me right for being surrounded by female pensioners (cat lovers)

Still getting a few Tree Sparrows

and they're fiesty

Male Chaffinch

Female Chaffinch

The one about a Garden Warbler (a nod to "Friends")

Think of these photos as a test of my set up of the new PC and monitor, and be ready for much tweaking in other posts to come until I'm happy with the brightness and colours. Text descripitions are below each photo.

A Garden Warbler heard then seen at Murton, unfortunately I'd set up the camera for flight shots and this was well over-exposed. An annoyingly common error. I'm pretty sure I could hear a second bird on the bank between the two main ponds

Cinnabar Moth, first this season for me

Female Common Blue Damselfly, brown variant

Common Tern, flying over the road bridge between Rossie Island and Montrose. Seen while doing an Urban Gull survey on a randomly selected grid, most of this one is in Montrose Basin. One Herring Gull nest was seen on chimney pots on Rossie Island, even the closed hospital didn't have any. Perhaps it's a sign of Angus Council's nest removal service and policy!

Oystercatcher, also flying over the bridge

Back home where I often sit in the garden hoping something unusual arrives. This Blue Tit is a regular and posed nicely

This normally shy Yellowhammer didn't see me as it flew in. He's been visiting my garden since the start of March when there were five around, now just him and a female. This is very unusual as I only see them when there's snow on the ground

The Starlings must be feeding young as they've started visiting daily, it will soon be very noisy when the fledglings turn up. This bird looks to have Hawthorn Flies in its beak

A pwoud looking bid as Sir Alex might say

I can't tell if this one has grass or food, maybe renewing some nest material

Caught as it flew from a neighbours roof

Always one of the last birds to go to roost and very approachable