Scandinavian Blackbirds

Photos from Mains of Usan, two days too late, and a windswept Lurgies at Montrose Basin. I couldn't make it to Usan when lots of interesting birds were being reported but managed on Tuesday when they were gone. I noted these Blackbirds, amongst a larger group of thrushes, they were the least wary. I imagine they are migrant from Europe/Scandinavia.

The Greenshanks really looked that bright in real life, I think the contrast between them and the cold grey sky and mud, gave emphasis to the white. As for the Little Grebes, they really are little and are difficult to photograph unless there is good light to give the camera a chance of focusing.

Female Blackbird

Male Blackbird

Greenshank

Just stuck my head above a gorse bush to see where it had gone....

Redshank, very unusual that it stayed around after the Greenshanks flew off. Redshanks are always the first to spook and scare everything else away

The Teal were wary, I suspect it's the people shooting them that does it. It must be for sport, how much eating could be on a Teal, isn't chicken cheap in the supermarkets a better meal! (no pun intended)

Eider female

and just as I walking back to the car, this Little Egret flew downstream along the far bank

A big fish for this Little Grebe. There must be lots of these fish in the Basin, gulls and Cormorants were in a feeding frenzy downstream. 112 Cormorants!

There were nine around the Old Harbour area