Kestrel, returned from the dead

It's been a while, so it's a catch up of photos from nearly a week, I think. I never used to even attempt to take photos near dusk, you think it's bright but the camera says no. The Kestrel ones below were taken at 1630 with sun set at 1640, and where I was the sun had already disappeared. It's just a case of getting the best I can and accepting the results, they still show the birds, just not in the sharp detail I might get during the day. Note, I said might!

The missing Elliot female Kestrel. I hadn't seen this Kestrel for some time but had photographed a Crow towards Hatton eating a Kestrel's leg. Good news for this one, not for the other

Both of these photos taken at or near its roost when it flew in unexpectedly at 1630, after sunset

Originally I'd blamed this Short-eared Owl for the demise of the Kestrel detailed above. This was based on constant squabbles and chases and the fact that a previous Owl had killed a Kestrel at this site. Photo at dusk, over-exposed on purpose

The same Short-eared Owl sitting on what I presume is a lightning conductor on the first shelter at the golf course

I hope this angler wasn't as close to the wave as this photo makes it look. Whiting Ness last week at low tide

Herring Gull

The long lived, and staying Herring Gull T:524 which sits on the sea wall at the last ramp before Whiting Ness. I even managed most of the metal ring numbers this time

One of twelve Skylarks in the first field at Arbroath Cliffs

Also on the path at the cliffs, a pair of Stonechats, the male wasn't for posing

The late sun making the colours of the bird even more of a rich orange

A flock of Pintails drifted past the Bank of Scotland Hide on Thursday at high tide, I counted 37 birds. These photos are of birds beyond the fence at the waters edge. A group of Black-tailed Godwits were feeding there again

Wigeon pair

Greenfinch in the car park at SWT Montrose, also lots of Tree Sparrows and Goldfinches

Little Egret, earlier in the week at the Lurgies

Not the photo intended but I like the result. Mute Swan. I haven't seen Whoopers there for a while