Thursday 20 June 2019

And up popped a Puffin

Arbroath Cliffs today where I saw a mixture of sea birds, some close and others like Gannets distant. No dolphins, or whales, perhaps a bit early yet.



An unexpected fly-past when I was sitting halfway down the cliffs at Mariners Grave


I only got two shots so am posting both


I was surprised to see quite a number of Guillemots, some must be nesting at or close to Mariners. I probably wouldn't have seen them from the cliff top





There were many Razorbills flying south and from time to time some would land beside or amongst the Guillemots



The Kittiwakes nest high in the gully at Mariners along with a few Fulmars, Herring Gulls are on the low rocks, and Sand Martins and a few House Martins near the top. Shags nest on ledges in the caves and it's possible that a small number of Puffins still do, they did many years ago when I kayaked along the cliffs






As well as the many adults, I saw one or two 2nd summer Kittiwakes and 1st summer birds



These Fulmars fly deceptively fast even when gliding and are difficult to capture especially when in the gulley





There has been a Fulmar nest in this recess every year for the last five, last year it appeared to fail, or was predated?



I had to move on from my perch at the cliff bottom as I must have been near to a Rock Pipit nest



No I didn't take a rubbish photo of  tourists, you might see the ring on this Herring Gulls leg, it's my old mate T:524 who has been around Arbroath Cliffs, usually at the ramp in front of the toilet block for years. Another Herring Gull where I was sitting came very close, I must have been near it's favourite flat landing patch, it had lost a leg and struggled to land in the wind



Everyone wanted a look at the strange creature sitting in their patch and this young Feral Pigeon was happy to sit 3 metres away for some time, wondering what I was



Good to see some Kidney Vetch at a site that's accessible and where I can't recall seeing it before at the cliffs. I think there was five separate plants




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