Monday, 7 September 2020

Pink feet, paws and predators

   
It will soon be time for the terns and butterflies to leave or hibernate so given the opportunity I took lots of photos on the first good day we've had for a while. I couldn't find a Roseate or a Black Tern but there's still a bit of time left. The coastal areas around Arbroath were very busy at the weekend with ever diminishing social distancing and many non-local accents. Soon it will just be dog walkers disturbing the waders, I'll have a try at education, but they're very precious about their pooches.

They should remember that the birds spend winter trying to stay alive by eating at all opportunities and extending the minimum of energy if they can. Waders in their nesting grounds have one main predator, the Arctic Fox or Red Fox and are easily flushed by their close relatives domestic dogs.

September 6th saw the first arrivals of Pink-footed Geese, I had some over Arbroath and they were widely reported around Scotland. Four Bean Geese were reported flying south at Inverbervie.


Common Tern juvenile behind Gayfield Park Arbroath






This Common Tern is beginning to show quite a bit of black on its beak



This one isn't



Juvenile



Adult











Adult Sandwich Tern



Sandwich Terns in different stages of development



Flushed by the Herring Gull's arrival



Flushed by kayakers



Redshank behind Gayfield



Ringed Plover juvenile at Victoria Park



Another Ringed Plover



Inchcape, the Arbroath Lifeboat towing in a small yacht with the inshore boat in attendance at the rear




Peacock Butterfly, arrived as soon as we got a good day



Red Admiral



As yet unidentified Hoverfly, I'll have a go later



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