Thursday 27 February 2020

Grey Herons - nest building and courtship


Featuring a pair of Grey Herons courting and nest building at Keptie Pond in Arbroath. This is at least the third year a nest has been started in the same place near the waters edge on the island, all previous ones were abandoned. I think they eventually can't tolerate the close proximity of the people and dogs walking by, all day every day. A small child who strayed close to the pond edge was enough to make both birds leave the nest.

During the time I watched these birds from the tarmac path around the pond, the male made several trips into the scrub on the island and collected nesting materials, large twigs. Each time he returned to the nest he gave the female the twig which she integrated into the nest, then he tried to encourage her to mate with no success.

Grey Herons nest building and courtship, click here for video, I'm pleased about this one filmed in UHD!!












A wee rub of the back, didn't work





Not unless you get me more sticks


Of course I love you, I brought another stick didn't I


Maybe baby


The first of the returning Lesser Black-backed Gulls which thin out the Mallard ducklings along with the Herring Gulls each year, the Tufted Ducks and Coots don't lose so many





The battles for territory were ongoing around the east end of the pond


Surprisingly difficult to get a good Coot photo with the black and white contrasts and the dark water in late afternoon


My garden Sparrowhawks, yes there are two visiting, have kept the House Sparrows away, but four Tree Sparrows come in daily, and one male Blackbird is becoming dominant and numbers have dropped from five to three


A Buzzard at St Cyrus, only two seen on Thursday along with one female Kestrel, lots of Jackdaws, some Fulmars but no Ravens or Peregrines. On the sea at low tide in the north of the bay were 120 Common Scoters and 12 Red-throated Divers



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