Arbroath Harbour Gullfest, featuring the "Beast"

Another day in Paradise, and I'm still traveling light using the Nikon Coolpix P1000

The tide was too high when we got to Victoria Park today so we tried Arbroath Harbour where many immature gulls are hanging out, often on the lobster boats and almost never fearful of people.

I've counted 57 one day recently and two birds posted a week ago  had both been ringed on the Isle of May, a 3rd calendar year bird had been to Peterhead and St Cyrus before Arbroath, ringed 7/7/17. The other ringed on 17/6/19 had been seen once in Tyne and Wear before Arbroath. They are attracted to the old bait the lobster fishermen throw overboard and sometimes on the quayside.


The Beast, Great Black-backed Gull, click here for video

Turnstone on a boat in Arbroath Harbour, click here for video

Immature Guillemot in Arbroath Harbour mouth, video here

3rd calendar year Great Black-backed Gull, what a beak

Can't recall if this is the same one as above

2nd calendar year Great Black-backed Gull

2nd calendar year Great Black-backed Gull and loath to move away. I wish I'd taken the DSLR

3rd calendar year Herring Gull yawning

2nd calendar year Herring Gull

Turnstone on one of the lobster boats

Now on the pier

Green-veined White Butterfly

A butterfly takes head billing from May 8th, mainly as I felt sorry for it. It was newly emerged and its wings were still floppy and it just wanted to perch and firm up its wings. Two males had other ideas as you can see in the videos later.

Green-veined White Butterfly, click here for video

Green-veined White Butterfly, newly emerged with limp wings

At last peace....maybe

Sanderling turning into summer breeding plumage

Slightly less advanced

I haven't counted them but might do later

Comical little waders!

Skylark, sitting on the fence on the coastal path

May 7th Doorstep Birds

More back doorstep birds, I wanted a Robin photo for my granddaughter Robyn and it wasn't quite tea time!

If I sit long enough it comes close enough for a decent photo with any of my cameras

This Blackbird is usually shy but tolerated me to get a feeder

Just one of the ever twitchty Feral Pigeons which scare everything off at the slightest noise or movement, and yet this one almost came too close to focus

Very close again and too big to fit the frame

One of six or eight adult Herring Gulls which sit in the nearest field and cruise over the gardens in my street. My neighbour feeds them, and yet moans about House Martin droppings which are insignificant compared to the gulls