Sunday 7 June 2020

Ruddy Shelduck and Tree Bumblebees


A Ruddy Shelduck almost in another county, and Olive's bumblebees turn out to be Tree Bumblebees. No marks for paying attention, and it's not as if I wasn't incarcerated in her garden for the past era.

Some experimental very long distance video and slow motion at 120 frames per second.

Ruddy Shelduck filmed from Maryton Ditch to near the SWT Centre, click here for dodgy video 

Up to 12 Tree Sparrows in my protective cage, click here to view 

Tree Bumblebee at it's bird box nest, click here for 120 fps video



Photographed from 1.3km and 1.9km, Ruddy Shelduck, Montrose Basin. Originally seen in front of the Closed SWT Centre from Maryton Ditch. This one was nearer Maryton Spit.


Same view without cropping. My videos were from 1.9km which along with the wind made for very shaky and blurry results



Tree Bumblebees nesting in Olive's bird box. Originally arrived in the UK in only 2001. They look a more orange to the naked eye






They've chosen a shaded bird box making photos very difficult



The Yellowhammer is coming in to my garden more often and tolerates me a wee bit more



House Sparrow, I might put up more sighting sticks, this one grew naturally through the giant cotoneaster



The Tree Sparrows especially favour this warm sheltered roost



I had a count of 104 Starlings one day this week, and who knows what its like in the very early morning



Increasing numbers of House Sparrow juveniles



Garden Bumblebee interrupting Olive and Lorna's social distancing



I believe this is an Allium called "Mount Everest", as identified by Google Lens!



Juvenile Rock Pipit waiting along with two others to be fed, Whiting Ness, Arbroath








On a dull night at West Links Arbroath, I tried to capture a few of the gulls feeding and flying by at high tide. Only around 8 Black-headed Gulls seen, this one an adult


2nd calendar year Common Gull


2nd calendar year Great Black-backed Gull


3rd calendar year Herring Gull


There were around 240 Herring Gulls feeding at high tide at West Links with another 70 on the nearby building roof. I was surprised to see so many adults


Closer view with one 4th calendar year bird


The Carrion Crows are spending much more time feeding on the beach due to the lack of scraps, pizzas, chips and other edible litter being absent due to lockdown. A pity we can't "lock in" the lack of litter at the end of the situation whenever, if ever that is.......


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