Wednesday 17 June 2020

Scurdie Ness - Sedge Warblers and Whitethroats


A warm and sunny day at Ferryden and Scurdie Ness, Montrose, when I took a walk down to the lighthouse area, seeing many birds along the track. I'd hoped to find the Common Terns feeding in the river but they were all going out of the estuary and offshore. I soon gave up trying to get photos of the many Swallows and House Martins and concentrated on the Sedge Warblers and Whitethroats.

I spent some time sea-watching and saw next to nothing, perhaps a few Gannets passing miles off and a bait ball with auks and gulls.



One of around 5 Whitethroats seen on the track down to Scurdie Ness, Montrose



Every now and again this Whitethroat would rise into the air and display a distraction routine when some got too close. I'd have thought it would be used to people on a busy track



Longer lens needed for this kind of shot



The shadow of the plant gave this Whitethroat a bandit mask




Male Linnet singing near the steps at the low car park in Ferryden



It might have been sunny, but this Yellowhammer is "drookit" from foraging in the damp undergrowth



Not many Common Terns fishing inshore, I had to make do with one or two passing birds



Eider ducks, non or failed breeders



What looked like a young Grey Seal not far from the rocks at Scurdie Ness



Ringed Plover with yellow flag, looked like 109 which has nested in the same place for a number of years. It was being moved around as people scrambled on the rocks



A small group of male Eiders were flushed by someone looking for jellyfish



The second Pied Wagtail this week that popped up in front of me, this time a female



This Fulmar flew from the river estuary out to sea when it and many gulls spotted a flock about a mile out to sea feeding on a bait ball



Male Reed Bunting on a fence post on the track, calling/singing to ward off people passing



Skylarks always position themselves into the light, giving them an advantage over predators and photographers



Not often that Dunnocks sit out of cover, maybe drying off from a soaking in the undergrowth



This caught me by surprise, when something started venting what looked like steam, and very loudly from inside Glaxo



Red Admiral Butterfly



Sedge Warbler, briefly out of cover

















Maersk Lancer. I sat on the waters edge confident that the slack tide wasn't a problem, I forgot about the wash from this large vessel and got splashed by some ship made waves



Jay in my garden!!



I'll add some text later, I'd imagine you'll be able to identify all of these in the meantime. The first photo is the latest in the year I've taken of these birds still migrating.

A new "garden tick" and very unexpected, a Jay has been seen twice in my garden, yet to see it with a camera though. I've now had Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw and Jay during lockdown, can't imagine I'll ever see a Raven or a Chough though. Maybe if I stake out a dead Rabbit or Roe, I can't see that passing Olive's scrutiny!


























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