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