Whooper Swan and Willow Warbler

   
I don't think there have been many years when I could say I saw a Whooper Swan and a Willow Warbler on May 25th, so I suspect the Whooper may be injured. Both seen at the Lurgies, Montrose Basin where some Gadwall and Goosanders were hanging on. It was a very windy day there on Wednesday and birds were flying off when I was still hundreds of metres away.

Most years wasps take up residence in the gate at the Old Harbour, note that this year Red Mason Bees (?) are using the gate and they're friendly, stop and appreciate their existence as they are another useful pollinator.

Whooper Swan, Lurgies, Montrose Basin, click here for video      Eider duck in demand!

The latest Whoopers I've seen in the past were at the Lurgies on 7/6/2019 when a family that nested at Welney in 2018 flew north, two were ringed as shown in the photo below yesterdays Whooper.

This from the ringer at Welney, Norfolk

You’ll note that these siblings were ringed at WWT Welney in Norfolk as cygnets in October 2018, they are actually UK hatched Whoopers, rather than Icelandic! 

Whooper Swan at the Lurgies, Montrose Basin. Very late for a Whooper and a photo of the other side suggests a wing injury?

Yellow rings ZAH and ZAN on the birds born at Welney

Willow Warbler, it was almost hovering into the strong wind just before I managed one photo

Swift, not a good'un but it's part of the story of the trip

Goosanders, given that a female already has 10 ducklings it seemed odd that 14 male and female Goosanders were still sitting on Miss Erskine's Bank

Gadwall and Mallards. I'd tried to photograph one of perhaps 6 Gadwall still on the basin and got lucky in this photo in which I thought all 3 were Mallards as the flew upstream

Noon Fly Mesembrina meridiana. I still couldn't get Olive to appreciate a fly photo, maybe Dundee United supporters would like it 

Red Mason Bee Osmia bicornis. Usually it's wasps that nest in the gate at the Old Harbour, in this species the males don't have a sting, the females do but won't readily use it

Red Mason Bee Osmia bicornis, better if I'd had a shorter lens for these

Eider drakes, part of a few groups which had a single duck in each getting lots of attention

Blue Tit, I can't ID the caterpillar which looked to have been found in my garden

Goldfinch

Greenfinch

Yellowhammer, I had 7 one day in the garden, this one watched me as I did it, as I sat on my back doorstep

Feral Pigeon, I think more people would appreciate them if they had consistent plumage. Maybe they'll end up being loved by all of the dog owners who relish having "crosses" which are effectively mongrels, and expensive ones! Very appropriate that many have the word poo in their "breed" name

House Sparrow fledgling, the first in my garden this year on 25/5/2022, and right on cue a Starling family with 3 chicks turned up today 26th

House Sparrow male displaying to a female

Tree Sparrow, 4 usually each day and they'll be bringing in some chicks soon

Peony Rose. This rose has been in my front garden for more than 30 years and always flowered during the first week of June, this year it was out on 23/5/2022, global warming?