Nuthatch in Balgay Park and a Fife White-tailed Eagle, yah boy sir!

   
I've a few sites and two Counties in this post, and some of the smallest birds around and the largest, a White-tailed Eagle. It was over a kilometre away, inshore of Outhead at the Eden Estuary a place where I've looked before unsuccessfully. Today Olive was with me, so no doubt when she sees this she'll claim the credit somehow!

We'd already been to Cameron Reservoir to put off time as the tide wasn't so far in as I'd hoped, and were lucky to find the drake Smew at the east end but near the far bank. I took a video but I couldn't get a sheltered position to avoid being buffeted by the wind.

I had a look from the Eden Centre at Guardbridge on the way home and didn't see anything close, but there were 6 Pale-bellied Brent Geese to the east on Coble Shore, very far away.

I was supposed to be going to Balgay Park in Dundee later this week, it's a place I've never been before, but I had time to fit it in today and save a trip. We found our way up a steep path and onward towards the Mills Observatory, and nearby I heard a Nuthatch calling and located it feeding in tree, while hiding from the Nuthatch the Treecreeper below landed close to where I was standing.

Also below are photos from around Arbroath where I tried to dodge the wind on Monday while looking for white winged gulls. Note, I was facinated by dredgers when I was a wee lad, hence the video below.

White-tailed Eagle      Brent Geese at 175 zoom      Smew bathing

Great Black-backed Gull yellow X-088      Roosting and sleeping Purple Sandpipers      Dredger in Arbroath Harbour 

Nuthatch in Balgay Park, near the Mills Observatory

Treecreeper, Balgay Park

Grey Squirrel, another two to report

White-tailed Eagle, Eden Estuary, photo at 1.16km in strong wind

This female Stonechat and its mate works along the beach between the Old Brewhouse and Whiting Ness at Arbroath Cliffs. Both flew into where I was standing late in the afternoon at Victoria Park

Male Stonechat

Male again becuase I like this photo

Grey Herons at Keptie Pond on the long-standing nest site. They've never raised a brood, some years they just appear to give up, one year they were predated the day before fledging was due, let's hope for a result this spring

One pair of Wigeon have become accustomed to humans and come to the area where the public feed the waterfowl

Oystercatcher at Victoria Park

This pigeon just looked different, athletic even when I saw it fly in, I thought it would be a lost homing pigeon and it is. I was told they won't want it back as what use is a homing pigeon that can't find its way home

I managed to get a still of the previously seen Great Black-backed Gull, yellow X-088. I sheltered behind a campervan with the P1000 on my tripod and the 3 second timer