Thursday, 9 March 2023

Cormorant, Raven and a "Panther!

   
Further testing of a new lens I got this week, at Victoria Park, St Cyrus, Montrose Basin, Auchmithie and Monikie. No standout species but some decent photos of my favourite gulls, and a lot of time spent trying to photograph another Scandinavian Rock Pipit, and waiting for a cloud to help me out with the Raven by dampening down the harsh sunlight shining off the white cliffs.

No videos today.


Cormorant on one of the islands at Monikie, at least 16 of them on the Island Pond and a few more on the North Pond










A very overlooked bird the Woodpigeon, this one a Monikie was part of my "try out new lens" testing outing. Some fields near Arbroath have had large flocks feeding in late afternoon, perhaps birds on the move, or just the cold and farming practices





Tufted Duck drake





The Swedish Bue duck is still at Monikie with its pal the white farm duck. Probably released into the "wild" by someone who couldn't keep them, or worse because they didn't want to lock them up because of avian flu in the area! (speculation)





Thought to be the male Raven calling from the top of a cliff in Aberdeenshire





Patrolling along the clifftop





Calling from another clifftop and still too far away. These birds can been seen from a public path and approaching them will not help to get a better photo, but will cause stress to the birds, both are illegal acts





Collared Dove near Montrose Sailing Club





Female Blackbird with a grub, which shows there is still food to be found despite the frosty mornings





A "Panther"stalking in the undergrowth near the Blackbirds





Birds are slowly returning to my garden, but its still too early for me to sit outside, and they're very wary even though the Sparrowhawk seems to have gone





At least 6 Greenfinches visiting regularly but still very wary. I think a bit of window cleaning is required!





About half of a flock of Linnets which were trying to feed in the ploughed soil of a Wild Bird Crop, which appeared to have just been ploughed that day or maybe the previous day










A very distinctive Rock Pipit feeding on the pavement, road and grass at Victoria Park, Arbroath




A very different Rock Pipit feeding close to the one above. I'll have another look at age, moults and sub species, this bird is showing a lot of grey, the one above green





This Stonechat has been around all winter but still hasn't got used to walkers and readily drops down on to the beach





Pied Wagtail, Victoria Park





Just a single Turnstone feeding in the weed being churned up by a small swell





A few shots in quick succesion of a Great black-backed Gull feeding amongst the lobster boats in the Harbour at Arbroath

























Back at Victoria Park, Herring Gulls became my test subjects




I was looking for a young gull I'd seen before which appeared very brown and had a dark belly, this is the closest I got, but it's not as dark as the bird of my previous interest




















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