Dippers, Pochard and very big gulls

   
The harbour area in Arbroath has effectively become my patch, where for various reasons I end up there scanning for an Iceland or Glaucous Gull, or just checking for something new or unusual.

I was also at Rescobie Loch looking for Jonathon's Green Sandpiper which I found feeding on the north bank, I was far away on the south one. Also there, a drake Pochard, Red Kite, Great Crested Grebe and 60 Fieldfares.

My garden bird numbers have picked up a bit, no sign of the Sparrowhawk, but the birds are favouring the front garden where they have clear lines of sight of any incoming predator! I suppose that back garden fences have contributed to the success of urban Sparrowhawks! They will scan the end of my street from height then fly along the gardens skimming over the fences at speed, what a bird.

The first video below is worth watching, but then I would say that!

Dipper pair, male with Caddis larva      Dipper female feeding      Dipper swimming

Great Crested Grebe, Rescobie      Pochard drake      

My patch male Dipper, he is a constant companion to the female with the rings on the lower reaches of the Brothock Burn, Arbroath

A bit out of sequence, a drake Pochard seen distantly at Rescobie Loch, Forfar

Great black-backed Gull flying past the dredger's reflection on the waters surface

Adult Great black-backed Gull, I wondered if the camera with a 1.7 telecoverter would capture a flying bird, worked Ok for this large one

This Great black-backed Gull is a sub adult, with the Lifeboat shed in the background

What a wingspan!

Great black-backed 2nd calendar year. The Great black-backed Gulls have legs long enough to stand above the needless spikes. It's a bloomin fishing harbour and even the fishermen feed them, get a grip Angus Council.....

Herring Gull adult bathing and preening at Danger Point

Herring Gull, 2nd calendar year

The resident Redshank at the boat yard slipway

A Moorhen is a rarer vistor to the lower Brothock, this one is wary and disappears if seen

This Tree Sparrow appears to be living in my garden, often with a few others during the day, and feeding in my front garden which is a bit unusual. Having said that, I've had Yellowhammers in the front this week and seven at once at the back, six males and one female