Saturday, 25 March 2023

Stunning Stonechat

   
I went to Auchmithie for a second time this week when I saw the tide was suitable and the sun was shining, but because it's Scotland in spring it didn't work out that way. I don't know why the cliffs were empty of auks, perhaps the spring tide at 5.7 metres had something to do with it.

My second site on the day was Victoria Park where around 20 Rock Pipits were feeding on the strand line, which was on the road! The waves were splashing over the sea wall and dumping weed, debris and Rock Pipit food. While looking through the pipits the regular Stonechat started forging reasonably close to me then it appeared in almost the perfect position, hence the number of photos below, and I had more...




Stonechat male, still hanging around between South Street and Whiting Ness, in Arbroath. Best seen at high tide where it's confined to a smaller area




I'm not sure what it caught, something like a wood louse with a similar protective shell





and without the shell
















Rock Pipit, singing or yawning?





Black-headed Gulls feeding where the waves dump on the beach





Common Gull, feeding near the gulls above





It took sometime before a Herring Gull flew across the rainbow










Young Herring Gulls, they leave it to the last second before dodging the waves





The adults are better at judging whether a wave will break or not










I've seen a few Bumblebees but this Buff-tailed Queen at Auchmithie is the only photo so far, a Red-tailed Queen in my garden was too mobile





This Dunnock flew in to about 3 metres from me but I couldn't get a position with a clear view





No Auks at Lud Castle near Auchmithie so I tried to get some Kittiwake photos, I could have done without the poor light and heavy showers















Yellowhammer in the garden of the Coastguard houses


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