Webs, a Pig and Waders

   
Webs weekend again and the photos here start with some of the birds recorded on Sunday in a strong, 20-25mph wertely wind which was blowing directly along the beach, you'll notice it in some of the videos.

On Saturday I also carried out a Webs count on behalf of the Angus and Dundee Bird Club who manage the monthly Webs at Murton NR. It had the same high water levels but more birdlife despite 25% coverage with ice. I didn't keep any photos all taken at distance.

After Murton I had a look through the gulls at the pig farm at Boysack but didn't see anything unusual and the gulls kept being flushed further away.

The group of photos from Arbroath Harbour were taken close to the Harbour Chipper (Peppos) where Olive was getting the tea. In the short time I saw Dipper, Wren, Robin, Pied Wagtail, Redshank, Heron, Eider, Great black-backed and Herring Gulls and Grey Seal!

Finally on my way home from looking for an Iceland Gull, which day I forget, I stopped at Keptie Pond but still no Lesser black-backed Gulls yet.

Eiders      Dunlin      Wader mix      Purple Sandpiper      

Stock Dove      Sanderlings      Great black-backed Gull

Grey Plover, just the three this month in the strong wind blowing along the beach

The most Dunlin I've seen for a while, but still less than 30, they were spread out along the tide line

Second calendar year Common Gull

Stock Dove just before a train flushed it!

Teal, not so common recently at East Haven

I wonder what all of the studs and labels are for and why so many, maybe multiple analog ones are less expensive than a single digital smart device, and they won't pack in and need switched off and on again!

Mostly Herring Gulls spooked by cyclists at a local pig farm

Jackdaws, note the pile of droppings under them, most of the pig shelters are like that

Rook

The same Rook which looked a bit ill, only moving away from the shelter when disturbed by a pig

A male Sparrowhawk chased all of the way across the pig field by Jackdaws and Crows

There has been a Heron at Arbroath Harbour all winter, it's sitting out high tide on the oil pier. This photo and the next few were taken in the time Olive waited for our White Pudding Suppers, around ten minutes

One of last years Pied Wagtails still showing some yellow on its face, this one was at the Harbourmasters office

This Robin and a Wren were on the shingle in the Brothock adjacent to the Marina chipper

I think this was the sequence of photos as it happened as a Herring Gull gingerly landed on the slowly melting ice on Keptie Pond, at the start of what became a serious snow shower

If you look closely at the foot scratching the Moorhens head, it's not only large but I think very dinosaur like

A drake Wigeon and below his mate, they are less wary than most of the Wigeon and readily come to people feeding them at the steps