Thursday, 18 May 2023

White-tailed Eagle, Cuckoo, Redstart and more...

   
A long day visiting some of the Glens of Angus. I'm late this year but after 38 months of avoiding it, I caught Covid and I've no idea from where or who I got it. (being a social hermit)




White-tailed Eagle adult, blue tag "V" and satellite tag





Two Buzzards and a Raven chased it off





It's deceptive when trying to have the camera set up for something that looks close but is so large it's not nearly as close as you'd think. Fortunately the Eagle didn't seem concerned with me standing in a bush, perhaps the black clothing actually did its job! Note I wasn't looking for or expecting to see this WTE, it just appeared when I was alerted by a Raven calling





One of two Ospreys which I briefly saw together





The other one





I've seen Red Kites in most glens this year, and on lower ground in Angus





I didn't think I'd find a Restart as I walked the last bit of habitat, but as I was about to give up this fella flew into the tree, just close enough for a photo





It's singing in this photo as it was when I took a video, unfortunately I'd switched the audio zoom off due to the noise of the wind and sheep!





One glen had 3 Cuckoos calling and another glen where I didn't look hard, just the one bird on the wires




Tree Pipit, always a nice bird to photograph if you can get one to take a break from the "parachuting" display and sit on a tree without twigs in the way




I think this is the same Tree Pipit as above but the light had gone





There were three Lesser Redpolls in a small plantation of young trees




Meadow Pipit in open habitat




Another Meadow Pipit pretending to be a Tree Pipit in the same plantation as the Redpolls





Willow Warblers singing everywhere





I didn't see or hear as many waders as I would expect, perhaps I'm a bit earlier this year and they were all sitting tight





An unexpected Hooded Crow just west of Purgavie Farm on the Glenisla road. It was 8 miles due south of one that Jon reported from Runtaleave





Obviously I'm no longer in the glens, these were from a short look at the Lurgies on Tuesday evening. The Goosander has ten ducklings - for long long?





I get the feeling that this Common Sandpiper has been hanging about at the Lurgies now for a few weeks, I've never failed to see it/one on recent visits





Not many Eider around but it was low tide and many will have paired and nested





Another Swan with an apparent strange neck position, the first was a late Whooper, both looked like this and both flew with their necks held in an odd manner as seen in the photo below. This one isn't so exaggerated as the Whooper, but enough to see the resemblance. It's maybe something common, but this year with avian flu still around I've paid more attention, could it be a consequence of flu. I read that Gannets which have recovered from flu have dark eyes instead of the normal pale blue, I wonder if I'll see more swans with odd necks?





The Swan in front is the one above



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