Mostly damp start for 2024 Birds

A trip to Barry Buddon on Friday was spoiled by persistent drizzle and eventually heavier rain. I did find Fieldfare, Redwing, Bullfinch, Siskin, Magpie, Long-tailed Tit and Great Spotted Woodpecker, and various common small birds.

The rain continued when I moved over to Carnoustie Golf Links where the only productive area was at one of the small ponds near Barry Halt where someone has provided feeders and seed. Many small birds were coming to the feeders and Goldeneye, Wigeon, Mallard, Coot and Mute Swans were in the pond.

Earlier in the week I took some photos from Boghead, Auchmithie, my garden, the Lurgies, and the rocks at Danger Point (behind the Old Brewhouse)

Golden Plovers with Knot      Knot, c140 of them      Long-tailed Duck (1st winter drake, Lurgies)      Bar-tailed Godwit, Rossie Spit

Siskin male, coming to some feeders someone has set up on the Golf Links boundary with the Barry Buddon Camp

Coal Tit, same place, poor photo in the shade and rain

Great Tit

Long-tailed Tit

Black-headed Gull, on the practice grounds on Carnoustie Golf Links, one of 23

Curlew, also on the links with three others

Goldeneye drake

Mallard pair

Mute Swan

Collared Doves, very infrequent visitors to my garden

Long-tailed Duck (drake), seen at the Lurgies, Montrose Basin on 2/1/2024

Fulmar, this one and a few others on and around the cliffs at Auchmithie, and in the only few minutes of sunshine all week!

Corn Buntings, (marked in pink) Linnets, and Goldfinches. I've marked and counted the Corn Buntings, there were more outside the photo. I would have filmed the birds on the wire but it was too windy and dark

Cock Pheasant, near feeders on Ethie

Young Roe Buck

I was unable to walk back along the track without flushing it

Three of nine Golden Plover, and 140 Knot on the rocks behind the Old Brewhouse, this is a screen grab from a video, the birds were on the low tide mark