Black Stork at Loch of Strathbeg

We'd thought the chance to see a Great White Egret had gone when we left for Strathbeg this morning to see the Black Stork but on the way up there a text said the Egret was there again. On arrival the Black Stork was standing about 150 metres from the centre and not worth trying for a photo but later it flew away and returned allowing for some shots and video as it flew in. The Great White Egret was very distant but obvious on the main loch and as a bonus a Spotted Redshank appeared with one of the many Greenshanks on one of the centre's pools.
By the time we left we'd also seen 6 Ruff, 11 Greenshank, 9 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Peregrines, 2 Dunlin and 21 Lapwings all in front of the centre. The Spotted Redshank video below is a bit washed out, I've no control over video exposure!

Black Stork feeding video, click here.

Black Stork flying in video, click here.

Spotted Redshank video, click here.

With cameo from Dunlin

from SX50

Great Skua at Scurdie Ness

No excuses for four photos of the Great Skua, they are hard to find and often far away. This one flew by close in when I had the camera set up for a photo of a Guillemot being splashed by the surge so the photos needed work.

Great Skua, Scurdie Ness Montrose

Guillemot, hard as nails I am!

Goosanders

114 Goosanders, and a few Eider. Not all in one photo but most are.

Meadow Brown

Arbroath Cliffs, still a few nesting sea birds around

Although most sea birds have already fledged their young there are still a few Fulmars and Kittiwakes with chicks at Arbroath Cliffs and at Whiting Ness nearby a variety of waders more easily seen before or after the high tide. A Tern roost also at the Ness had around 140 Sandwich Terns and a few Common Terns and on the Steeple Rock were eighty Curlew.

The House Martins still haven't fledged and today it looked like they might but all three (or are there more) were still in the nest at dusk.

Fulmar with large chick

Not known for its looks

My Mum loves me! 

Kittiwake juvenile

Six Spot Burnet Moth

Dunlin at Whiting Ness. Arbroath

Ringed Plover, Whiting Ness

House Martin chicks

Mum or Dad House Martin