Snow Goose and Mandarin

An unusual mixture. A dawn trip to Loch of Skene, west of Westhill, Aberdeenshire and as expected the loch was almost completely frozen over with a huge flock of birds, mainly Pink-footed Geese confined to an area of open water in the northwest corner. I don't know this area and didn't venture anywhere that didn't look like public access, consequently I never got close and didn't really want to as the sun came up, they'd mostly fly off without any accidental encouragement from me! I picked out the white morph Snow Goose easily when it circled the loch in a group and it conveniently landed on the edge of the large group but perhaps 500 metres away. I couldn't pick out any other geese species other than two Barnacles.

I didn't stay long at Skene, it was freezing and drove down to Johnston Gardens in Aberdeen to get a quick photo of the drake Mandarin but it was at Walker Dam and hiding under the high bank. A handful of seed brought it out eventually but on the winter solstice the sun would never light the dam.

The remaining photos below the Mandarin are from Montrose Basin, Bank of Scotland Hide and were taken on 20/12/2017 when over a period good views were had of very active Water Rails.

Distant Snow Goose, click here for "HD" Video              Mandarin Drake click here for HD Video

FOUR Little Egrets, click here for HD Video                   Snipe, Bank of Scotland Hide, click here for HD Video

Snow Goose, white morph at the Loch of Skene, very far away

The Walker Dam/Johnston Gardens Mandarin drake

Currently the sun isn't getting high enough to light the dam

Very active Water Rails at the salt pans, Montrose Basin

Swimming often

Even the Snipe were co-operating

The female Kingfisher sitting on her latrine

Little Egret

Four Little Egrets at the Bank of Scotland Hide, SWT Montrose Basin. At the same time another was at Denfind, Monikie

Glenshee - Ptarmigan and Snow Buntings

My yearly visit to Glenshee. On arrival at the overflow car park, just at the top of the long climb up to Glenshee Ski Area I parked near to the radio mast and immediately heard two Ravens and watched them fly over. Out of the corner of my eye I saw movement near the mast and could see a group of eight Snow Buntings sitting on the top, a very good start!
At that point I should have set up camp in the car park and tried to get Snow Bunting photos but I'd also come looking for Ptarmigan and soon saw one near the top of Cairnwell along with many Mountain Hares. How difficult would it be I thought to walk up the hill to the summit to get a photo of Ptarmigan, I'd get a Hare on the way. How wrong I was, as I didn't get any useful photos till I'd reached the top of the hill and overall climbed and descended 260 metres and walked 2 km. Yes, I was cursing carrying the large heavy lens and being cautious about falling and rolling down the snow patches with it!

Ptarmigan male, always on the snow patches to keep cool. It was 7 degrees when I returned to the car park, positively tropical

Ptarmigan female

male again

Snow Bunting, I threw down some seed to get them to come off their mast just before the sun dipped behind the hill. Maybe try for some on the beach soon, currently a few at Tenstmuir and Out Head

Mountain Hare

darker variant

Barry Buddon Bird Trip

Making the most of the camp being open till at least the end of this year I saw fairly large numbers of Redwing, Fieldfare and Blackbirds near Cowbyres, but no waterfowl on the ponds due to to the ice. I had to walk to Buddon Ness before seeing anything else other than two Jays and what might have been four Snow Buntings. Still haven't found a Merlin or Short-eared Owl on the camp this year, time yet though.

Scotland Live Firing Times - December 2017, 

This is of course a constructed photo but please ensure you abide by the signs in Barry Buddon, especially the red flag system

Bar-tailed Godwits near Buddon Ness on the Barry Buddon Camp

Also at Buddon Ness the hull of a boat which looks to be undamaged although partly buried. Anyone know someone missing a boat in the area?

A Buzzard just of the Carnoustie Golf Links watching the activities on the courses where a great deal of work is being done for next years Open Championship

One of a pair of Collared Doves often seen at Barry Halt

This friendly, or less wary Common Seal is entertaining walkers most days in front of the Westhaven car park. Here it's seen near sundown giving it a golden glow. Best seen near high tide

Redwing, carried forward from a trip to Scone Palace