20th Jan 2018
Out to buy seed for our garden feeder we drove home in a circuit that took in the foothills of the eastern Grampians. Apart from a few lurking buzzards our only reward was a close-knit flock of 40 -50 Fieldfare that took off from the field edge as we passed. In their wake they left a few bewildered looking Redwing that didn't see the need to shift from the planting of young trees in which they had taken up position.
Fieldfare, Redwing.
Monday 22 January 2018
Friday 5 January 2018
Goosed!
Around 300 Pink footed geese were roosting in fields today some 200 yards from my home. Someone disturbed them and the flock fragmented with 20 flying down towards Montrose Basin. The main body of birds remained together and land back in the vicinity of their previous position.
Tuesday 2 January 2018
Armchair birding
January 2nd and the clear skies of yesterday have given way to a paler shade of grey. Rain is steadily trickling down the windows and the temperature is just above freezing at around 3⁰C. My appetite for fresh air and damp birds has shaded enough to keep me indoors at 13.36 hrs. My only sightings so far today have been from the house windows. Blackbird, Robin, Goldfinch and House Sparrow. The brisk winds that are forecast may move some birds around later today and leave some treats in store for tomorrow, if I make it over the doorstep.
Monday 1 January 2018
Proper Twite
It's New Year's day, January 2018 and for the first time in ages I feel moved to dig out my bins and camera and head for the coast. En route I watched out for the 100 strong flock of Twite which had been reported on the last day of 2017 but the power lines and fences were empty of birds and the ploughed fields the wee mites had been frequenting were empty and still. Undeterred I drove on in the afternoon sunshine picking up sightings of Carrion Crow, Rook, Herring gull and Starling. I stopped by the Dam to the west of Mains of Usan where I found at least four Moorhen. I followed the road to its end then parked up and set out on foot for the shore. By the lower reed bed I identified Robin and Pied Wagtail but had to pass on a third bird which I glimpsed as it flew from the wire fence into the depths of the reeds. Two young bulls occupied the roadside field but not of the breed once favoured by the Usan estate.
The path to the shore was no more than a deep slick of mud but I managed to keep my feet and stayed attached to my boots. Two fields had been opened up and were being enthusiastically grazed by a flock of sheep. My first reward was a solitary Redshank which flew to the far shore of the bay calling as it went. Then I could hear a Curlew calling but couldn't locate the bird. The tide was high but the sea was devoid of any large flocks of birds. I picked out a few individual Great Black Backed gulls, Herring gulls and a small flock of Common Eider.
Five Oyster Catchers flew in formation where the rocks met the sea and three more calling Redshank flew in the opposite direction settling out of view close to the water's edge. A solitary fisherman with a black dog in attendance had his rod set up on a substantial tripod. He turned to see who was approaching and raised his hand in greeting. I returned his distant wave and suddenly became aware of how cold my hands had become. As there were no other birds visible, I turned for home. Above me a single Cormorant flew south along the coast and a single Lapwing flew north over the fields with a call that seemed to belong to someone else.
A Grey Seal was suddenly visible, head bobbing in the freezing waters of the small bay. The sun was beginning to sink in a bright orange fireball and I drove south towards it spotting four roosting herons in a very photogenic pose. The spell was broken when I stopped to try for a snap. One bird took off across the upper dam and unwilling to disturb them further I moved on. The long established rookery at this spot is already beginning to show signs of activity with noisy birds assembling in the treetops. As I drove towards Fishtown of Usan I spotted Woodpigeon, Chaffinch and Buzzard. Lunan Bay was sheltering three vessels of the type which normally dock at Montrose and in the distance the beacon on the Bell Rock was beginning to wink in the fading light. I made it home shortly before 16.00 hrs. just as the first supermoon of 2018 was rising from the low cloud over the sea. Guests from Dundee, my son and his partner, had arrived for dinner at 17.00 hrs. Fresh air does wonders for the appetite.
Carrion Crow, Rook, Herring gull, Starling, Moorhen, Robin, Pied Wagtail, Redshank, Common Eider, Gt Black Backed gull, Oyster catcher, Cormorant, Lapwing, Wood pigeon, Chaffinch, Buzzard.
Grey seal
The path to the shore was no more than a deep slick of mud but I managed to keep my feet and stayed attached to my boots. Two fields had been opened up and were being enthusiastically grazed by a flock of sheep. My first reward was a solitary Redshank which flew to the far shore of the bay calling as it went. Then I could hear a Curlew calling but couldn't locate the bird. The tide was high but the sea was devoid of any large flocks of birds. I picked out a few individual Great Black Backed gulls, Herring gulls and a small flock of Common Eider.
Five Oyster Catchers flew in formation where the rocks met the sea and three more calling Redshank flew in the opposite direction settling out of view close to the water's edge. A solitary fisherman with a black dog in attendance had his rod set up on a substantial tripod. He turned to see who was approaching and raised his hand in greeting. I returned his distant wave and suddenly became aware of how cold my hands had become. As there were no other birds visible, I turned for home. Above me a single Cormorant flew south along the coast and a single Lapwing flew north over the fields with a call that seemed to belong to someone else.
A Grey Seal was suddenly visible, head bobbing in the freezing waters of the small bay. The sun was beginning to sink in a bright orange fireball and I drove south towards it spotting four roosting herons in a very photogenic pose. The spell was broken when I stopped to try for a snap. One bird took off across the upper dam and unwilling to disturb them further I moved on. The long established rookery at this spot is already beginning to show signs of activity with noisy birds assembling in the treetops. As I drove towards Fishtown of Usan I spotted Woodpigeon, Chaffinch and Buzzard. Lunan Bay was sheltering three vessels of the type which normally dock at Montrose and in the distance the beacon on the Bell Rock was beginning to wink in the fading light. I made it home shortly before 16.00 hrs. just as the first supermoon of 2018 was rising from the low cloud over the sea. Guests from Dundee, my son and his partner, had arrived for dinner at 17.00 hrs. Fresh air does wonders for the appetite.
Carrion Crow, Rook, Herring gull, Starling, Moorhen, Robin, Pied Wagtail, Redshank, Common Eider, Gt Black Backed gull, Oyster catcher, Cormorant, Lapwing, Wood pigeon, Chaffinch, Buzzard.
Grey seal
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