Fine thanks Scoz. Getting a long-awaited op tomorro. Then hopefully be pretty well pain free. Fingers crossed 🤞 please!!!
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Angus Hills and Glens (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter burnie
- Start date
Thank Scoz.
Op went according to plan. May get home tomorrow but depends on Physio. As need to be able to cope with the stairs at home.
Op went according to plan. May get home tomorrow but depends on Physio. As need to be able to cope with the stairs at home.
Thanks Burnie - I'm home!!!
Scozmos
Well-known member
Speedy recovery Delia, whizzing about in no time 👍😉
Sadly not.... I can't drive for quite a few weeks. It takes ages for the stitches to dissolve and until they're no more of an issue, I risk tearing them!! Grrr... they used clips last time and I was able to drive after about 2 weeks.
Scozmos
Well-known member
Good morning all, blimey, it's afternoon! 
Been up to that there reservoir again this morning, bit chilly out! Not a huge amount around but did see the Red-Throated Diver again, working its way from around half way down the reservoir Southwards, still not close enough for decent shots. Either that or I seriously need to save for some long Prime glass
Been up to that there reservoir again this morning, bit chilly out! Not a huge amount around but did see the Red-Throated Diver again, working its way from around half way down the reservoir Southwards, still not close enough for decent shots. Either that or I seriously need to save for some long Prime glass 
Perhaps ask Santa,If you've been a good boyI seriously need to save for some long Prime glass
Scozmos
Well-known member
I bl**dy wish Ian, I've been toying with a major trade-in for ages, you NEVER get good money for the older kit, maybe next yearPerhaps ask Santa,If you've been a good boy
Scozmos
Well-known member
Morning all, took a wander up Backwater Reservoir this morning, pretty quiet, pretty chilly saw a flock of ?????? fly over, possibly Bullfinches or Crossbills too quick for me, a couple of Buzzards were spotted and a pair of Ravens, very little else but, on the return trip and remembering to check behind me, I spotted something soaring waaaaaaaay up at the top so I grabbed a few shots.
Made it all worthwhile. Spotted 9 Crossbills briefly and that was it.
Made it all worthwhile. Spotted 9 Crossbills briefly and that was it.
Oooh nice one Scoz.
Hoping to get up there tomorrow, but forecast is for bad weather coming in tonight, so will have to see what it does.
Hoping to get up there tomorrow, but forecast is for bad weather coming in tonight, so will have to see what it does.
Had a drive up Glen Esk, very busy, never seen the car park so busy, so didn't hang around, 7 Red Kites in the lower end of the Glen and around 40 Red Deer stags on top of one of the hills, quiet apart from the odd Chaffinch or Wren, expect it will be busier with birds in a few weeks time.
Had a cracking trip to Glen Clova and Glen Doll(watch the huge pot holes by the bridge at the Hotel), began with two Red Kites, as common as Sparrows round here.....lol
Then about every few hundred yards Buzzards everywhere, sadly no more raptors. A couple of hundred Curlews and a few dozen Lapwings and around two dozen Black Headed Gulls, no mammals, but never seen so many Mole Hills, the wee football pitch at the scout hut at the top of Doll will need rolling before a game. Did I mention the hundreds of Oyster Catchers, who knew Oysters lived in the Glens.
Then about every few hundred yards Buzzards everywhere, sadly no more raptors. A couple of hundred Curlews and a few dozen Lapwings and around two dozen Black Headed Gulls, no mammals, but never seen so many Mole Hills, the wee football pitch at the scout hut at the top of Doll will need rolling before a game. Did I mention the hundreds of Oyster Catchers, who knew Oysters lived in the Glens.
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Another great trip into the Glens, first thing we saw was a Golden Eagle, which sadly vanished before I could get a camera on it. No Red Kites(after me saying they are every where), but 5 Red Squirrels and a couple of Red Grouse displaying. The Curlews are in good numbers again as are the Lapwing but they were not really displaying yet. Pied Wagtails everywhere along with Chaffinches, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush and a couple of Ravens. Loads of Jackdaws along with Red Legged Partridge and Pheasants.
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Scozmos
Well-known member
March 22nd 2024 - Took a wander up to Backwater Reservoir, it's been a while. A beautiful, freezing, windy, sunny, snowy, windy again, snowy again morning was had. 🥶 Pretty chilly but, no-one around and fairly quiet bird wise. A good few Song Thrushes around and a few Mistle Thrush seen and heard towards the top end but hardly a photo taken until I spotted a 'whiteness' of Whooper Swans near the top, around 24 of them, one younger looking bird.
Loads of Common Gulls around the tower and a fair few Oystercatchers gathering around the dam area. No shortage of Blue and Great Tits, Chaffinch, Robin, Dunnock but didn't see or hear any Chiffchaff yet.
A Buzzard popped up for a soar around then disappeared but not a lot else.
The Buzzard reminded me I've been planning a trip / walk up towards Balintore castle soon.
Upon past the picnic bench and through the gate, still not seen a great deal at all but started to see birds flitting in and out of the grass on both sides up there, probably Meadow Pipit then I started spotting them.
I got a few decent shots of the Whoopers but the wind got up and it was FREEZING! SO, back down the trail for me.
The bird foremost on the right was still pale grey.
I did spot a few Stonechat in the same area but no chances for photos, my hands were frozen anyway
As I walked towards the picnic bench again I did see a probable Sparrowhawk male fly out over the water and disappear. But it was and I passed the new logging gate that I spotted a bird up ahead in a branch right by the road, directly into the sun so no shot but as I got closer, I saw a couple more.
A couple of female Crossbills, that's what I was looking for and as I got closer I could see a few more in a stand of low growing Larch so I started the scramble up the bank to work my way around the clump, see if I could get shots of them with the sun behind me.
I'm beginning to see how much colour variation there can be among them, it's often difficult to tell males from females, I did see one young bird still showing greyish colouration but it was gone in a flash. I also turned round to catch a glimpse of a larger group heading up the hillside.
But I loved this next shot, I'd almost crept into the middle of the clump of Larches and could partially see and hear the birds all around me.
Anyway, enough of the Crossbills, my favourite bird in the area. I wandered on back to the car, hardly a soul around, one other car and headed for home and some warmth, I hoped. Balintore tomorrow maybe?
Loads of Common Gulls around the tower and a fair few Oystercatchers gathering around the dam area. No shortage of Blue and Great Tits, Chaffinch, Robin, Dunnock but didn't see or hear any Chiffchaff yet.
A Buzzard popped up for a soar around then disappeared but not a lot else.
The Buzzard reminded me I've been planning a trip / walk up towards Balintore castle soon.
Upon past the picnic bench and through the gate, still not seen a great deal at all but started to see birds flitting in and out of the grass on both sides up there, probably Meadow Pipit then I started spotting them.
I got a few decent shots of the Whoopers but the wind got up and it was FREEZING! SO, back down the trail for me.
The bird foremost on the right was still pale grey.
I did spot a few Stonechat in the same area but no chances for photos, my hands were frozen anyway
As I walked towards the picnic bench again I did see a probable Sparrowhawk male fly out over the water and disappear. But it was and I passed the new logging gate that I spotted a bird up ahead in a branch right by the road, directly into the sun so no shot but as I got closer, I saw a couple more.
A couple of female Crossbills, that's what I was looking for and as I got closer I could see a few more in a stand of low growing Larch so I started the scramble up the bank to work my way around the clump, see if I could get shots of them with the sun behind me.
I'm beginning to see how much colour variation there can be among them, it's often difficult to tell males from females, I did see one young bird still showing greyish colouration but it was gone in a flash. I also turned round to catch a glimpse of a larger group heading up the hillside.
But I loved this next shot, I'd almost crept into the middle of the clump of Larches and could partially see and hear the birds all around me.
Anyway, enough of the Crossbills, my favourite bird in the area. I wandered on back to the car, hardly a soul around, one other car and headed for home and some warmth, I hoped. Balintore tomorrow maybe?
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Fabulous pictures Scoz. Of the swans, particularly like the one with the view.
You'll see I obeyed orders
You'll see I obeyed orders
With yet more bad weather on the way, we went for a drive and wander in the Glens, began in Lethnot, round over the Catheruns and then up Glen Esk. Lack of Lapwings and Curlews, plenty of Red Kites, Wheatear, Stonechats, Oystercatchers in their hundreds, a Magpie( you would not believe how far we drove looking for a second one) Brown Hare and Red squirrel on the mammal front.
Breeding season begins by tigerburnie, on Flickr
Breeding season begins by tigerburnie, on Flickr
Scozmos
Well-known member
April 8th - Took a walk up Backwater Reservoir, not a huge amount happening, lots of Robins, Chaffinch, Tits, Blackbird and heard a good few Song Thrush and at least one Mistle Thrush singing. I did spot what looked like a pair of Kestrels on the drive up on the moorland on the straight along the B954, other than that, I grabbed shots of a large bird I couldn't quite ID, turned out to be an Osprey flying high and distant but, I did see a Sand Martin, first I've seen up there this year.
Heard quite a few Wrens singing, a couple of Chiffchaff and Merlin told me it could hear a Redstart and a Willow Warbler!, I lurked for a good while but saw nothing. A solitary Crossbill male may have been the only one visible, I could see other birds flitting around beyond it and met a lady striding out who was on the lookout for the first Cuckoo, nothing heard or seen by me, yet.
Back on my patch I spotted the SEO again last night and at least four Red Kites have been hunting the fields around us.
Heard quite a few Wrens singing, a couple of Chiffchaff and Merlin told me it could hear a Redstart and a Willow Warbler!, I lurked for a good while but saw nothing. A solitary Crossbill male may have been the only one visible, I could see other birds flitting around beyond it and met a lady striding out who was on the lookout for the first Cuckoo, nothing heard or seen by me, yet.
Back on my patch I spotted the SEO again last night and at least four Red Kites have been hunting the fields around us.
