Montrose Basin and the surrounding area (2 Viewers)

[burnie]

The old salt pans to the right of the centre, viewed from the Bank of Scotland hide, one of the nearby cottages has taken the name too, it's old Montrose at work.

 

[delia todd]

Oh!! I never knew they were salt pans.

Thanks.

 

[burnie]

Get a big tide and a following wind, the whole area gets flooded.

 

[burnie]

A walk around the village fields , even on a dull and cool day, full of wildlife, Yellowhammer, Dunnock, Sedge Warbler, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Skylark, Pheasant all seen and heard, sadly very little sign of House Martin or Swallow and the Swifts don't look to have stayed in the village. Since some semi derelict barns were demolished on the edge of the village Hirundines are scarce these days, there are some over the river along with Sand Martins, but in lower numbers.

 

[Andy Adcock]

The old salt pans to the right of the centre, viewed from the Bank of Scotland hide, one of the nearby cottages has taken the name too, it's old Montrose at work.

Appropriate word, I never did find a way in.

 

[burnie]

Montrose Basin at the Lurgies, went early, high tide, Little Egret and Great White Egret, 1 of each, Curlew, Common Sandpiper, Redshank, Black Headed Gull, Mute Swan, Dabchick, Linnet, Goldfinch, Yellowhammer, Skylark. Tree Sparrow. Sedge Warbler, Carrion Crow, Mallard, Eider, Red Breasted Merganser, very few Sand Martins or Swallows and House Martins, no Swifts.

 

[burnie]

Whilst standing in a Barley field waiting for the Flying Scotsman to go by we were serenaded by Yellowhammers and Linnets, lovely that the farm birds are still around here, friends south of the border never hear them these days.

 

[kawwauser]

i was shocked when the yellowhammer ended up on the red list they have always been a common sight on all my usual walking spots

 

[burnie]

Just had a Merlin over our garden being mobbed by House Martins

 

[burnie]

Ruddy Shellduck in the basin yesterday

 

[burnie]

Great Crested Grebes have bred at Balgavies, we think for the first time.

 

[burnie]

7 Swifts racing over our roof screaming, we had a pair earlier, can they have had 5 youngsters, great news as we thought they had left the village.

 

[burnie]

Red necked grebe at the Lurgies today.

 

[burnie]

A lot of Skuas reported today in the Usan area, Bonxies, Long Tailed and Arctic, also Manx and Sooty Shearwaters.

 

[burnie]

Pied Flycatchers near Montrose and Usan reported today.

 

[burnie]

Good numbers of summer migrants moving south at the lurgies including Ruff and Spotted Redshanks

 

[burnie]

3 Magpies on the edge of our village, once very rare, now getting more common, I wonder why Angus had so few 10 years ago?

 

[Stonefaction]

3 Magpies on the edge of our village, once very rare, now getting more common, I wonder why Angus had so few 10 years ago?

Persecution by gamekeepers and farmers in the main (most likely). There may have been other factors too, but none immediately spring to mind.

 

[burnie]

Persecution by gamekeepers and farmers in the main (most likely). There may have been other factors too, but none immediately spring to mind.

In the Glens I would expect that, but I'm on the coast and there are no gamekeepers round here, talking to villagers, they don't remember seeing any in their childhoods either, most odd. I remember recording one to the ADBC 15 years ago or more and it caused quite a commotion at the time, seen them in Dundee, Forfar and Aberdeen, but not in the countryside.

 

[delia todd]

You may find this thread of interest Burnie: Magpies in Dundee

It's a bit wider-ranging than just Dundee.