Catching up a bit after an interesting weekend.
Saturday, had a photographic trip for some Autumn colour in Perthshire but managed to find a few birds along the way. A nice wee male Brambling by the river Garry, and a couple of Dippers on the river, just down from the bridge to the Queen's View. A Jay was seen flying over the road a few miles south of Pitlochry. A single Redpoll, a few Greylags and Pink Footed Geese and a flock of Long Tailed Tits at Loch Rannoch. 30 Waxwings at Tummel Bridge (my first of this Winter's influx). A couple of Ravens and some Chaffinches (and not much else, except a single Blackbird) at Rannoch Station.
Sunday, I spent looking for Waxwings round Dundee and Broughty Ferry. Managed to find 4 not too far from home near the crossroads of Clepington Road and Forfar Road in Dundee. Unfortunately they were flying round over the houses, so I never got any photos. Mistle Thrush and Wren at Eastern Cemetery. Turnstone, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Curlew, Rock Pipit, Red Breasted Merganser and Greenfinch at Broughty Ferry. A single Sparrowhawk drifted over when I was waiting for a bus back to Dundee
Potentially the star bird of the weekend was one that I didn't really pay enough attention to at the time. I spotted a Buzzard drifting over where Dundee and Broughty Ferry meet, and had a quick glance through my small binoculars, just enough to rule out Sparrowhawk/Peregrine/Kestrel etc as it was quite high, but obviously a raptor. Decided not to take any photos as it was so high, and I already have way too many shots of high flying Buzzards. I thought that the location was unusual, and moreso when it drifted out over the Tay heading for Fife. I then grabbed a quick photo, which looked "interesting"on the LCD screen. When I got home and put the photo on the computer, I was able to see a lot more detail despite the distance the bird was away from me. It had a dark belly and a white-ish breast and neck/head, dark carpal patches with much lighter feathers inboard of these. I posted it on the ID thread but disappointingly only got 2 replies, one of which more or less agreed with my provisional ID (the other was pretty non-commital, just remarking that Buzzards come in a variety of plumages, which I knew) of Rough Legged Buzzard. I sent a copy of the photo to a well-known experienced local birder who reckons it is possibly a RLB (most likely a juvenile). Pretty chuffed, if it is, as it is a lifer for me.....although wish I'd paid a lot more attention to the bird, and
snapped some photos as it glided slowly over me. Been circulated for further opinions.
