Montrose Basin and the surrounding area (1 Viewer)

[burnie]

Yes I've posted on that thread Delia, funnily enough just back from scrumping Hazelnuts and saw a couple on the village park, they also nest in my daughters garden up Corsiehill in Perth.

 

[Stonefaction]

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.

Yeah, that's why I mentioned farmers as well. Farms fill the gaps between glens and towns/villages in Angus and farmers are not keen on corvids either. There weren't any in Dundee when I was a kid either, nor in any of the surrounding countryside. BTO maps from atlas 2007-11, lets you look back to distribution in 1968-72 and 1988-1991

Map Store Viewer

app.bto.org

 

[burnie]

A Lesser Yellowlegs seen at the Slunks this morning

 

[MJB]

A Lesser Yellowlegs seen at the Slunks this morning

I note that Google Maps puts Shelduck Hide slap bang in the middle of the River South Esk...!
MJB

 

[burnie]

I've had to paddle through some flood water to get there in the past, but not quite a flowing river.

 

[MJB]

I've had to paddle through some flood water to get there in the past, but not quite a flowing river.

"If it wisnae fur yer wellies,
Whaur wid ye be?
In the hoaspital
Oar the infurmary..."

MJB

 

[burnie]

First Pink Footed Geese arrived at the basin, they look confused as it's hot and not raining..................................

 

[burnie]

A Sharp Tailed Sandpiper still present at the Slunks this morning

 

[burnie]

Seems the basin was mobbed at the weekend twitchers come to see the Lesser Yellow Leg, it's still around along with the Sandpiper, I avoided the crowds and watched a Kingfisher in the BoS hide, just click on the image to watch a short video
Kingfisher by tigerburnie, on Flickr

 

[burnie]

2 Little Stints and a White Tailed Eagle at the basin today

 

[burnie]

3 Stints recorded today at the lurgies end

 

[burnie]

Half a dozen Barnacle Geese at the Lurgies today

 

[burnie]

Had an hour or so in the BoS hide, not much about on a very windy day, star would be a brief view of a Water Rail, a Little Egret and a couple of Herons, further out there were Eiders, a lot of Lapwing, Golden Plover, Curlew, Knot and Redshank, a Red Fox was spotted just before we arrived.
Added a short video clip, no sound
Winday day at Montrose by tigerburnie, on Flickr

 

[burnie]

Had a wander down to the Scurdie Ness lighthouse, unplanned walk, so no camera or binos, met with an influx of Goldcrests and Redwings, they must have just arrived, also a lone male Whitethroat.

 

[burnie]

Yellow Browed Warbler seem to be being seen around the basin, we saw one on the road from Scurdie Ness lighthouse, one also on the car park at the Montrose Basin Centre

 

[burnie]

Grey Phalarope seen today at Montrose basin

 

[burnie]

Report of a Pied Wheatear at the railway end of the basin yesterday, that's a long way from home

 

[burnie]

Grey Phalaropes still in the area and also at Carnoustie

 

[burnie]

First Waxwings have arrived, 6 of them

 

[burnie]

Waxwings up to 20 today in Montrose harbour area.