TAYSIDE
TOADSTOOLS & BIRDS
My voice / Becomes the wind / Mushroom-hunting . . . . . . . . . 19th century haiku by Japanese poet MASAOKA SHIKI [1867-1902]
THE LURGIES IS AN INLET FED BY A RIVER AND HAS MUDBANKS BORDERED BY TREE/SHRUB PATH
GREY SEAL [Halichoerus grypus] CHASED FISH INTO SHALLOWS - BUT FAILED. NOV. 6, 2024
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER [Mergus serrator]
Female with brood of six chicks [only five in photo] on August 3, 2022
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER [Mergus serrator]
Male on January 30, 2025. Species probably seen often but I didn't know
MALLARD DUCK [Anas platyrynchos]
Female [left] and male on April 3, 2025
MERGANSER / GOOSANDER [Mergus merganser]
Male at Balgavies Loch on December 6, 2020, with immaculte-looking female showing hooked bill at Lurgies on July 29, 2020
COMMON GULL [Larus canus]
September 28, 2020
HERRING GULL [Larus argentatus]
Adult, above left, May 2020, and juvenile, right, on August 5, 2020
BLACK-HEADED GULL [Chroicocephalus ridibundus]
Left - black-headed summer plumage, April 1, 2021; centre - winter plumage with smudge. October 17, 2020; right - juvenile [note dark head coming in]. July 5, 2024
MUTE SWAN [Cygnus olor]
Young cygnets with parents [male in foreground]. May 22, 2024
WHOOPER SWAN [Cygnus cygnus]
Yellow-billed adult with young on November 21, 2021
EIDER DUCK [Somateria mollissima]
Left is female on April 24, 2021. Centre is a juvenile male on August 3, 2020. Left is adult male on April 19, 2021
RUFF [Calidris pugnax / Philomachus pugnax]
Left is part of a group of eight on August 17, 2023. Right is a lone bird on September 24, 2022
GREEN SANDPIPER [Tringa ochropus]
September 1, 2023
CANADA GOOSE [Branta canadensis]
Above was part of a large flock on September 29, 2021. Saw three on Jan. 28, 2023 - unusual time
RUDDY SHELDUCK
[Tadorna ferruginea]
August 11, 2024,
amid hundreds of canada geese.
This bird is rare in Scotland so could be my best find. Records state that most of these may be escapees from private waterfowl collections.
This one was limping
SHELDUCK [Tadorna tadorna]
Right side photo showing green speculum feather on April 1, 2021, while left photo is a group of male [bump on bill] and a female [right] on April 13, 2021
TEAL [Anas crecca]
Above - Male [left] with green head panel and female [right] on April 2, 2021.
KINGFISHER [Alcedo atthis]
Right - Murky day on November 6, 2024, with colourless sky reflected in calm sea
RINGED PLOVER [Charadrius hiaticula]
Left is juvenile on September 7, 2024, and right is a 20+ flock on May 22, 2021
RINGED PLOVER [Charadrius hiaticula] [left] and DUNLIN [Caladris alpina-summer plumage]. June 21, 2021
COMMON GUILLEMOT
Uria aalge]
Left on October 6, 2022
Right on August 21, 2023, was
only 5m away totally ignoring me. Didn't seem in good health and a lot of bird flu around at that time
GREENSHANK [Tringa nebularia]
September 3, 2022
BLACK-TAILED GODWIT [Limosa limosa]
Above : December 12, 2021 [winter plumage]. Right : September 25, 2024 {summer plumage]
GREAT EGRET [Ardea alba]
September 28, 2021
LITTLE EGRET [Egretta garzetta]
February 3, 2022, shows yellow feet
LAPWING / PEEWIT [Vanellus vanellus]
Iridescent plumage. June 24, 2024
LAPWING / PEEWIT [Vanellus vanellus]
Above is part of a 50+ flock on November 8, 2021