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 AND A STREAM EDGED BY REEDS THROUGH PASTURE.
A GOOD VARIETY OF BIRDS HAVE BEEN SPOTTED HERE CONSIDERING IT'S A RELATIVELY SMALL AREA AND IS EASILY ACCESSIBLE WITH CAR PARK BESIDE IT.
SPLIT INTO TWO SECTIONS DUE TO NUMBERS SPOTTED - [LURGIES MUDBANK] AND [LURGIES HEDGEROW]
MERGANSER / GOOSANDER [Mergus merganser]
Female with brood of six chicks [only five in photo] on August 3, 2022
MERGANSER / GOOSANDER [Mergus merganser]
Male at Balgavies Loch on December 6, 2020, with female at Lurgies on July 29, 2020
COMMON GULL [Larus canus]
September 28, 2020
HERRING GULL [Larus argentatus]
Adult, above left, at The Lurgies, May 2020, and juvenile, right, at Forfar Loch, August 5, 2020
BLACK-HEADED GULL [Chroicocephalus ridibundus]
Left - black-headed summer plumage, April 1, 2021; right - winter plumage with smudge. October 17, 2020
GREEN SANDPIPER [Tringa ochropus]
September 1, 2023
WHOOPER SWAN [Cygnus cygnus]
Family group with yellow-billed adult and grey-billed juveniles at Balgavies Loch on November 21, 2021, with solo swan at Lurgies on November 8, 2021
MUTE SWAN
[Cygnus olor]
Left is cygnets with parents [male in foreground].
August 23, 2020.
Right is juvenile with its bill not adult orange yet.
November 19, 2020
EIDER DUCK
[Somateria mollissima]
Left is female on April 24, 2021
Right is a juvenile male at
Tayock, August 3, 2020
Below, left, is a male from Lurgies just to keep 'family' together
EIDER [Somateria mollissima]
Left male at Lurgies on April 19, 2021
GOLDFINCH [Carduelis carduelis]
Juveniles feeding on September 1, 2023
CANADA GOOSE [Branta canadensis]
Left was part of a large flock onSeptember 29, 2021. Right side is part of trio on January 28, 2023. Unusual to see any of them at this time of year
SHELDUCK [Tadorna tadorna]
Right side photo showing green feathering on April 1, 2021, while left photo is a group of male [bump on bill] and a female on April 13, 2021
TEAL [Anas crecca]
Male [left] with green head panel and female [right] on April 2, 2021
LITTLE GREBE / DABCHICK [Tachybaptus ruficollis]
Above in drab, winter plumage on November 2, 2022
TEAL [Anas crecca]
Male with glowing head panel on February 6, 2023
GREENSHANK [Tringa nebularia]
September 3, 2022
RINGED PLOVER [Charadrius hiaticula] [left] and DUNLIN [Caladris alpina]. June 21, 2021. Dunlin in summer plumage
COMMON GUILLEMOT [Uria aalge]
Left on October 6, 2022. Centre onSeptember 12, 2021. Right at Tayock, August 21, 2023, where I was only around 5 metres distance [bird flu ?]
RINGED PLOVER [Charadrius hiaticula]
20+ flock on May 22, 2021
BLACK-TAILED GODWIT [Limosa limosa]
Left :Tayock on December 12, 2021 [winter plumage]. Right : Lurgies on September 18, 2021, {summer plumage]
GREAT EGRET [Ardea alba]
Left from September 28, 2021 and right on January 28, 2024, at Montrose Wildlife Centre
LITTLE EGRET [Egretta garzetta]
February 3, 2022, shows yellow feet
LAPWING / PEEWIT [Vanellus vanellus]
Above is part of a 50+ flock on November 8, 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