TAYSIDE
TOADSTOOLS & BIRDS
My voice / Becomes the wind / Mushroom-hunting . . . . . . . . . 19th century haiku by Japanese poet MASAOKA SHIKI [1867-1902]
AUCHMITHIE
Auchmithie [Gaelic origin : Auchmuthy, meaning 'field of the cowherd] is a small village perched upon red sandstone cliffs, north of Arbroath.
Did a scouting trip there for first time on April 17, 2025, as had read of puffin [Fratercula arctica] to be seen, and hadn't realised they were in my near area.
Puffin appear late April until August so maybe I was a bit early - that's my excuse as didn't see any.
Above left is the Deil's Heid, a rocky stack south of Auchmithie. Above right is part of coastline north of Auchmithie. Below left is Maw Skelly ['maw' is mouth and 'skelly' may be corruption of 'skerry' a rock formation], north of Auchmithie, and below right is Lud Castle, site of Iron Age fort but nothing survives. Access is by narrow strip of land between the two hills. Strange taking bird photos on a site so old.
MEADOW PIPIT [Anthus pratensus]
April 17, 2025]
COMMON HOUSE SPARROW
[Passer domesticus] Male, May 1, 2025
COLLARED DOVE [Streptopelia decaocto]
May 8, 2025
KESTREL [Falco tinnunculus]
Leg seems ringed. Taken June 12, 2025, as it viewed birds on rocky cliff
FULMAR [Fulmaris glacialis]
Shows its strange tube-like beak. June 12, 2025
SHAG
[Phalacrocorax aristotelis]
In breeding foliage of head crest and showing yellow in beak. Similar to a cormorant [see Balgavies Loch section]
May 1, 2025, at Lud Castle
COMMON GUILLEMOT / MURRE
[Uria aaige]
May 1, 2025, at Lud Castle
RAZORBILL [Alca torda]
May 1, 2025,
KITTIWAKE [Rissa tridactyla]
Left : Adult, yellow billed, June 12, 2025. Right : Juvenile, black billed with first-year plumage. August 10, 2025
HERRING GULL [Larus argentatus]
Left - Adult with chick, June 12, 2025. Right - Larger youngster and adult, July 5, 2025
ROCK / FERAL PIGEON [Columba livia]
July 5, 2025