TAYSIDE
TOADSTOOLS & BIRDS
My voice / Becomes the wind / Mushroom-hunting . . . . . . . . . 19th century haiku by Japanese poet MASAOKA SHIKI [1867-1902]
LEFT -
ORIGINAL GRASS AREA ON AUGUST 20, 2022
RIGHT -
GRASS HAS ALL GONE
AND STONY 'BEACH'
EXTENDS FAR INTO WHAT WAS A FLOWER MEADOW. IT'S A MESS ! STORMS OF 2023 / 2024 HAVE ALTERED THE AREA IRREVOCABLY.
FEBRUARY 16, 2024
RIGHT : ESK FIELDS AFTER RE-SEEDING OF AREA TO
ENCOURAGE WILD FLOWERS. JULY 9, 2022. TOP PHOTO OF 'BEACH' IS WHAT IT HAS BECOME ON FEBRUARY 16, 2024
LEFT : PRE-STORMS THE DRAIN PIPE ON LEFT WAS COVERED WITH GRASS BANK UP TO ENTRY HOLE. NOW IT'S ON SHOW ON FEBRUARY 16, 2024. NEARLY 2 METRES OF SOIL WASHED AWAY, NOW IT'S RIVER
COMMON PHEASANT [Phasianus colchicus]
Above is a male at River Esk in April 2020. Right side is the female seen Pitkennedy Wood, July 11, 2020
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WHITE-THROATED DIPPER
[Cinclus cinclus]
Left from August 12, 2021, right on April 14, 2023, with distinctive colouring
Surprised to see how deep into the water this bird goes, considering it's not a wading form.
The left side bird was over it's head at times in a fast-flowing river
HOUSE SPARROW
[Passer domesticus]
Inch Park in May 16, 2020
PIED WAGTAIL
[Motacilla alba yarrelli]
May 2020
WHITE WAGTAIL [Motacilla alba]
Llighter colouring from pied wagtail. May 6, 2020
GREY WAGTAIL [Motacilla cinerea]
Left on August 14, 2022, and right is a juvenile on July 9, 2021
GREY HERON
[Ardea cinerea]
Far left - Neck tucked in and
on one leg on
January 2, 2021
Left - Shows the neck
elongated
Taken early May 2020
SANDPIPER
[Actitis hypoleucos]
Left, male and female mating on April 17, 2021.
Male showing good underwing markings
Right is from April 27, 2024
SONG THRUSH [Turdus philomelos]
Above on January 2, 2021
LONG-TAILED TIT [Aegithalos caudatus]
February 19, 2022
BLACKBIRD [Turdus merula]
Left is male bird in early May 2020, and right is a female, which is confusingly brown - December 21, 2020, at Balgavies Loch
HOUSE MARTIN
[Delichon urbica]
Group of 30+ zipping around and gathering mud for nesting material
Even lucky enough to get an action shot in left-side photo
June 18, 2023
WOOD PIGEON
[Columba palumbus]
Right: Esk, June 2020
Left : Juvenile without the white neck marking
September 4, 2023,
Lurgies
