Since around mid-May it has been a bit of a struggle to head out birding anywhere on my own. It is the quiet part of the year anyway, but circumstances have conspired somewhat to make it rather difficult to motivate myself to get out and about. Saturday was looking rather similar and only the sound of some double-glazing being fitted close by got me out of bed, a little later than intended. However, I decided I really should make an effort to get back out birding under my own steam and with a single Ruddy Shelduck hanging around Montrose Basin - most likely the same bird missed last weekend at Aberlady and Tyninghame Bay - I had a bird to try for and a reason to get out and about. I had a half-formed plan to see the Ruddy Shelduck (hopefully) then either head to Scurdie Ness to sea-watch or round to The Lurgies for better views.
Wren
I headed out at around 1055 to catch the 1120 X7 bus to Montrose. Herring Gull, Feral Pigeon and Jackdaw flew over and a Robin showed briefly in the bushes by the bus stop. Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Goldfinch and Blue Tit were seen near the bus station. A number of species were noted from the bus - Carrion Crow, Yellowhammer, Rook, Swallow, Collared Dove, House Martin, Buzzard, House Sparrow and Skylark. With the tide just past low tide I chose to head straight to the visitor centre rather than scanning from below the railway bridge as I usually do on arrival at Rossie Island. I did have a brief look over the Basin from the path up which gave me Eider, Mute Swan, Curlew and Oystercatcher. A Swift circled above the road.
I reached the visitor centre around 1230. Alison O'Hara was talking to Jonathan Patullo and indicated that the Ruddy Shelduck was visible in one of the scopes pointing out over the bay. I immediately had a look and Ruddy Shelduck was on the list. There were plenty of Shelduck also around. Dust-bathing Tree Sparrows, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Greenfinch and a Wren which sunned itself atop a feeder all gave decent views. More scanning out over the bay added Black Headed Gull, Mallard, Common Seals, Red Breasted Mergansers, Grey Heron, a resting Osprey and a rather distant Wigeon.
The Ruddy Shelduck relocated a few times but I always eventually managed to track it down again eventually. In addition, a Little Egret and Spoonbill were also found while I scoped across the sandbanks and channels but as both birds were over towards Maryton Steps and The Lurgies I didn't take any photos. Rabbits down on the grass, Chaffinch, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Blackbird and a young Robin were all seen around the feeders. Some birders came and went and a few interested non-birders enjoyed sightings of another Osprey as well as the Spoonbill and Ruddy Shelduck though heat shimmer wasn't particularly helpful.
I didn't feel like doing any additional walking so instead chose to linger at the visitor centre until just after 1610. As the tide rose I was able to add Common Tern, Goldeneye, Redshank, Black Tailed Godwit, Goosander, Great Black Backed Gull, Cormorant, Lapwing, 6 unexpected Pink Footed Geese and a Sandwich Tern to the list for the day taking me to 49 species for the day. Starling was added just before I got on the bus back to Dundee. A Pied Wagtail was seen on the pavement by the Elliot roundabout at Arbroath and a Lesser Black Backed Gull was seen on a lamp post near Dobbies, north of Monifieth.
Not a bad haul of 52 species including a year-tick (in bold) given that I stayed in the visitor centre for around 3 and a half hours or so. Hopefully things will start to pick up again and I will find it easier to get motivated to get out and about more often. Given that most birds were rather distant I didn't take too many photos, though I did manage to get a record shot and video of the Ruddy Shelduck despite the distance.
Ruddy Shelduck
Shelduck & Ruddy Shelduck
Wren
Wren
Tree Sparrow & Greenfinch
Wren
Wren
Greenfinch
Tree Sparrow
Rabbit
Rabbit
Great Tit & Blue Tit
Rabbit
Robin
Species seen - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Black Tailed Godwit, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Collared Dove, Common Gull, Common Tern, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunnock, Eider, Goldeneye, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Lapwing, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Little Egret, Mallard, Mute Swan, Osprey, Oystercatcher, Pied Wagtail, Pink Footed Goose, Red Breasted Merganser, Redshank, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Ruddy Shelduck, Sandwich Tern, Shelduck, Skylark, Spoonbill, Starling, Swallow, Swift, Tree Sparrow, Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.
