I’ve known Stuart for over ten years now and usually manage to get a days birding with him on my trips north, this week would prove no exception.
We arranged to meet at his home in Carnoustie at 10am where we went to check out the the shore line at East Haven on the edge of Carnoustie. There were around 20 Dunlin but few other waders around. There were a couple of distant Arctic Skua out in the Tay and a couple of stunning Little Gull. A Wheatear would prove to be the only passerine of note, but it wasn’t really the right time of year.
After a quick coffee back at his we decided to try Barry Buddon a Military training area that juts out into the Tay narrowing the channel between Angus and Fife creating quite a fierce current. In previous years we haven’t been able to go here as exercises have been taking place and the “Red Flag” has been flying.
As we were in his car and not mine I realised that I had left my hat behind. I am still suffering a week later (did I get sunburn or what). We saw a reasonable selection of birds considering the time of year with Velvet Scoter, Common Scoter, 5 Grey Plover, Ringed Plover, Bar-tailed Godwits and more Little Gull.
The best was an unusual bird which I picked up, I wasn’t too sure what it was at first as it was rather distant but it turned out to be an albino Sandwich Tern, it was a youngster and was begging for food from adults.
With the heat and the near six miles of walking I was knackered by the time we got back to the car and for the third night I a row I slept like a log!
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| Albino Sandwich Tern with two adult Little Gull |
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