Montrose Basin Wildlife Diary
June 2008
Around the Reserve the appearance of the next generation of birds is now much in evidence. 117 eider ducklings and 39 shelduck ducklings were counted on the Basin on the 16th. A few mallards and red-breasted mergansers will also have ducklings tucked away somewhere on the Reserve.
Several lapwing broods have been seen with oystercatcher and black-headed gull on nests. Redshank and common sandpiper are also likely breeders.
Several of our summer migrants breed successfully on the Reserve including willow, sedge and grasshopper warbler, whitethroat and blackcap. In the grounds of the Visitor Centre the young of blue tit, great tit, goldfinch and great spotted woodpecker can be seen being fed by their parents.
A raft has been constructed to provide a nesting site for arctic terns and this was anchored in place in front of the Visitor Centre on the 5th of June. The terns took to it immediately and territorial activity quickly developed. At present 2 pairs are nesting.
Male eider are now starting their body moult and 30+ female goosanders are now present, using the Basin as a safe haven during their wing moult.
A few non-breeding black-tailed godwits are still around. June also sees the early return on the Basin of some lapwing and redshank.
Recent mammal sightings include otter and roe deer.
April 2008
April is a month of great change on and around the Basin as our winter migrants head north to their breeding grounds and we welcome our summer migrants from the African continent. Pink-footed geese, teal, wigeon, redshank and black-tailed godwit will take off for Iceland whilst turnstone fly to Greenland and knot to arctic Canada.
The first summer migrant recorded was a sand martin on the 30 March and an osprey over the Basin on the 1 April.
Throughout April and early May more migrants will arrive at the Basin to breed including sedge and willow warbler, chiffchaff, whitethroat and blackcap. Sandwich, arctic, common and little tern will fish in the Basin and swallows will nest under the eaves of our visitor centre.
On the Basin eider duck, shelduck, goldeneye and red-breasted merganser are all displaying, each performing their individual rituals. Recent sightings of note have been long-tailed duck, scaup, red-throated diver, greenshank, green sandpiper and a jack snipe in front of the visitor centre.
The lesser yellowlegs and avocet that graced our shoreline this winter have both gone. The last sighting dates were 24 February and the 9 March respectively.
In our “camera nest box” a female blue tit is building its nest of moss and grass.
January 2008
Our resident mute swan population of over 100 birds are fed with grain during the winter to prevent them feeding on the nearby farmers’ fields of winter cereal. This grain attracts the wild whooper swan and 80-120 have been present since December.
Four Berwick swans (two adults and two juveniles) were seen on Christmas Eve and have been here ever since. These winter migrants arrive from their breeding areas on the Russian tundra.
A lesser yellowlegs, a rare North American wader, has been with us since last November.
An avocet has been present since 8 January and birdwatchers have been flocking to the Basin to see it. This elegant black and white wader with its long legs and unique upturned bill shows up well against the mud flats but can be tricky to spot if it is roosting with oystercatchers at high tide. Good views can be had from the Visitor Centre. The last recorded sighting of an avocet on the Basin was in May 1997.
Significant counts of wildfowl and waders:
Geese - 6000 pink-footed and 220 greylag
Ducks - 3600 wigeon, 1660 eider, 580 shelduck, 150 pintail, 140 teal, 48 goldeneye, 30 scaup and 14 shoveler
Waders - 3200 knot, 1770 oystercatcher, 1700 curlew, 900 dunlin, 800 redshank, 330 lapwing, 55 golden plover and 45 turnstone
Other January sightings include 21 little grebe, 5 red-throated diver, 2 greenshank and singles of kingfisher, water rail, great crested grebe, green sandpiper and peregrine.