Little Ringed Plovers - no sex please we're incompetent!!

A bit of a hiatus just now, a few migrants have arrived but many more will surely flood north when we get a bit of warmer weather and maybe a good southerly wind to help them on their way. Most waders have gone at Montrose Basin but the Little Ringed Plovers below are newly arrived from Africa to breed in Angus. The other birds were all seen along the track to Scurdie Ness lighthouse from Ferryden

The male is drumming his leg trying to cajole the female, he was also calling, a call which had me bemused to start with until I saw him. A photo of the ringed bird was forwarded to the ringer and like these always too far away

Contact, well actually no. They did look like they'd mated but a sequence of photos showed they didn't, must have been a practice run or an inexperienced pair or male who may or may not be from last years ringed birds

Male Yellowhammer

Male Chaffinch

The female Eider had caught this crab and as is usual she held it by each claw or leg and shook it so the leg would break off until the poor crab had no limbs left

Legless, I couldn't tell if she ate the legs and claws as she broke them off, I suspect she did, if she can digest the body then why not the rest

Still a bit of agro between male Eiders as they fight for a mate

Not good odds for five of the six Eider drakes flying in formation with the single duck

Guillemot at Scurdie Ness, one  of perhaps five

Razorbill, probably another four or five close in

Turnstone, showing some breeding plumage and other birds were a bit further on

A crop of a photo taken from the lighthouse of 20 Purple Sandpipers coming in to land on the low water rocks some distance away

The only Meadow Pipit I saw but hopefully more will arrive to breed soon

One of five Sandwich Terns which flew past and into the estuary