Rattray

Rattray is a dune system to the South of the Loch of Strathbeg.  This mornings visit was my first of 2017.  It certainly will not be the last as Rattray is the local Mecca for migratory birds.  All sorts of things are likely to turn up in Spring and Autumn.

For non birders the lighthouse is the main point of interest, that and the fantastic expanse of sandy beach.  If the tide and sands are right wrecks are exposed, great for explorers of any age.

Lighthouse Keepers Cottages

Rattray Lighthouse

Rattray Lighthouse

The lighthouse is unmanned and the old cottages are now a B&B and hostel.

I did not expect to see many birds here.  Its the wrong time of year and it was blowing a gale.  Any bird that were there would have kept their heads down.  That said Curlews, a Shelduck, Crows and Herring Gulls were in the dunes.  On the way down to the car park by the Cottages there were Pink-footed Geese in the fields.  One group held some Barnacle Geese - tick Barnacle Goose.

Barnacle Goose

Barnacle Geese wit h Pink-foots

I don't think any of my posts have shown Pink-footed Geese except as above, at a distance.  The Loch of Strathbeg hosts a quarter of the worlds population of these geese (up to 90,000).  It is for many their first stop off point on their journey from Iceland to their wintering grounds further South in Scotland and England. This is what they look like.

Pink-footed Goose

Pink-footed Goose

As you can see they do have pink legs and feet.  Quite a lot of people come up here to shoot these birds,  sometimes for the pot but often just for sport.  The bird in the second of these photos has a damaged wing, probably from a shooting incident.  The one behind was limping.  These birds will not be able to return to their breeding grounds in Spring and will stay around the area trying to keep away from predators.

 On the way back home for lunch I paused at Bilbo Farm because I had seen another 'tick'

Skylark

A Skylark.

This afternoon I was off to the Loch of Strathbeg visitors centre and Tower Pool Hide.  Not a lot to report but I did get this photo of a Sparrowhawk

Sparrowhawk

Total for list 113