August 17th

It was a repeat of the 15^th at Balcomie today. Lots of waders roosting on the beach at high tide, occasionally reassorting as a coastal path walker went by. A great skua, terns and some red-throated divers passing at sea. I spent a while looking at the waders, picking out the juveniles. Almost all juvenile waders are much more patterned on their backs than adults, with clearly edged feathers giving a scalloped look. It’s a good rule of thumb for ageing them.

Turnstones – the middle one is a juvenile

Juvenile knot (left) and dunlin

The knot flock (one sanderling far left)

Advertisement