Loch Indaal

End of the first week and we had to pack up and move round to Port Charlotte. Couldn't get in until 3pm so we had quite a few hours to kill without going too far from the car so we took slow back roads and meandered around Loch Indaal on the way.

One gateway down the B8016 is favoured by Common Gulls.

Common Gull

Common Gull

Also a good road for Meadow Pipits.

Meadow Pipit with insects

Meadow Pipit with insects

Ringed Plover

Gull

Gull

While lurking by the shore a ringed plover was trying to distract me with a variety of tactics. Moving close to me, then running away while calling or pretending to have a damaged wing. Also repeatedly 'nesting' in random spots. It was obviously treating me as a potential predator and was trying to lure me away from something and confuse me about where its nest might be.

Ringed Plover

Then I saw what all the fuss was about as this scurried past like a clockwork toy.

Fledgling Ringed Plover

Unfortunately there were far worse things than me around, as another adult was spotted attacking a fledgling quite viciously. (Don't worry, it beetled off soon after).

Ringed Plover attacking fledgling

I didn't want to disturb them any more so left them to it and went back to more fluffy things again with the local rabbits.

Rabbit

Further round more death and carnage with a Gull eating a chick (after a quick wash in the briny it went down in about two gulps).

Herring Gull eating a chick

Oystercatcher

Wheatear

Eastern view over Loch Indaal