Tuesday started off a bit grey but it soon brightened up as the day went on so I finally headed out in the afternoon...for a walk no less!! Two Otters were out in the loch fishing and eventually came together with lots of chittering and chasing about going on - marvellous to watch!
A single Meadow Pipit flew up out of the grass and headed inland never to be seen again before I came across a pair of Common Buzzard calling to each other. One bird was in flight, carrying prey, while the other was perched on the ground. The prey was delivered to the sitting bird and then it was off again on another hunting mission.
I finally found a few Primroses in flower so a climb up the bank to get a photo...
...and then I managed to get down twice as quick as I lost my footing and slid down to the road - the things you do for a photo! On the return journey I came across my first Northern Wheatear of the year being harassed by a Rock Pipit.
Always good for a few photographs but this would have been better if I could have got closer.
I sat down to wait and see if it would come closer and picked up a pair of Stonechat in the same area. This is the first female Stonechat I've seen this year.
The Wheatear did come closer eventually but it always seemed to coincide with a car coming down the road to scare it off again.
On Tuesday evening, when we got home, there were two lambs in the field next to the house. It was too dark for photos at the time so Wednesday morning I was out with the camera getting a snap.
As the sun broke through the clouds a couple of thrushes could be seen making their way towards the fence. Not a pair of birds but, first of all, a Mistle Thrush...
...and then a Song Thrush following in the footsteps of the first bird - nice.
As we headed off to the shop the temperature was building and creating some mist on the hillsides and across the field. A nice bit of atmosphere with a few Red Deer too.
I met up with Postie after that to go and check on the Adders. We'd been basking in sunshine but as we headed towards the Adder site the clouds hadn't shifted so it was a good 4 degrees cooler - might not be the best for the reptiles. A Golden Eagle was sitting on the hillside but it took flight as soon as it saw us so we watched it circle round before it headed straight over the top of us - cracking!
It took a good hour before we found an Adder so Postie got a few shots. As I headed back to base a Red Deer was posing by the road...
...and a Pheasant was trying it's best to sneak away from me.
A half hour trip in the afternoon was quite productive too as I followed a male Hen Harrier along the road before locating a lone Whooper Swan. As I pulled in to get some shots of the swan a Pied Wagtail was working the road side and provided some entertainment. It's worth turning the volume up to listen to the bird muttering away to itself.
I took the time to head the Whooper Swan off to get a couple of shots in better light.
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