Friday 22 January 2010

Back to normal

The trip away was a real blast but now it's back to normal - if you can call it that! Yesterday was a bit of a wash out so I was looking forward to a brighter day today but only in patches. The view outside wasn't that inviting this morning...

I set off to find that it was actually clear skies further down the road but there was a decent breeze blowing. The plan was to check on the goose flocks first and then work my way back home. I could only see about 30 Greylag Geese in the fields when I arrived along with 8 Golden Plover and 2 Curlew - not the best start. I got to a view point and I was surprised to see the Barnacle Geese in the distance. I went for the scope and didn't even get the boot open and the birds were in the air. There must have been someone walking down on the shore as I was about half a mile away from them. I got them in the scope and counted approx 80 birds in the flock as they headed off towards Iona. As I watched them go another flock of geese flew in the opposite direction - a bit of a turn up for the books - 17 Pink-footed Geese heading South! The Reed Buntings were still hanging around the farm but it was a bit of a mare trying to get photos as the cows were wandering past at the time!

I picked up a couple of Redwing and trained the scope in their direction then a car went past and chased them off but I could see a few heads poking up in the background. It was about 8 of the Greenland White-fronted Geese - no idea where they came from!

The drive back was fairly uneventful so it was nice to turn things around in the afternoon. First on the list in the afternoon was an Otter fishing in the loch closely followed by a Little Grebe. I hadn't connected with a WT Eagle since my return so it was nice to find one sitting in the distance - check out the banana-billed White-tailed fuzzy blob....

It didn't look like there was going to be any action there so I went in search of Otters again. A Grey Heron squawked down on the shore as three otters piled onto the rocks....

There was a fair bit of rough and tumble going on and the young Heron looked a bit bemused by it all. The Otters headed back into the water for more fishing....

...and the Heron watched them go....

...and then they came back again with a fish.

The young Heron was keen to get some scraps but the cubs were leaving nothing!

The Otters headed off again and no sooner were they out of the water and the Heron was coming to have a look! You'll probably have to open that one up but there are two Otters on the rocks - honest!

It was time for bed after all that excitement but there was still just enough time to check to see if I was still watching...

I headed back to base after all of that and attempted to photograph the Siskins that were visiting the feeders. As soon as I got the camera they didn't come back so all I got was this...

It was good to get a few sightings today and hopefully there will be a few more tomorrow.

1 comment:

Wilma said...

I really enjoyed seeing the photos of the heron and otters. Great stuff!