Something new.

Friday was a dead loss as I kept an eye on a Red Deer carcass in the hope that something good would take an interest in it - it didn't. A decent number of Hooded Crows and three Great Black-backed Gulls were the main attendees before the tide came in and covered the dead beast and eventually carried it off. A male Hen Harrier was seen flying by and both types of eagle were spotted over the ridges so there was a bit of interest.

Saturday I was caught up with other things so Sunday morning I was up with the larks keen to see something. As soon as I set foot outside the rain started but I still headed for the hills. Plenty of Red Deer close to the road but a great lack of bird life. Four Hooded Crow and a pair of Meadow Pipits was the total sightings after 45 minutes so I thought home for breakfast was a better option. Just as I turned to get my seat belt the crows lifted in alarm, I couldn't get the camera switched on or the window open quick enough to catch this WT Eagle as it passed by not 10 yards away!!

A brief trip out after breakfast was worth the effort too as I found my first Dog Violets of the year.

A pair of Common Buzzard were calling to each other in a small piece of woodland, nothing unusual there except the strange hiccuping call that I didn't recognise. I traced it back to one of these...

There is always something new to learn when you go out.