It's got to be said that we humans are a fickle bunch. We all want what somebody else has got because our bit is boring. Most people seem to be reaping the benefit of the cold weather with lots of birds on the move where a lot of the birds up here are clearing out. I'm sure something good/different will turn up eventually but I won't hold my breath! Hides are a boon if you can get into a quiet one but you always find someone will come and disturb your peace but it's even worse when you're out in the open. The sound travels really well around here so being tucked into somewhere where you can't be seen and having other folk turn up and start talking about what might be out there can be a real spoiler. My patch is well watched by other people so it's no way exclusive but I don't often go out targeting things - I'm happy to find anything and watch it or take photos then move on. There is always something to look at or listen to and the best thing about these blogs is sharing the experience. That's enough of that for now, just thought I'd stick my two penneth in - on with the day......
Top priority today was to deliver some milk so I had to load up with all the equipment required for a milk delivery - milk, cameras, binoculars and telescope! The cold weather is keeping the roads slippy in places so a nice slow drive around gives ample opportunity to look around. A huge cloud of Hooded Crow lifted off the hillside as I was attempting to photograph a couple of Goosander so a quick look to see what all the fuss was about. A heap of gralloch had attracted the Corvids and a few Common Buzzard were sitting around too. It looked like they had just found it so I could bide my time on that one. While watching this the Goosander had flown off - marvellous. Another Buzzard perched in a tree a bit further along the road caught my eye so I was out again. I took a few shots through the scope - not too bad but the lenses were steaming up.
I'd noticed three Otters in the loch as I pulled up so I had a quick check to see where they were when I'd finished with the Buzzard. I was well pleased to see they had hauled out on the pontoon...
Extra steamy lenses and back lit isn't a good scenario so out with the cleaning cloth and a bit of furious demisting later and I was ready for another shot - smile please....
....make like a pyramid.
Very well behaved these Otters but not for long - hurry up slowcoach....
...we're off swimming again.
Short and sweet, better deliver that milk, eh?! A slow drive back round checking for divers (too far out) and quite a few Mergs along the way before stumbling across the Goosander again - excellent. This time they stayed still for a bit longer and I managed to get a shot.
A wee bit further on a group of Crossbill came up from the verge and headed off in to the forestry, six birds I counted. Back to the gralloch to see how the activity was going. Not much changed with a Buzzard digging in and the Hoodies dancing around the edges.
More Crossbills just before the shop, three this time, and a few Fieldfare, Redwing and Blackbird in the fields. Golden Plover, Curlew and Redshank on the shore with Teal and Goldeneye on the water. After lunch I headed in the opposite direction to see what was about. I skimmed over a few places along the way before turning around and having a proper look. I managed a better shot than yesterdays effort of a RB Merg....
...and then the card was full. Not had that happen for a long time so I didn't have a spare to hand - ho hum. Luckily there wasn't much to photograph on the way back through. I had a good scan across the loch finding 1 RT Diver, 15 GN Diver, 1 BT Diver and two Common Guillemot. A Wren had realised my predicament with the camera and started shouting at me so I grabbed the other camera and shot it.
That's a nice view so I'll take a few photos. The sun was just catching the top and making the snow glow but the reflection just wouldn't come. More time taken up with a few jobs before tackling the Mallard that were in the shallows dabbling and preening. They moved away from the shore as someone approached along the road and headed into some nicely coloured water. The sun wasn't high enough to give enough light for photos but the way the ducks cut through the water with a shining wake made for pleasant viewing.
I spent the rest of the morning trying to catch up with the Crossbills that were determined not to stay in any one place for more than a few seconds and the Blackbirds fighting over a few apples out the back. No return for those efforts! I finally got round the loch in the afternoon to find that everything was as far away as it could get. The Black-throated Diver was having a snooze about halfway across the loch so I had to get a snap. If it's close in it's usually feeding and you can't keep up with it - one day I'll get it!
Again the effect on the water was a bit different but it showed a lot better in the rubbish Red-breasted Merganser shots.
It's a mixture of the blue sky, the snow on the tops and the, snow free, lower parts of the hills. I thought I'd got a decent Merg with the last shot but that's rubbish too!
The weather is due to continue in the same vein for the foreseeable future so I've got plenty of time to improve things;-)
He's giving it a good old go!!
and two Otters (we saw EIGHT in total!!). We didn't search too hard but then we didn't have to and there is plenty of time to build the list.
We were only out for a couple of hours so a tally of 28 species of bird wasn't too bad. We had an invite out for dinner so there was always a chance of something in the dark too. The only thing we saw on the outward journey was a Red Deer but the return trip flushed a Woodcock from the side of the road and we saw an obliging Barn Owl sitting on a post - marvellous!
Song Thrush was easier to see than Redwing but Fieldfares were the most numerous of the thrushes. Plenty of Golden Plover and Lapwing in the area and the Grey Plover is still hanging in. Wigeon and Teal were two good ones for the day, Shelduck was seen but just the one bird, also in singles were Pied Wagtail and Common Snipe. We walked across the estuary rather than retracing our footsteps. The water was shallow enough if you had wellies on so I got wet feet. The pools on the machair were frozen so f-stop had to try them out - he was lucky not to disappear in the first one! Mountain Hares have been hiding away recently so it was nice to see three of them running about and then stopping to worship the sun.
This Hare performed a bit better.
The shop lady was the next one to come a cropper as we crossed a ditch that wasn't quite frozen. In up to her knees she was - my how we laughed! Hacky black when she was pulled out! A pair of Stonechats greeted us as we got back onto the road and headed back to the motor.