Trip to Lochmaben looking for willow tits but just a few common tits and a couple of redwing in the trees by bird hide walk. Then from the hide spotted a bird with hunched posture on a raised tree stump on north bank. Didn't look much like a heron as beak not noticeably yellow and appeared to have white and buff frontal colouring. There has been a passing bittern in the area but it would be highly unlikely to pose so visibly. I'm feeling a bit mixed about the new binoculars. Although I think I'm getting some sort of a view of birds at greater distances, I'm having trouble indentifying them. Hopefully it's just a case of getting used to them.
Also quick visit to Eskrigg Nature Reserve, where there were also no willow tits, but did see gs woodpecker, nuthatch and two treecreepers.
Sunday, 20 January 2013
Tuesday, 8 January 2013
Tuesday 8th January
Bike ride to Mitchellslacks. Frustratingly several birds were seen but not identified during the course of the day. Great grey shrike not present but a couple of smaller, reddish birds were on one of its perching places - possibly crossbills? Also one brownish bird of prey gliding between the conifers. Too slight to be goshawk and had pointed wings - merlin??
One bird on skulking on moor by second cattle grid may have been a grouse, but hardly got a look at it.
On way back saw a large flock of thrushlike birds at distance, flitting between trees and grassland. Suspected redwing but could not identify positively. One bird I saw on the other side of the road appeared to have red head and breast markings in a similar patter to a linnet. But another with it had a clear white tip to its tail feathers - probably just a chaffinch.
Overall just one of those days.
One bird on skulking on moor by second cattle grid may have been a grouse, but hardly got a look at it.
On way back saw a large flock of thrushlike birds at distance, flitting between trees and grassland. Suspected redwing but could not identify positively. One bird I saw on the other side of the road appeared to have red head and breast markings in a similar patter to a linnet. But another with it had a clear white tip to its tail feathers - probably just a chaffinch.
Overall just one of those days.
Tuesday, 1 January 2013
Tuesday 1st January
Walk at Threave Castle to test out new binoculars. Very swampy near hide where I have seen hen harriers before at this time of year, so not much doing. Walked on to the river where there was a reed bunting and a couple of red kites plus two goldeneye (probable - not great with ducks) travelling very fast downstream on river. Just upstream of the castle there seems to be a have been a second attempt at an osprey nest*.
Some geese on far side of river I took to be greylags (including one leucistic) although these are not mentioned on the information boards but they weren't the greenland white-fronted geese people have been seeing. Also took an extra walk to Lamb Island where there was a tree I didn't recognise that had dark pinnate leaves and was full of berries. It looked a certain target for waxwings.
*Note: I later learned it was being constructed by wardens as the original nest is becoming unstable.
Some geese on far side of river I took to be greylags (including one leucistic) although these are not mentioned on the information boards but they weren't the greenland white-fronted geese people have been seeing. Also took an extra walk to Lamb Island where there was a tree I didn't recognise that had dark pinnate leaves and was full of berries. It looked a certain target for waxwings.
*Note: I later learned it was being constructed by wardens as the original nest is becoming unstable.
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