Bike ride from Crocketford - Balcary. Birds now showing better after cold weather on leafless trees, but still no special sightings. Suspected linnet early on but light was too poor to make out the colouring. Some sort of diver on Carlingwark Loch and curlew heard at Balcary. On the way back some very light coloured birds on a farm field, perhaps immature gulls. Approaching Corsock Road saw what I took to be a small buzzard and did wonder momentarily if it was another merlin. Maybe something to watch for infuture as I frequentlly spot 'baby buzzards' and pass on without thinking about them any more.
A feature of this ride was a much improved performance after having re-started subutamol on medical advice - covered 50 miles in round 4.5 hours - and the last few miles were pretty slow!
Wednesday 27 November 2013
Sunday 17 November 2013
Sunday 17th November
Walk from Mossdale to Loch Stroan as there are supposed to sometimes be hen harriers there. No sign of much at all except for some long-tailed tits and, not for the first time over the past few weeks, a suspicion of some redwings fleeing from the trees but not clear enough view to confirm. I wonder if the hen harriers concentrate more on the shoreline if the tide is out.
Friday 1 November 2013
Friday 1st November
After another Wednesday bike ride that didn't reveal any more than a red kite close to Castle Douglas, decide to venure out for a second ride, this time deliberately taking a bit more time about it and aiming eventually for Castle Loch on the off chance of a willow tit.
Following the road to Ae, was pretty sure (85%) I saw a couple of goldcrests in the foliage of an oak tree where the road turns and rises. Behaviour and size were right, plus the fact that they never settled and I briefly caught sight of what I took to be the headstripe, which however appeared white in the poorish light.
Then there was a good view of one of a pair of kestrels, hovering repeatedly over the hedgerow as I followed it along the road between Shieldhill and Templand.
But, once again proving that you can succeed when you least expect it, the willow tit turned up on the feeder at Castle Loch within about 15 minutes of arriving. Difficult to see because of opposing sunlight and only making fleeting visits, but absolutely unmistakeable.
Having thus achieved two of the key targets for the winter in the space of a week, I am left pondering what else I can look for this winter! Goshawk is however likely to prove much more difficult to track down. Short-eared owl might also be a possible.
Following the road to Ae, was pretty sure (85%) I saw a couple of goldcrests in the foliage of an oak tree where the road turns and rises. Behaviour and size were right, plus the fact that they never settled and I briefly caught sight of what I took to be the headstripe, which however appeared white in the poorish light.
Then there was a good view of one of a pair of kestrels, hovering repeatedly over the hedgerow as I followed it along the road between Shieldhill and Templand.
But, once again proving that you can succeed when you least expect it, the willow tit turned up on the feeder at Castle Loch within about 15 minutes of arriving. Difficult to see because of opposing sunlight and only making fleeting visits, but absolutely unmistakeable.
Having thus achieved two of the key targets for the winter in the space of a week, I am left pondering what else I can look for this winter! Goshawk is however likely to prove much more difficult to track down. Short-eared owl might also be a possible.
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