Thursday 9th April

In lovely sunshine, set off yesterday for an intentionally leisurely bike ride via Kilnford,  Lochfoot, Beeswing and New Abbey with no particular idea in mind beyond the almost certainty of seeing some goldfinches at the Lochfoot roundabout.

I did but only after already seeing half a dozen along the Cycleway as the morning was alive with tits and finches.  One chaffinch almost flew into my face just before turning onto the Edinburgh Road.

Loch Arthur

A bigger surprise came when, just after turning left for Lochfoot, a roe deer shambled away from the road only a few seconds after a noisy JCB had passed in the opposite direction.  Pausing by Lochrutton, a cormorant flew in at speed and bellyflopped into the shallows before diving and not reappearing.

There were yet more invisible skylarks on the way to Beeswing and a pair each of great crested crebes and tufted ducks on Loch Arthur, some pipits on the scenic road between Kinharvie and New Abbey, as well as a number of small tortoiseshells on the homeward trip via Kirkconnel Flow.

No birds of prey today, just a couple of buzzards calling near Loch Arthur.