After much uncertainty over the new Covid restrictions, I worked out that being in a support bubble meant I could visit Dumfries over the Christmas period.
This wasn't really a nature trip but I did get good sightings of a pair of goosanders in the afternoon light at the caul on the Nith. The male's head showed hardly any sign of its normal green colour.
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An extra bonus was the bright reflections on the water around the female, which give quite a surreal effect.
After returning home ahead of the stormy weather, we managed another beach dog walk at Cresswell yesterday. The tide was coming in and the surf hitting the beach with some force, with some rather unusual results. The first was a live sprat that had been thrown up on the beach. Later we encountered a small flounder, a jelly fish and another sprat which had met the same fate but were dead. All were returned to the sea except the dead sprat which the dog ate.
We got as far as the Chevington Burn without seeing any bird life apart from a single goldfinch and a stonechat. But we did encounter a rather good rainbow en route.
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| Rainbow |
On the way back there were a few birds including oydtercatchers on the move and I got a nice photo of this sanderling, which came up quite close while we stood still.
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| Sanderling |
At home the garden is still quite busy and the latest not-so-rarity was a female chaffinch.
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