Wednesday 20th March

Wheelers to Corsock.  Very parky over the moors with light snow, so gave up counting bird species at 12.  Most notable were greenfinch  and sparrowhawk. Clearly saw at around 100 yards a black squirrel running along the old railway embankment by Dalquhairn on Byeway.  Notified Squirrel Conservation person who says there have been several sightings of brunette squirrels in the area, which are a derivation of the red.  This however contradicts one web reference I've seen which talks about black squirrels being a derivation of the grey.  This one was black as pitch.

Friday 22nd June - Saturday 23rd June

Bike trip to Fugen and back, not really a nature day but did run over a toad/frog in transit and saw a strangely patterned dark bird going into trees and a tree sparrow outside hotel.

The day after I went back to Fugen as there is a bird trail.  This started out well as quickly spotted garden warbler and several whitethroats but did not really deliver, although did see my first ever black squirrel and watched some swallows feeding their young.