Another Grand Day Out.

Good Evening it is such a long time since I wrote an entry in this journal, we have not been out birding much lately we did have our trip to Loch Garten in March, did not see much at all that day, we did have a lovely Golden Eagle and the Squirrels I posted pictures of in my main journal. After that day as you know I have been ill, don't know if the cold that day gave me the Pneumonia but I thought it was funny that you do say, 'I'll get Pneumonia standing here in the cold like this' well we will never know.
Yesterday was a bright sunny day here so Stuart took me for a wee run in the car to a new bird watching spot we have been told about in Fife. A kind farmer has allowed his fields to flood over the winter months and it has become a big attraction for wintering birds and birds on passage to their breeding grounds further north. Of course it has become a big attraction for the local bird watchers too. It was a bit cold so I was told in no uncertain terms to stay in the car and watch from there. I did not mind it is nice to have someone looking after you. So I set up my telescope it the comfort of the car. I did pop out once or twice as Stuart's scope is more powerful than mine and there was a very beautiful Green Sandpiper there and I wanted to see it closer than my equipement would allow. There were good numbers of commoner birds too lots of Lapwing, Oystercatchers, Redshank, lots of gulls and a very nice little White Wagtail. It was lovely to get out in the sun and fresh air we had a great time out. We will go back to the pools again but they are drying out quickly now as the weather is drier. Till next time
Love Joan.

A Brand New Year.

First Trip of the Year. Fife Coast and Dundee.


Great Spotted Woodpecker


We took our first birding trip of the year on Friday 2nd January with a friend. It was one of those rare days when everything well almost went according to plan. We left here on a clear very cold morning for our first site on the route, unfortunately there was a regatta going on so there were no ducks about but that just one of those things. We then backtracked a bit to a woodland site and the first bird we saw was a Great Spotted Woodpecker which can sometimes be hard to see. As we strolled along the woodland path we saw the usual woodland species you would expect to see. There was a little stream running along beside us and low and behold a lovely Dipper bobbing away as it sat on a rock. Although it is very cold just now to go way for a days bird watching it is easier than the summer as the bare trees are a great help. Back to the car and on for a few miles to a very quiet little lane when our friend had seen Tree Sparrows in good numbers a week or so ago They did not disappoint they seem to be sitting there waiting for us there were 14 in all which for this species nowadays is really good as there numbers are way down just now.

King Eider.

We then headed to the coast at a place called Elie as we had word of a King Eider being seen there. Now there's a bird to see. We have seen them on previous occasions but not for some years. We had a little walk to get to the waters edge but again there he was sitting waiting for us, we could not believe our luck what a great start to the year.

Iceland Gull.


Back in the car again and onward to Anstruther a lovely little fishing village where we had again had word of an Iceland Gull and believe it of not we were told it was sitting over the north wall and guess what it was, this was turning out to be a great day out. After a quick and I mean quick lunch break off we went again this time towards Dundee where there was another rare gull this time a Ring Billed Gull. Must just say our friend of many years had planned all this for us and put in a lot of work for us it was so good of him and very much appreciated by us.


Ring Billed Gull.
All photo's today are from the internet not mine unfortunately.