Loch of the Lowes and Seafield (Kirkcaldy)

 We took a drive up to Dunkeld and the SWT Reserve at the Loch of the Lowes, bad planning though, we neglected to check if the visitor centre was open and it wasn't!! One hide was open though, so we spent some time in there, but also popping out to check the feeders from time to time.

It was a good job a hide was open because the weather was a lot worse than we expected, very drizzly! So as you can see the light was poor over the Loch, but the Wigeon didn't care,

neither did this Nuthatch,

or the Goldeneye.

Other highlights were Treecreeper and Great Spotted Woodpecker. Sadly the Red Squirrels we usually see there didn't put in an appearance.

A couple of days later we had some errands to run in Kirkcaldy, so went for a little walk along the sea at Seafield. The tide was way out, so all the birds were pretty distant and there was very little activity in the scrub on the other side of the path either. Having said that we were delighted to see three Long-tailed Ducks off shore always brilliant to see.

There were tons of Redshank about, these were a few of them catching the last bit of sun:

as was this Heron:

Other waders seen were Turnstone, some Purple Sandpiper, Oystercatcher, a couple of Black-tailed Godwit and a final flurry from some passing Curlew:

Finally on the way back to car this wild Rabbit posed nicely:

Lochore Meadows

 We finished January off with a walk down the Meadies. It was a lovely but very cold couple of hours. The highlights were some very busy Bullfinch;

A Great White Egret from the nature reserve hide:

and a couple of squabbling Treecreepers, this one won the bragging rights and stayed put:

Other birds of note were Long-tail

ed Tit,

a couple of Grey Heron

Goldeneye on the Loch,

and a Robin sunning itself:

Other birds seen or heard were, Cormorant, Teal, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Blackbird, Great Tit, Mistle Thrush, Wren, Magpie, Pied Wagtail, Jackdaw, Crow, Woodpigeon and Mute Swan.

Always a great time down the Meadies! (As long as we have coffee!)

Loch of the Lowes

 We had a fabulous day yesterday at Loch of the Lowes, cold but bright. 

We seem to be blessed with Red Squirrel sightings at the moment, not that we are complaining!

All from the cosy warm the SWT visitor centre. 

From the visitor centre as well;

Obliging Nuthatch,

Female Mallard waiting for whatever falls from the bird feeders.

Great Spotted Woodpecker.

The loch was quiet though with lots of Goldeneye;

Wigeon

Plus plenty of Tufted Duck, a few Great Crested Grebe, Mallard and a very distant Goosander.

Some Greylag and Cormorant flew through and a solitary Canada Goose appeared from the Beaver channel briefly.

Apart from that we had a nice rainbow in the distance!

January 2024 in Fife and over the borders into Perthshire and West Lothian

 So It's a new year and it's already February before I have got around to posting anything!!

So a quick summary, in the first weeks of the year we have stayed very local and brought the species count up to 43 by the last week of the month, visiting Kinghorn, Lochore, Kinghorn, Loch of the Lowes, Loch Leven and Musselburgh.

Not many photo opportunities but here's the best of the bunch in some rather dodgy weather at times!

The wind was up at Fife Ness,

Fulmars claiming their nesting spots at Kinghorn,

The sun breaking through at Kinghorn,

Red Squirrel at Loch of the Lowes,

along with plenty of Goldeneye.

Pheasant on the run at Musselburgh Lagoons,

where there were plenty of Wigeon

and Oystercatchers.

The Wigeon were spooked by something, but couldn't see what.

The finally a Godwit fly by as the weather closed in yet again.

Loch of the Lowes (October)

 A few highlights from a visit to Loch of the Lowes (SWT) with Jo & Jimmy a couple of weeks back:

Great views of Red Squirrels on this visit,

and Great Crested Grebe, now in their winter plumage,

Goldeneye on approach,

undercarriage down,

touchdown.

A quick turn around and off again!

A female Goldeneye cruising by,

the the Grebe came in for its close up.

The sun on the far shore of the Loch.

More Squirrel action:

A mean looking Nuthatch.

Fly by by two Whooper Swans, photos courtesy of Tina (I was on the loo!!)

And finally the Grebe catching its supper in the fading light.

As always a lovely day out at the Lowes.