This is February! Starting at Kinghorn Loch.

 We have threatened for ages to spend more time at Kinghorn Loch and get the code for the bird hide that's there so last week we finally did it. As usual the past few times we've been out it was a bit overcast and with the great Kingfisher views we had I could really have done with a bit more light, but you can't have everything!

So here's a few Kingfisher photos, plus a few other bits and bobs from the hide:

The others; Little Grebe,

Great Tit,

Coal Tit,

Robin,

Dunnock,

Long-tailed Tit

Another Walk! Along the Shore at Seafield

 We popped the short distance down to the coast and parked at Seafield and had a walk along the coast towards Kinghorn. The walk takes us ages as the birding is so good, we just spend ages watching what's going on and the behaviour of the different species.

Apart from the photos below, using the scope, we found Velvet Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Red-throated Diver and Great Northern Diver offshore. We did dee some small divers (Grebes?) but they wouldn't stay on the surface long enough to identify.

So just some highlights:

Pink-footed Geese

Redshank

Curlew

Kingfisher

Redshank

Seal

Redshank. Turnstone and Purple Sandpiper

Grey Wagtail

So 28 species seen on the walk a very enjoyable couple of hours.

Weekly Update: A Coastal Walk and Loch Kinghorn

 It's been an interesting week, we have been limited to where we can go because of the treachorous paths, with the snow going slushy then freezing overnight, turning our local paths into ice rinks! So to get some safe exercise and not burden the NHS further with broken limbs, we headed down to the coast, only a few miles, where it was warmer and not so icy as up in Kelty.

We did slide down to our local patch at Lochore Meadows, but it was pretty quiet as it was so cold,

There were plenty of Greylag Geese about, Goldeneye both on the Loch and the nature reserve pools and Tufted Duck on the Loch.

On another day we popped down to Burntisland Harbour, where we had seen a Razorbill and a Great Northern Diver previously, but not this time. We did see a nice male Eider in all his finery by the sea wall though:

Prior to the harbour we had popped to Kinghorn Loch for a walk and the hope of seeing the Ring-necked Duck, but we had left it too late again and the suns glare on the loch made it impossible to check for it amongst the Tufted Duck.

A couple of photos from the Loch:

A female Goldeneye

and a fly by by a Black-headed Gull.

Another day saw us go for a longer walk along the coast from Seafield towards Kinghorn. The birding was so good it took us ages to get anywhere!

One of the highlights was a 'Sea' Kingfisher:

Another highlight was Tina's favourite Duck, a Long-tailed. Sorry I don't have any photos as they were a way off shore, but we had great views through the scope! It was worth lugging it around.

So here are a few other shots from the walk:

Redshank,

Song Thrush,

Oystercatcher,

Bar-tailed Godwit,

Godwit and Turnstone,

"Tailless" Wren!

Ringed Plover,

Curlew,

Purple Sandpiper,

Stonechat,

Stonechat having lunch!

Stonechat with a full stomach!

Seal,

another Curlew

the view to Inchkeith island

and a solitary Brent Goose.

This walk is definitely going to be a regular thing and for those of you 'booked' in when this damned pandemic is done with, it will be on the list to take you to.

A Kingfisher Afternoon at Upton Warren

On Thursday we had a couple of hours spare in the afternoon and I was keen to see the work that had been done at Hen Brook. We very rarely used the Hen Brook hide when visiting, as in recent years you are just confronted by a wall of reeds blocking any views.

The transformation is spectacular and within minutes of sitting down a Water Rail put in an  appearance, popping out briefly on two more occasions before we moved on down to the Flashes. It was way to quick for me to get a photo, but seeing is the main thing. A big well done to the Wildlife Trust for making what looks like a great habitat for the coming winter and spring.

The flashes were pretty quiet, still a single Avocet in residence, plus I counted eleven Curlew out on the scrapes.

There were a good number of Shovelers and Teal about.

 A few Lapwing, a Little Grebe and of course plenty of Black-headed Gulls. After our obligatory coffee, we walked back to the car and the short drive over to the Moors, seeing this feller on the way.

A resting Red-veined Darter.

The weather was getting quite dull when we arrived at the Moors, we watched the activity on the feeders at the North Moors for a while, but only Blue, Great and Coal Tits were seen, with little on the water except for some Mallard and single Mute Swan.

So we carried on to the Lapwing Hide, the main interest at the start were two Mute Swans harassing another Swan, wherever it went, they headed towards it and proceeded to have a go at it. This is the main aggressor in attack mode,

 then the chase. This went on for a good 30 minutes.

Meanwhile there was a lot to see:
Little Grebe,

 Snipe,

 Lapwing,

 Grey Heron

 and Shoveler.

But the start of the afternoon was the Kingfisher, it came along and perched on a stick in front of the hide, making five fishing attempts, being successful four times. The photos are a bit grainy as it hard turned very dull and was also starting to rain.

 I wasn't quite quick enough to follow the dive,

 but got his return.

 Looking up as a raptor got the Lapwings up.

 Off he goes....

A great afternoon!