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.
