As a season, winter can be cold, wet and dark but if you can look beyond the weather there is a wonderland of wildlife out there to be observed. Now I look forward to spring and the return of all our summer migrants (along with warm sunny days and emerging flowers) as much as anyone.Continue reading “Winter Wonderland at Caerlaverock”
Category Archives: Lowlands
Aberlady Bay & Esk Mouth
It is often a rare Scoter (small black duck) that takes me east of Edinburgh. Previously I have been out this way looking for the over-wintering White-Winged Scoter. But this week it was its very close relative (until recently the same species in fact), the Stejneger’s Scoter that peeked my interest. I haven’t been outContinue reading “Aberlady Bay & Esk Mouth”
Argaty Red Kites
This week I visited Argaty Red Kites. Argaty Farm is close to one of the first Red Kite re-introduction sites in Scotland and they have really adopted the kites along with wildlife as a whole. They run daily feeds for the birds most afternoons which is a great opportunity to see wild birds close up.Continue reading “Argaty Red Kites”
Sheriffmuir in May
My favourite habitat at this time of year is the moorland in and around the Ochils. What seems mostly dead in winter suddenly comes alive with long-distant migrants arriving along with more local birds which expand their territories into all that available nesting ground. You can actually see a huge amount of wildlife just byContinue reading “Sheriffmuir in May”
The River Devon in February
So my “habitat-focus” for this month is the River Devon. At just over 30 miles in length this is a fairly short river starting in the Ochils above Menstrie and Alva and entering the Forth about 5 miles away as the crow flies at Cambus. River’s are a rich habitat that attract a different rangeContinue reading “The River Devon in February”
January in Menstrie Woods
Over the new year I thought it would be good to have a bit of a series on the blog and I am going to follow a habitat or two during the year. So we start with Menstrie Woods. Everything featured in this post was taken or recorded in January 2022. Come back next monthContinue reading “January in Menstrie Woods”
A walk around Gartmorn Dam
So my wife and I started the new year with a walk around Gartmorn Dam, a retired gravel pit nearby in Clackmannanshire. We walked clockwise from the carpark and, in between wishing all the anti-clockwise walkers a “Happy New Year”, we managed to get the birding year list off to a flying start. Of courseContinue reading “A walk around Gartmorn Dam”
RSPB Vane Farm, Loch Leven
We took a drive out to Loch Leven, near Kinross today to get some fresh air. I haven’t visited since they re worked the carpark (now a pay and display for non-members by the way). They have a much larger feeder area now which is well worth walking around for the common woodland birds. NothingContinue reading “RSPB Vane Farm, Loch Leven”
A drive along the Lothian Coast
We recently took a drive along the Lothian coast from Musselburgh to Gullane. There are several good spots to stop and look out to sea and along the coast itself. At Port Seton, a large flock on Ringed Plover flew down the coast but didn’t stop. But then an even larger flock of Golden PloverContinue reading “A drive along the Lothian Coast”
Birdwatching at Musselburgh Lagoons
As Autumn is kicking in I decided to take a trip out to Musselburgh in the hope of adding a few birds to my year list. The east coast obviously attracts a range of seabirds we don’t get in Clackmannanshire and can also have migrants travelling through. A Ruff, Little Stint or Curlew Sandpiper wouldContinue reading “Birdwatching at Musselburgh Lagoons”
Wild Scot 