Trip reports

A group outing

RSPB

Wednesday, 7 December 2011

16 hardy members met at a very icy car park having negotiated the doubtful road. It was a beautiful sunny day though bitterly cold.
A flock of redpoll arrived on cue before we left the car park but very little else until we reached the bridge. We saw distant whooper swans, wigeon and teal, much better from the hide where their colours were brilliant in the sun. En route to the hide some saw bullfinches, and a possible jay flew past. Once in the hide with some respite from the wind the feeders were very rewarding. Chaffinches, greenfinches and at least 3 bramblings - really close so we could note the differences between the sexes. There were great, blue and coal tits, blackbirds, robin and dunnock, and a pheasant with its tail being blown upright. A heron landed close and there were herring, common and black-headed gulls as well as greylag geese on the water. On our way back to the cars, warmth and lunch we had a lively flock of long-tailed tits. Sam had a buzzard and John a possible little grebe before we left the bridge.
After lunch we slithered and slushed to Threipmuir. Flocks of chaffinches with a few brambling amongst them, starlings, pigeons and corvids. A large flock of greylag geese in the fields and a reed bunting flew out and then obligingly sat in front us in a tree.. On the reservoir a few cormorants, a pair of mallard, and then a kestrel flew towards us low over the water then hovered so we had superb sightings in our scopes. On the way back a possible goldcrest then at the cars Helen spotted a very close tree creeper.
A good day despite the cold and ice, A very big thank you to Val for her delicious mince pies as always greatly appreciated.

Eppie Sweeney