Trip reports
Vane Farm RSPB Reserve on Wednesday 11 and Sunday 15 November 2009.
Monday, 16 November 2009
The "midweekers" all experienced long traffic delays so were too late to enjoy the flocks of pink feet leaving the reserve to feed on surrounding farm land. Viewing from the hides was quiet on both days with just a handful of species seen, perhaps the highlight being a flock of golden plover. On the loch there was a good range of ducks with great crested grebes particularly numerous. Whooper Swans were seen on both days, with pintail the highlight on Sunday. A walk along the Loch Leven Heritage Trail was enjoyed by all bringing views of a kingfisher and my highlight, on Wednesday, was watching a jay gather acorns. There were sizable flocks of garden birds and winter thrushes with a lovely male bullfinch showing well plus a small flock of redpoll and linnets at the visitor centre on Sunday.
Also on Sunday a few people climbed the hill and Frank Conn kindly showed the rest of us photographs of the magnificent views from the top!
Again on Sunday we did attempt to track down the snow goose without success but we did locate a modest murmuration of starlings which we watched for a few minutes before they dropped into the reeds to roost and we headed home to do likewise. In total, 61 different species were seen on the two trips. Lynda Pritchard