Hi
After two days of glorious weather, we paid for it today with very strong winds and heavy rain for most of the day! Loch Ken and the Dee Marshes were extremely wet and birding was very difficult. The hides and feeders at this site at least provided views of Nuthatch and Willow Tit. The latter species is a rare bird in Scotland but a small population occurs along the Dee Valley and are among the most northerly birds in the UK. Nuthatch was almost unknown in Scotland some 15 years ago, but this species is spreading north and west rapidly.
We visited the Bellymack Farm Red Kite feeding station in the driving rain and high winds. Plenty of soggy Red Kites and other opportunists braved the weather but photography proved very challenging! Some images feature under the new Tab 'Soggy Kites'.
A walk around Laurieston Forest at least shielded us from most of the rain but no birds of note were seen.
We finished at Threave, which is a Natural Trust reserve and is one of at least three sites locally which provide nesting opportunities for Osprey. We saw the birds at relatively long range, with the male fishing nearby. Despite the persistent rain, Willow Warblers sang all day wherever we were and is an indication that the bulk of the UK population now breeds north of the border.
Regards
Eleanor and Neil
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