10 February 2018

Early on this month the Great Spotted Woodpecker came into the garden and lingered long enough for me to get a photograph through the window. There was no red on the back of its head or on the top so it must be a female.  The Long-Tailed Tits are still coming in  and I have had a Feral Pigeon coming to visit.  There are Feral Pigeons all over the town but it is unusual for me to have one in the garden.

On a recent trip to Inverness I stopped off at Alturlie and there were many Wigeons and Mallards but a lone Goldeneye was swimming along  away from all of these.

I went  down to the Mosset Burn last week to look for the Kingfisher but again was unlucky.  However I saw this lovely Goosander there and then  this Tufted Duck at Sanquhar Pond.

All my expectations were exceeded on Friday and Saturday when I at last saw the Kingfisher.   I make no apologies for showing  a few pictures of it as its colours appeared differently on both days depending on the sunlight and the time of day.  Never did I imagine that I would be able to photograph one sitting in front of me and for such a long period of time.  It was completely  unperturbed by people walking past with their dogs and focused solely on its catch.  It would be lovely if it remained there for a while.  Certainly a photographer’s dream.

Finally that Saturday  finished off nicely when I went to Hopeman to see two Waxwings which had been seen there.  After the hundreds of Waxwings that that were around last winter there has been very few this winter. I saw four at the top of a tree along the road from the house  one afternoon last month but that was only through my binoculars and i never saw them again.   So I was lucky to see the two at Hopeman and although it was not very bright I managed to get some shots.