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10/06/09

Since my last contribution to the written word of the birding world, I have added three “year ticks”. The most welcome was that of Long-tailed Tit. It was becoming a matter of some concern to me that this delightful bird had until now kept below my radar. I was even wondering if the long hard winter just passed had been too much for them. They are very susceptible to the cold. Then yesterday, on an outing with the Angus and Dundee Bird Club, I saw both Whinchat and Lesser Redpoll.

We went to Glen Lethnot, one of the Angus glens I had never visited before. And what a great place it is. Now that I know about it, I’ll be back I’m sure. Part of its attractiveness for both wildlife, and me, I suspect, is its comparative remoteness. Compared to the other glens of Angus, it is undisturbed. The main reason for going there was to see Ring Ouzels. You may recall that on our previous outing, to Glen Esk, we had heard them, but managed only a few fleeting glimpses. This time, we had magnificent, close views.

But they weren’t the only star attractions of the day. We had Dipper, Redstart, Grey Wagtail, Peregrine, Kestrel, Buzzard, Common Sandpiper, Grey Wagtail, Spotted Flycatcher, Stonechat, Wheatear, and zillions of Meadow Pipits. I was even lucky enough to find the nest of a Spotted Flycatcher, tucked into a crevice in a gnarled old birch tree. It was conveniently placed at head height, so that I could peep in and admire the four eggs. Of course, I would never have found it at all, or been able to identify its owner, if the bird hadn’t popped out of the nest, when I was only a metre away from it.