March started beautifully, not every day of course but some glorious mornings, still a good frost in the mornings though but that just makes the air fresher, cleaner and I have plenty of the right clothes for chilly mornings so, March 6th, off to the reservoir.
I have a terrible tendency to discount Chaffinches, I guess they're everywhere, even in our garden, they make up the majority of birds visiting the feeders but, they are beautiful birds.
As there are so many in the garden, I've started to notice the variations there are in their colouring and size, especially as they grow and move into adulthood.
One of the great joys of walking up here is the ever changing light and scenery, as the seasons change, so does the view, as well as the activity. As we move into March, we're also moving towards Spring and better weather, not guaranteed of course in the UK. More birds come out and more birds arrive back from their Winter homes.
Song Thrushes are foraging around everywhere, they do tend to keep their distance, being quite shy and reclusive but you can often hear them, before you see them.
Redpolls have arrived at the reservoir, I'm not great at identifying many small birds by their calls and songs but pop one in front of me and I can get by, Redpoll don't appear to mind sitting up to be photographed.
Beautiful little birds and lots of them up here, most only ever seen as little brown jobs flitting across our view, these were caught perfectly by the early morning sun.
My walk back down the trail is usually a bit faster but with all the activity around, I spent a little more time today.
At the right time of day and year, there are Coal Tits everywhere up here, always so busy and fast moving, nice when one or two slow down or even stop for a photo. Dunnocks or Hedge Sparrows, are a bit steadier and often pop up onto a branch for a good sing or just a stare into the wilderness?.
Dunnock or Hedge Sparrow
Back down at the dam and the Oystercatchers have been gathering, they nest inland and can be seen often in odd locations around our countryside.
Orange is the new Beak
It's March 7th and the sun is shining again! I could really get used to this, how could I not get up and out. It's just before 9 o'clock and there are only a couple of cars in the car park, I'm beginning to meet the same few people out with their dogs first thing in the morning.
Song Thrush on the dam wall
I often stay in the car park and just look around, listening to the silence, the grass banks that from the front of the dam are often full of birds foraging for food.
Song Thrush exploring the grassy slopes
I headed up the standard track and not far up I heard the cackle of geese, quite a flock of Pink Footed Geese flew over heading in the direction of Montrose eBasin if I remember rightly
There are quite often large flocks of geese heading to or from that direction, morning and evening.
Again, I have promised myself not to ignore the more common birds I see here and this Chaffinch male looked like it had just stepped on a thorn :)
Aaaaaaaaoooooooowwwwwwwww!
I'd only walked for around 10. minutes when I spotted my first Crossbill of the walk, looked like a young bird, right out at the edge of the first stand of tall pines.
When I first spot a bird I try to grab a few shots, then walk closer and repeat, now I tend to carry and use binoculars more. This Crossbill and another I hadn't seen took off across the reservoir and disappeared from view. So, onwards. A beautiful Redpoll sat on a pine singing but flew off pretty quickly and a Robin sat up nicely for a few shots, they're such photogenic birds aren't they?
Redpoll on Pine
Robin posing as a Wren
I've been up here around half an hour and enjoyed a gorgeous, quiet walk in the sun with a few birds popping up here and there then, I spotted another young Crossbill on a Silver Birch.
I really do love seeing these birds having only ever spotted on distant male many moons ago up North it is such a pleasure to see them so often up here.
Female Crossbill standing out against the reservoir water
I'm still at that excited stage every time I see these birds. Sometimes there's not much to work within, in fact I know I've walked by some without even noticing.
I tend to head up to the picnic bench area and keep an eye out there for anything active, it's often full of activity, sometimes I'll carry on up to the first gate, just depends on the weather, the sightings, my mood?
One thing I do remember about this time of year, there are Robins everywhere, along with Chaffinches.
