Bloody cold!

Leucistic Barnacle Goose, Mersehead

Barnacle Geese, Mersehead

Whooper Swans, Mersehead

Buzzard, Kippford

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This morning was very cold, windy and grey in sharp contrast to yesterday which was warm, sunny and definitely heralded Spring.

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First thing I nipped over to Mersehead again for an hour or so. I would estimate that over 5000 birds were dotted around the reserve this morning, including three leucistic birds. At the Bruaich Hide the 2 Little Egrets were still present - I then noticed three swans which were surprisingly hard to pick up at the back of the pool. Two adults and a juvenile Whooper! Literally ten minutes later a further 106 Whoopers descended on the pool, though they all kept to the back and kept their distance.

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At lunch we went for a picnic in the car to Rockcliffe. It was near high tide and the wind was strong, however I was able to pick up over 400 Scaup in the bay. A Sparrowhawk also flew across the bay.

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It was a quiet day otherwise - we just went for a long walk with Billy. Driving back to the cabin at Kippford this evening a couple of Red-legged Partridges were running in the road and then scanning the river from the cabin, a pair of Goosanders swam upriver.