May Blog

Quick as a flash we have now entered the month of May. The year is going in fast already and I’m already looking forward to my holiday in The Outer Hebrides this week, but April was a very good month and I hope you enjoy my tales.

I wrote my last blog whilst I was up in Inverness for two days which was good fun. We went to the beach famous to see Dolphins up in Fortrose but sadly there was no dolphins but I did see a couple of Brent Geese.

After Inverness I headed up to Lossiemouth for a few days which was lovely. There is so much to see up there but on one of the days had a trip to Cullen Beach. The beach itself it’s amazing and after a walk up a cliff was greeted to the amazing sound of seabirds. The birds I saw were Eider Ducks, Kittiwakes,Cormorants & Razorbills. The biggest surprise was we saw a few Dolphins in the sea which was a lovely sight.

On the last day before heading home I visited RSPB’s Loch Spynie Nature Reserve and had a good time. It was nice and relaxing in the hide watching Mute Swans,Gooseander, Black Headed Gull, Tufted Duck & Coot. On the woodland walk I saw Chiffchaff, Crow, Herons looking for a nest in the trees and Chaffinches at the feeders at the car park I would really recommend this place.

After a few days of wet weather I had a full day Birding at Lochend Park & Figgate Park. I started at Lochend because it’s been a long time since I last visited, after I had my lunch I started my Birding at the park were I saw Tufted Ducks, Mallards,Canada Geese & Graylag Geese (who were making a lot of the noises at the park).

I then moved on to my next destination Figgate Park when I arrived it was slightly quieter then Lochend Park however I still had a good time watching more Canada Geese (who were the noisy ones this time), Graylag Geese,Mute Swan, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Coot, Maggie, Woodpigeon & Black Headed Gull. A great day..

Last week I visited The River Esk at Musselburgh and not long I got off the bus I couldn’t believe my eyes lots and lots of Swallows flying all over the place. This wasn’t my first time seeing Swallows this year I saw my first Swallow of the year on the 19th April. I was mesmerised by them all and my eyes were focused on the sky that I almost forgot to look down on what was on the Ricer Esk after all that’s what I went here for. I saw Gooseander, Canada Geese, Herring Gull, Feral Pigeon, Mallard & Jackdaw.

The next day I visited my local patch Cammo Estate Nature Reserve and it was a great morning Birding. The highlight was seeing my first Blackcap of the year (a male) singing away in The Walled Garden which is usually a good place to see them. Other species of birds I saw were Crow, Magpie, Chiffchaff, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Robin, Chaffinch & Stockdove.

April was indeed a great month and now I’m looking forward returning to The Outer Hebrides at the end of the week, I’m looking forward listening to The Dawn Chorus there as well I will be near a field if a Corncrake calls that will be fantastic!!.