Playing on the Line

Four Meadow Pipit were showing well on the Pit Tip Top this morning, and a Mistle Thrush flew over the Plantation from the direction of Dunvegan Gate. A Brown Hare was alongside the Plantation gate by the pond, and another Meadow Pipit was displaying from a fence post along the path down to the Cow Gates. At Dawson's Corner there was a juvenile Common Whitethroat, and a singing male Chiffchaff.

At the Mill Lakes, three of the juvenile Mute Swan were with their parents, and a group of three Jay flew to a tree on a nearby island whilst I was trying to scope an elusive duck, which turned out to be a female Ruddy Duck. Before heading to the Leen Pastures I noted a pair of Chiffchaff were again at the Double Gates - a singing male and a calling female. A Common Whitethroat was singing along the Railway Embankment at Leen Pastures, and a pair of Bullfinch were seen there too. Two Herring Gull flew north-east together over Leen Pastures, and I got some great views of a party of three juvenile Kestrel playing together on the Railway Line: Two perched on the old signal ladder, and one down on the rails.

Back at the lake a pair of Common Tern were over the north end. Both were calling, and one was carrying a small fish, with the other was chasing after it. They flew around several times low over the lake before heading off. On the way home, a female with a juvenile Green Woodpecker were seen calling in a tree between Alexandra Lodge and Calluna Clearing.