King of the Figgy

Well, today turned into a bit of a bird day... After yesterday's lovely walk, but reticent wildlife, the balance was somewhat redressed. It wasn't entirely unintentional, I'd hoped to see some birds, but really I was only settled down into that for about an hour of the day in two separate stints. Not bad going really when (linked below) the numbers in the 2012 photo list were swelled quite a bit.

7.30am I was out of the house, but the intention with that was a ride in the still, cold air. Only 10-15 miles, but nice to be out in the peace and quiet, and the loop back along the Musselburgh sea wall was the first move of wildlife-intent. Got chatting to a lovely Welsh guy who was setting up his scope, and peering through his (very expensive Swarovski) binoculars. He showed me his sketchbook after spotting a Black Guillemot yesterday (not at all common on the east coast).

Home; breakfast; chicken-managing in the garden; then a bit of housework, before the second wildlife activity - the basic, everyday, humdrum, wander round the Figgy Park. Except the Kingfishers had a bit to say about that... They've been seen a bit recently, so I'm beginning to wonder if there's now a resident pair. That would be fantastic! Heard one first, and saw something dive along the burn. It looped round and straight past us, so we walked to see if we could spot it - whereupon the perfect pose was set.

As if that wasn't enough, while waiting to see if they (for Mel saw a second while I staked out the first) would make a return a Gret-Spotted Woodpecker made itself known in the tree behind me. Bit of a treat of a wander then - I love the fact that Mel was peering at the woody, as I trained a huge lens on it, and people were just wandering by looking funny at us. Only one person looked up, but didn't seem to see what we were transfixed by. Ah well. Their loss (and we were most certainly the only people to see the Kingfisher as well).

So. Sorry for the bird blip again. And for not fulfilling my promise to start ranting on here yet. Too good a day really. About to top it off by preparing a nice pork belly dinner (needs 3 and a half hours to cook, so I'll have to get crack(l)ing soon).

Musselburgh
#29 Mistle Thrush
#30 Shag
#31 Turnstone
#32 Eider
#33 Velvet Scoter
#34 Slavonian Grebe
#35 Bar-Tailed Godwit
#36 Wigeon
#37 Greylag Goose
#38 Bean Goose

Figgy
#39 Kingfisher (above)
#40 Treecreeper
#41 Great-Spotted Woodpecker
#42 Dipper