A Grousing Reception

Yes, this is a cheat. I don't care. I couldn't decide between the Red Grouse or the Short-Eared Owl, so you get both. Hah! Just be thankful you're not getting a mosaic of about 20 shots...

Day started well with a pleasant stroll in the Figgy, speaking to an older couple who live nearby who were binocular-laden and pointed me in the direction of a flock of Siskins. I've met them before, and the lady has apparently seen 65 different bird species in the Figgy in all the time she's been living there. I've got some way to go.

Breakfast (damn but I make the world's best scrambled eggs - all the better when you have your own egg-producers in the back garden) and a read of the paper, then off south to the Lammermuir to meet in with a gazillion Red Grouse. Walking up a landrover track it became clear why, as we passed a number of empty gun stands. The grouse had even taken to posing on them...

Heading home I tentatively proffered the suggestion of spinning by Dunbar to have a second attempt at seeing the Short-Eared Owls. It wasn't looking promising as we parked up, with only one other car sitting there. But while sitting chatting about the nature of grouse, and shooting laws in Scotland (courtesy of Wikipedia on the phone) two of the owls appeared bang in front, with one flying lazily past ten metres from the car. All subsequent shots were at a heft crop. But. Made my day.

So the grouse was the better shot; the owl the more unusual. And I couldn't separate them. So didn't try...

#43 Great Tit
#44 Siskin
#45 Fieldfare
#46 Red Grouse (above)
#47 Short-Eared Owl (above)

Red Grouse standing proud
Leggy Short-Eared Owl
Arguing Short-Eared Owl Pair
Twisted Heid