Another flipping flapping bird!

The last bird watching group of the term. We were to meet at Musselburgh, but I wasn't sure where, and I was a wee bit late - buses always take twice as long as you think they will - they keep stopping every 100 yards or so! I got off at the right place, but couldn't see the group, so I rang Juliet, our leader.

'Go over the bridge and turn towards the sea.'

'Er, which way's the sea?' was blurted out before I realised how very silly that was. Bridges go over rivers. Rivers tend to always run towards the sea...

'Turn left.' Juliet told me. She could have said something rude as well, but she's a nice person.

However, we had a successful morning. We saw goldeneyes, wigeons, Canada geese, godwits, redshanks, red breasted mergansers and gulls of all sorts. But the stars of the morning were the goldeneyes - the males were going round doing their mating dance - throwing their head right back on to their back. Hilarious. They're beautiful wee birds, too - very easily identified, especially as they go around looking like they're throwing a big strop. I've put a photo in the folio, although it's severely cropped - they were away out in the middle of the river (I need a bigger lens). But I liked this one as I got the splash as well, and Mrs Goldeneye looking the wrong way and missing the performance.

Last week I walked on while the group returned to the start point. Several of the group told me that I missed a good shot of a fox, red against the snow, that they watched for ages. Drat!

We walked down to the estuary, along what is part of the John Muir Walkway - 73 mile walkway along the coast from Edinburgh to the Borders. But I was disappointed, nay, disgusted, to see lots of dog poos all along the grassy path by the river. It seems they don't bother to pick it up in Musselburgh. A letter to the Toon Cooncil will be winging its way this week.

The group are doing a bonus walk next week, but I told them I couldn't come - I'd be in Barcelona. But I will rejoin the group in the Autumn. I have learned heaps. Quite a lot. Some things.