Birdlife

A wander along the Forth and Clyde Canal between Banknock and Longcroft this morning.

There was a considerable amount of birdlife on and by the Canal – the ‘usual’ (if I can be as dismissive as that) array of mallards and a fair number of mute swans, but I also a spotted a goldeneye, a heron, quite a few goosanders and some black-headed gulls. I've added some extras from this  morning's selection.

There was still a veneer of ice on some parts of the Canal and it was amusing to watch one of the swans make their way rather gingerly along the top of the ice until with an almost palpable sense of relief it reached the relative comfort of the water in its liquid form (main photo).