The First Cuckoo of Spring

A wonderful visit to the RSPB hide at remote Loch Ruthven today. Walking between the birches, now in fresh green leaf, to the hide we were delighted to hear the first cuckoo of spring calling across the water.The water level being low the remains of the crannog were just visible.

From the hide, we had extraordinarily clear sightings of the handsome Slavonian grebes which are the star species on the Loch. Their spectacular red, brown and gold plumage making them unmistakable.One bird appeared to be resting in the sedges close to what a helpful volunteer told us is a mating platform. Two more Slavonians were out on open water, at times quarrelling with intrusive tufted ducks.

We were amused by a family of mallards - the tiny chicks scuttling like wind-up toys in the sedges.

Sadly, the numbers of the rare Slavonians on the Loch are in decline - probably due to disturbance from watersports enthusiasts and wild swimmers who took to using the Loch during lockdown

A quietly restorative ' Glad that I live am I' day.