Goldeneyes

Started off as a bleak sort of day with grey drizzle but by the time my weekend was officially starting the skies had cleared a little and it looked like I might be able to get an outdoor shot after all. I came across this pair of Goldeneye ducks in the boating pond who seemed to like to dive for food and swim in synchrony all the time.

After consulting the excellent RSPB site I learned that there are many Goldeneyes that overwinter in Scotland and now there are an increasing number that breed here helped by enthusiasts who apparently place nesting boxes up trees and even on the end of upturned sewage pipes. This latter method has been found to deter the pinemartins who raid the nests for eggs.

That's what I love about blipping! You go out looking for things, you see things that you wouldn't have noticed before, and then you want to learn about them!