Plan B was put into action. I live only a few miles from the Loch of Strathbeg a major RSPB reserve that contains Britain's largest dune loch. So that is where I went. I arrived at 10:00 and was surprised to see that no other cars had been up the access road since the snow had started to fall.
From the visitors centre you look out over Starnafin Pool and beyond that to the 'Low Ground'. Both areas held a lot more water than usual so there was little exposed mud that is loved by waders. Much of the standing water was frozen over so there was not much in the way of ducks and other water birds. As I am new to this blogging lark I did not have the forethought to take picture to show what Strathbeg is like so here a couple I took last year that shows the sort of habitat at the reserve.
In the last photo there are five Konik ponies. They are primitive horses from Poland and have been introduced into the reserve in a semi wild state to help with the management. Apparently the enjoy eating the rank vegetation that would otherwise take over the area.
The Visitors Centre has recently had a significant makeover and one of the new attractions is a picture window overlooking a feeding station. The viewing area has been supplied with comfy chairs and it is very easy to sit down a watch the comings and goings of the finches and LBJ's that take advantage of the free food. But that sort of comfortable bird watching is not what I came to Strathbeg for, I could do that at home. I went to the Tower Pool Hide. From there you look over the 'Low Ground' where many of the Ducks and Gulls congregate. It was most enjoyable checking through the hundreds of Wigeon, Mallards and Teal to see if there were any other species lurking in there. The same went for the Gulls and Waders. Every so often a family of Mute or Whooper Swans would take off and you could hear the wind whistling in there wings or the Gulls or Waders would take to the air en mass disturbed by something that more times than not remained undetected by me.
Today the highlight was a Peregrine fly past. I first saw it as rising up from behind a ridge as it was pursuing a Wood pigeon. Its attempt failed so it turned and flew past me again.
On this fly past I was able to get some photos.
On the way to and from the hide loads of small birds were commuting between the stubble and the hedges. Most were Yellowhammers but there were Corn Buntings, Redd Buntings and Tree Sparrows there as well.
So it was a great morning, although rather cold. Only one bird was added to the year list, a Pheasant, but that doesn't matter. Even though you have given yourself a target that should not dominate your birding. The outdoors and the wild life it contains, and for me specially the birds are there to be enjoyed whether you have targets or not.
Total on List 95
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