Black Grouse and white Whoopers

An early morning (for me) trip to Backwater Dam and off to a flying, or I should say roosting start with two Blackcocks sitting in nearby trees, the one's where the Great Grey Shrike should have been. Further down the road around 30 Fieldfare flew from the wires and trees.

I did eventually get the Shrike on the east side when I watched it being mobbed by some Meadow Pipits. It looked like it was going back to where I'd been when I was blinded as it flew across the sun!
On the way back I stopped at Lintrathen and very little could be seen, until what I think was a White-tailed Eagle call flushed everything, lots of Wigeon, some Tufted Ducks, Goldeneye, Goosander and Teal.

I couldn't find the reported Smew at Kinnordy so I took video of a Whooper Swan bathing and preening, with nothing else of note.

Finally I dropped into Murton which was quiet with mainly Wigeon, Teal, Goldeneye and squabbling Mute Swans.

Blackcock in a tree, Backwater Dam        Whooper Swan bathing, Kinnordy        

Goldeneye drake       Mute Swan chase      Wigeon        Silver Y Moth

Blackcock, Backwater Dam

Whooper Swan, Loch of Kinnordy

Goldeneye at Murton in sunlight

and in the shadow

Harvestman species Opilio canestrinii, in the garden. Apparently it's  species new to the UK and has spread across Europe from Italy

close up

Siver Y Moth, a late appearance, perhaps due to the unseasonal weather. It looked to be a newly emerged and thought to be a second generation born here and not a migrant. It was on Olive's door who can be seen moving around inside in the video at the top of this post