The calm before the storm!

Not sure the title works? As I sit here compiling this post, there's no wind, the sun is shining through the cloud and my garden is full of birds and that's before I fill the feeders. 

I suggested that a visit to Keptie Pond earlier in the day might produce better photos and it seems to have worked, and was helped by sun, more birds, some less wary and less free-running dogs, perhaps as it was too cold and windy for their owners.

It was good to see that a pair of Herons were using last years nest, the male was bringing in sticks and petting the female. I remember those days, in the 70's when life was in black and white!

Grey Heron male with nest building material at Keptie Pond

I wonder if it's the same pair pair on the same nest from last year, they sat on a clutch but around about the day they should have hatched the nest was abandoned. It's difficult to know why, they might have got careless and Crows got the eggs, Otters do visit the pond, we'll never know

Every time he brought back a stick and placed it the female wasn't happy and moved it to her satisfaction. Just like at home!

Adult Black-headed Gull, starting to get the black

One of last years youngsters

The Coots are getting serious with their fighting, there are many more than there's room for territories

I put these Feral Pigeons in after being surprised that the photo taken over the whole length of the pond turned out Ok

The Goosanders are getting less wary (if you find a spot and stand still) one male must have become used to coming for seed or bread when there was ice cover. It never came to me except when I was standing in the shade

It was getting late in the afternoon and many Herring Gulls were arriving to preen and perhaps roost

The pond area is kept clean by the volunteers but they can't get everything. This gull has a plastic crisp bag, maybe it's taking to the bin!

The Jackdaws were very active, flying all around the pond in the strong wind, some have become much less wary, this one and others spotted a woman throwing seed for the ducks

Little Grebe with a Stickleback

The Moorhens are really showing their good condition with their stunning red and yellow beaks

The "wrong un" showing some characteristics of a Red-Crested Pochard, surely from a collection and may have been released at the pond because it's a hybrid

Drake Tufted Duck

Probably more than 40 Wigeon on the pond at present