Saturday was my first ever day of what I like to call 'proper birding'. I already had a small list of birds seen but I hadn't specifically been birding at the time just walking my dog or stopped in traffic. It also applies here that during all of my birding, my parents being non-birders were moaning about it being too boggy or too overgrown all the time, my mother did point out a Woodpigeon once though :smoke: Disclamer: I do not smoke.
Anyway at about 11am after looking up Google Maps I set off to Loch of Skene which I finally after around 30 minutes driving round in circles finally managed to find an entrance after asking a gardener near by who kindly told me about Red Kites that had been nesting there. I had no viewing of the artificial loch though because it was too boggy to see from the woods and I couldn't find another viewpoint, I think a pair of wellington boots would be a good investment. But Loch of Skene wasn't entirely uneventful, there were a few Mistle Thrush in what looked like a Wild Raspberry bush. And then there was in the clearing beside that a Hen Harrier in flight, I was expecting to see a Red Kite not a Hen Harrier but by the time I had left the only other activity to be seen were Fly Agaric Mushrooms and a heard but not saw Red Kite. Popped down to Tesco's where funnily enough I got another lifer - a Pheasant feeding on the grass verge beside the road next to a litter of cute little baby European Rabbits. The only other birds to be had in that area were in the Poultry aisle and I'm not quite as shameless as to tick that! After lunch I went for the first time to my second local patch, my new primary local patch the Den of Maidencraig where within the first few meters I saw two Carrion Crow, several Willow Warbler and a very pale feathered Blue Tit. I went down the right path to the pond where there was a single female Teal who acted like she was used to getting fed by humans as she entered the pool as soon as she saw us. I saw a small-medium sized darkish Unidentified Mammal running amongst the undergrowth as well. I went up the path where I saw a tiny juvenile Common Frog. I went towards the woodland section when I saw a Buzzard flying overhead along with Herring Gull. Further still I heard a Grasshopper Warbler and saw a Sparrowhawk briefly land before leaving. Ten minutes later a Red Kite landed in almost the same spot with a kill. I had no time to enter the woodland or continue watching the Red Kite however as my mother announced for the second time (the first being at Tesco's) that she needed the toilet, was desperate and would not do it behind a bush (she mistook the Grasshopper Warbler for a snake) and could not be bothered going at Tesco's so that was my days birding with six lifers saw and one heard. I needed as well to be honest but when your birding these things can wait can they
Overall a good day B
Anyway at about 11am after looking up Google Maps I set off to Loch of Skene which I finally after around 30 minutes driving round in circles finally managed to find an entrance after asking a gardener near by who kindly told me about Red Kites that had been nesting there. I had no viewing of the artificial loch though because it was too boggy to see from the woods and I couldn't find another viewpoint, I think a pair of wellington boots would be a good investment. But Loch of Skene wasn't entirely uneventful, there were a few Mistle Thrush in what looked like a Wild Raspberry bush. And then there was in the clearing beside that a Hen Harrier in flight, I was expecting to see a Red Kite not a Hen Harrier but by the time I had left the only other activity to be seen were Fly Agaric Mushrooms and a heard but not saw Red Kite. Popped down to Tesco's where funnily enough I got another lifer - a Pheasant feeding on the grass verge beside the road next to a litter of cute little baby European Rabbits. The only other birds to be had in that area were in the Poultry aisle and I'm not quite as shameless as to tick that! After lunch I went for the first time to my second local patch, my new primary local patch the Den of Maidencraig where within the first few meters I saw two Carrion Crow, several Willow Warbler and a very pale feathered Blue Tit. I went down the right path to the pond where there was a single female Teal who acted like she was used to getting fed by humans as she entered the pool as soon as she saw us. I saw a small-medium sized darkish Unidentified Mammal running amongst the undergrowth as well. I went up the path where I saw a tiny juvenile Common Frog. I went towards the woodland section when I saw a Buzzard flying overhead along with Herring Gull. Further still I heard a Grasshopper Warbler and saw a Sparrowhawk briefly land before leaving. Ten minutes later a Red Kite landed in almost the same spot with a kill. I had no time to enter the woodland or continue watching the Red Kite however as my mother announced for the second time (the first being at Tesco's) that she needed the toilet, was desperate and would not do it behind a bush (she mistook the Grasshopper Warbler for a snake) and could not be bothered going at Tesco's so that was my days birding with six lifers saw and one heard. I needed as well to be honest but when your birding these things can wait can they
Overall a good day B 
