I knew it was probably a bit early, but I decided to try for Whinchat today, up Glenvale in the Lomond Hills. Arriving at the carpark, I was met by hill mist, but by the time I had climbed halfway up the track to John Knox pulpit, I was walking in that rare scottish phenomenon called sunshine.
By the time I reached the pulpit, I was praying that I would find Whinchat, just so I would not have to come back in late june or July, when it would be even hotter. I took several photos along the way, but all were obscured by heat haze. Near the pulpit, I heard a Red Grouse calling, and at the waterfall, a Dipper flew off downstream. And on the path above the pulpit, a Stonechat appeared, but of its cousin, there was no sign.
I had turned back to head down the vale, when I heard the call. A Cuckoo up on Bishop Hill, seemingly located in a sparse group of gnarly trees. I headed at speed up a path that headed towards that location. I of course over did the “at speed“ bit, and came to a grinding halt on the slope. The path turned away where I stopped, and I did not fancy going cross-country to get closer. I could still hear the bird, but much scanning did not produce the goods, so with midday having just passed, I headed back down the slope, still hoping for my main target.
I reached the car untroubled by Whinchat, and as I now am feeling, slightly scorched in places.
On the way home, I stopped off at Portmoak, the actual moak, not the village. A quick examination of the dead trees out on the moak, soon produced a year first in the shape of a pair of Green Woodpecker. A nice way to end the day!