Author Archives: sarahthurlbeck

Madeiran firecrests are tiny endemic island birds which in 2003 were found to be a separate species from common firecrests. They are members of the kinglet family. In the UK our goldcrests are our smallest birds, but firecrests are even smaller, weighing only 5 grams. You can see why they get their name. In theContinue reading “Wee Beauties – Madeiran Firecrests”

Last week I was out walking with a friend when we stopped to look at some long tailed tits in the trees just off the path. We noticed they were gathering bits of lichen off branches. So we looked to where they were going and to our delight saw they were building a nest inContinue reading “A Grand Design”

I was out for a walk this morning, hoping to see a hare as always, but little did I know there was a treat in store for me. I spotted a few hares together at the top of a field so I made my way for a closer view of them from behind a hedge.Continue reading “Hare Raising!”

Today has been an exceptionally mild day for the start of the second week of March. As well as blackbirds starting to sing I heard frogs croaking and purring close to the edge of the Alloch Dam where I live. As I got close to the sound I started to make out these slimy amphibiansContinue reading “Froggy Encounter”

There are some amazing sights to be seen around our ponds and lochs at this time of year. Just look at these crested grebes! They were courting and mating on Hogganfield Loch on the outskirts of Glasgow. I wasn’t expecting to actually see the mating take place so was surprised when it happened right beforeContinue reading “Pond Party”

This month we visited Morton Lochs, part of Tentsmuir nature reserve in Fife. Around the lochs there are several hides from which to watch the wildlife and what I was really hoping to photograph was a kingfisher. However the lochs had been frozen and no kingfishers had been seen there since December. I’ll need toContinue reading “Morton Lochs Visit”

This great tit could be forgiven for looking a bit raggedy after the recent storm Eowyn. The birds and beasts must have been hunkered down as the storm raged and many of the trees in my local patch were toppled. These were a couple of huge beech trees in owl wood, fortunately not the oneContinue reading “After the Storm”

This week has been great for getting out into the crisp winter sunshine. On a walk yesterday I saw this young swan standing stock still and looking like it was missing its head! I was a bit worried about it, however it was just sleeping and when I passed by later it was fully awake,Continue reading “Coping with the Cold”