Glen Lethnot, Glenesk and back to Forfar Loch

Olive and I went for a "walk", (that's what I told her) in Glen Lethnot today and I'd always thought there should be Crossbills there but had never seen them. Perhaps I should have been looking on the road and not high in the trees as the two below appeared to be either feeding or collecting salt, or maybe grit from the road. There were also at least 140 Lapwings in the glen, 3 Ravens, a Kestrel and a number of Buzzards and Red Grouse.

Moving across to Glenesk we found 2 Red Kites and when we went to cross the bridge over the North Esk at Haughend the bridge has been destroyed by the winter floods which had reached record levels.

The last 4 photos are from a previous trip to Forfar Loch on Sunday hoping to see the Iceland Gulls again but the disturbance was high and the gulls were probably feeding on the landfill site in peace as the workers were at church, yeah!!

Male Crossbill, thought to be eating salt from the road but with a beak like that they may be picking up grit with their tongues

I've been spotted, I was still in my car with the engine running and the vibration has caused problems with all of the Crossbill photos

It really was this red in the sunlight

This female looks to be licking salt, difficult to confirm though and it could be grit

Same Crossbill

Lapwing, one of around 140 seen in Glen Lethnot

Relaxing

Buzzard chasing Raven, seconds later Raven chasing Buzzard

Red Kite in Glenesk

Where the Haughend Bridge over the North Esk was!!

Goldcrest at the west end of Forfar Loch

Long-tailed Tit, Forfar Loch

Robin, Forfar Loch

Woodpigeon at Forfar Loch, light has given it a darker tone than it actually had