Our local lochs have been ice free this winter so we visited one to look for wintering ducks and water birds on a recent sunny day. We were not disappointed with good numbers of Tufted Ducks, Mallards, Goldeneyes and Pochard as well as a Scaup and a Smew to get 2012 off to a good start. The Moorhens seemed to be displaying already, as were the Great Crested Grebes, despite still being in their winter plumage, and some of the Mute Swans were showing off too.

Later at the coast we found a flock of uncommon Pintail and Wigeon taking shelter in a bay, whilst a roost of Dunlin, Sanderling and Ring Plovers braved the windy beach.