It's dreich and misty at Loch Leven today, but there's still a few birds emerging from the haze. Teal and mallard are happily swimming by the 2nd hide, while black-headed gulls and curlew continue to feed in front of the 3rd hide.
Hopefully as the mist lifts the 2 white-tailed eagles that were spotted on St Serfs yesterday will appear once again. 2 eagles with turqoise tags, likely to be H (female) and X (male), were spied by a visitor yesterday over the island, the birds, released in 2009, were last seen on Saturday, and will hopefully continue to make use of the loch and reserve until they're ready to breed (usually around 5 years old).
It's worth scanning across the loch to look for any eagle activity when you're at Vane - keep a look out for a flash of turquoise (or yellow from the feet and beak) in the trees, or for flocks of ducks and geese taking off as they try to avoid the clutches of the eagles talons.
Chris Gomersall (rspb-images.com)
I watched one of the '09 eagles last Christmas Day at sunrise, dispite being some distance away it was easy to spot against the snow and the flocks of geese taking off as it flew in. Just need Turquoise 'Z' to turn up again as well ... saw him in Oct roosting with some of this year's youngsters.
~ Karen ~Pet & Widlife Artist living in southern Perthshire. A self confessed White-Tailed Eagle-holic!