Loch Leven has been transformed into a winter wonderland with snow storms, sunshine and bright nights with venus showing well. We had our January pink-footed goose count this morning, the reserve team along with folk from Scottish Natural Heritage got up at 5.30am to arrive before first light in time to count the geese before they head off on their daily foraging trip. The total count was 1026 which is significantly lower than last month which was 5543. Possible reasons for this big difference is a combination of freezing temperatures (they may have flown further south) and we had a bright full moon last night so they often stay out in the fields over night (as they can see predators coming) rather than coming back to the loch for safety.
We've been having fun following animal tracks and understanding better the movements of our red squirrels. They spend a lot of time on the paths and have favourite routes across the hillside and through the woodlands. Here are some freshly laid tracks and another seasonal visitor:
Parts of the wetlands have frozen over meaning the whooper swans have been seen doing some comic crash landings. A stonechat, six reed buntings, four redwings and a fieldfare were seen from the carden hide.
We've has long tailed tits around all week in flocks of various sizes, today we had just five and they were enjoying the feeders in the wildlife garden.
Also around this week we've had big groups of tufted ducks, the little egret, a pochard, three great crested grebes, groups of teal and wigeon, a pair of buzzards over the visitor centre and tree creeper in the picnic area beautifully photographed by Colin Fraser who shared it with us on facebook.
Thanks again to everyone for sharing your photos and sightings at the visitor centre and on social media (www.twitter.com/RSPBlochleven or www.facebook.com/Tayside)Fife.
Enjoy the snow!
Photos: Moon - Rachel Kramer (Flickr), snow pics - Alice O'Rourke, female reed bunting - Paul Ashcroft, long-tailed tits - Alice O'Rourke, treecreeper - Colin Fraser